The durable randoseru

A story about a book bag that's designed to last

Photo by ajari

About Post-scarcity notes: As the staff of The Public Interest Network advocate for a cleaner, greener, healthier world, from time to time we’ll share observations on the larger challenge facing our network and our society: How do we shift the dominant paradigm — the very way in which we see and make sense of the world — from disposable to sustainable, from “never enough” to “enough,” from “making a living” to “living.” The views expressed in this space relate to our work, but do not necessarily represent the position of the network or its organizations.


 

I recently read this New York Times piece on randoseru backpacks in Japan, and how they are made to last the entire six years of elementary school and later can be turned into a wallet or something else as a memento.

“Nearly every elementary school student in Japan carries a book bag known as a randoseru, a staple of Japanese childhood for close to 150 years,” reporter Motoko Rich writes.

It made me think about a recent discussion we had about how buying new things is so deeply embedded in American culture. These randoseru bags are deeply embedded in Japanese culture — no one mandates that schoolchildren use them, but their use has become a tradition. Families invest a lot of money in these bags because they’re designed to last.

When I was in elementary school (and maybe all the way through high school), I bought a new bag every year, even if my bag from the year before was still perfectly functional. I loved back to school shopping and would look forward to my parents taking me to the mall to try on new clothes and to pick out a new bag. Somehow, I decided in first grade that my pink and purple backpack with my name embroidered on it from kindergarten wasn’t going to cut it anymore.

Marites Velasquez | Used by permission
Here's a pic with me and my brother, Reggie. I bet it was from the first day of school of 1st or 2nd grade. Looks like I went with a fuzzy bear holding a pencil for my bag that year. I also 10/10 would wear that outfit today if it still fit me.

I’m sure there’s something to be said about American culture and our embrace of back to school shopping, with all the sales and deals popping up this time of year. 

But imagine if we were able to shift that culture to one that embraced buying things that were made to last, and then remade into something else that continued to last. Instead of adding to an insurmountable pile of e-waste and fast fashion textiles, we would have less waste damaging our environment. And instead of a closet full of backpacks that were used and discarded after a year, kids could grow up with one really good bag that they learn to love and take care of and value as part of their style and identity.

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Marites Velasquez

Projects Manager, Editorial & Creative Team, The Public Interest Network

Marites Velasquez manages web and print projects with the Creative Team for The Public Interest Network, overseeing the creation of campaign materials, membership communications and web content for the dozens of organizations of the network. Prior to this role, Marites was an organizer with the Student PIRGs and an organizing director for the New Voters Project. She was also recognized by Progressive USA as one of the nation’s up-and-coming progressive youth activists in 2012. Marites lives in Chicago where she often performs as the bass player and singer with her rock band, OVEF OW.