Ringo Gamaguchi ᱠᱞᱟᱥᱯ ᱯᱟᱨᱥ by Yutaro Kumagai

Ringo Gamaguchi ᱠᱞᱟᱥᱯ ᱯᱟᱨᱥ by Yutaro Kumagai is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ in ᱴᱤᱠᱟᱣᱤ ᱩᱛᱯᱟᱫ Competition Category.

ᱠᱟᱥᱟᱴᱤᱠᱟᱣᱤ ᱩᱛᱯᱟᱫ· 2026

Ringo Gamaguchi ᱠᱞᱟᱥᱯ ᱯᱟᱨᱥ

by Yutaro Kumagai

Client: Appcycle

A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ Winner in ᱴᱤᱠᱟᱣᱤ ᱩᱛᱯᱟᱫ Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Ringo Gamaguchi ᱠᱞᱟᱥᱯ ᱯᱟᱨᱥ

ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱯᱷᱚᱨᱱ ᱫᱚ ᱥᱮᱵ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱟᱠᱟᱢ ᱫᱷᱟᱨᱱᱟᱣ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱪᱮᱫᱟᱜ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱨᱤᱝᱜᱚ ᱴᱮᱠᱥ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱮᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱥᱤᱱᱛᱷᱮᱴᱤᱠ ᱪᱟᱢ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱥᱮᱵ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱯᱷᱮᱸᱠᱟᱹᱱ ᱡᱤᱱᱤᱥ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱮᱢ ᱦᱩᱭᱩᱜ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱢᱟᱯ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱴᱷᱤᱠ ᱦᱩᱰᱤᱸᱡ ᱥᱮᱵ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱢᱟᱯ ᱦᱤᱥᱟᱹᱵ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱮᱱᱟᱣ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱱᱤᱭᱟᱹ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱢᱩᱞ ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱨᱮ ᱡᱚᱨ ᱮᱢᱟᱜ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱢᱩᱬᱩᱫ ᱜᱩᱱ ᱫᱚ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱯᱟᱛᱞᱟ ᱦᱚᱸᱭ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱠᱞᱟᱥᱯ ᱯᱟᱨᱥ ᱫᱷᱟᱹᱨᱛᱤ ᱨᱮ ᱵᱟᱝ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱜᱚᱴᱚᱜ ᱟ ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱥᱤᱞᱟᱭ ᱨᱤᱠᱟᱹ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱮᱴᱟᱜ ᱫᱷᱟᱨᱱᱟᱣ ᱯᱟᱨᱥ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱦᱟᱛᱟᱣ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱜᱷᱚᱸᱴᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱯᱟᱛᱞᱟ ᱛᱟᱦᱮᱸᱱ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱦᱩᱭ ᱫᱟᱲᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱢᱚᱱᱮ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱯᱷᱚᱨᱱ ᱵᱮᱱᱟᱣ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱛᱟᱦᱮᱸᱱᱟ ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱵᱮᱜ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱚᱠᱮᱴ ᱨᱮ ᱨᱷᱟᱸᱪᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱜᱚᱴᱚᱜ ᱟ, ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱯᱟᱭᱥᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱮᱴᱟᱜ ᱦᱩᱰᱤᱸᱡ ᱡᱤᱱᱤᱥ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱟᱝ ᱯᱷᱩᱞᱟᱣ ᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱥᱢᱟᱨᱴ ᱛᱮ ᱤᱫᱤ ᱫᱟᱲᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱟ ᱾

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ

Ringo Gamaguchi ᱠᱞᱟᱥᱯ ᱯᱟᱨᱥ ᱫᱚ A' Design Award ᱠᱟᱥᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱧᱟᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱱᱟᱣᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱥᱚᱢᱟᱱ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱠᱟᱢᱤ ᱡᱷᱟᱞᱠᱟᱣ ᱠᱚ᱾ Ringo Gamaguchi ᱠᱞᱟᱥᱯ ᱯᱟᱨᱥ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱚᱞᱟ, ᱣᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱ, ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱤᱢᱟ ᱵᱟᱲᱦᱟᱣ ᱟᱨ ᱫᱩᱱᱤᱭᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱜᱚᱲᱚ ᱮᱢ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This clasp purse utilizes "Ringo-Tex" a bio-based leather developed by appcycle Inc. in Aomori, Japan's largest apple producing region. Around 20,000 tons of apple residue is produced each year, much of it discarded or incinerated, contributing to CO2 emissions. Ringo-Tex upcycles this waste into synthetic leather through a low-carbon stabilization process. Molded into a 3D apple form expressing it's origin uniting symbolism and craftsmanship while inviting participation in a sustainable society.
Dimensions & Packaging: W80mm x D19mm x H90mm
Tags: Apple, Apples, Aomori, Japan, Nippon, Bio-leather, Synthetic leather, coin case, purse, clasp purse, kiss-lock, push-lock, accessory, sustainability, vegan leather, appcycle, upcycle, ethical, multifunctional bag, circulation
Production Technology: The product is built from four key materials: a clasp frame, Ringo-Tex bio-based leather, an electroformed nameplate, and lining. While the clasp is standard, molding Ringo-Tex is far more demanding than working with genuine leather and required six months of research. Stitching along the complex contours demonstrates Japanese craftsmanship. The gold seed motif, mass-produced by molding, defines the brand’s elegant identity.
Design Challenge: The greatest challenge in developing this product was achieving the bumpy texture and stitching applied to complement it. While embossing genuine leather is relatively easy due to it’s elasticity, plant-based synthetic leather is difficult to shape and sew because it lacks these properties. After six months of collaboration with multiple companies and testing we succeeded in creating the texture using a proprietary welder process. It is the product’s most charming yet challenging feature.
Research: Ringo-Tex is created by processing apple residue into power and using it as a raw material, reducing petroleum-based inputs in manufacturing by 72 - 74%. This approach lowers the dependence on finite fossil resources and decreases environmental impact. It maintains the durability and water resistance comparable to existing synthetic leather, offering a upcycled next-generation bio-based material that balances sustainability with practical performance.
Inspiration: This product is the first release of "Golden Seed" a brand created to embody appcycle's philosophy of "circulation". With the concept of "sowing regenerative seeds and facing a golden future" it expresses Aomori's identity it's apples in a cute, friendly, and accessible way. With refined construction intricate and meticulous stitching reflect the depth of Japanese craftsmanship.
Project Duration: The Project was started in 2025 Aomori and was unveiled in Tokyo in January 2026 as the debut product of the Golden Seed brand. For the next phase the team plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign followed by expansion into online platforms and retail stores both in Japan and internationally.
Operation Flow: A clasp purse with a push lock to store and carry small items such as coins, AirTags and SD cards.
Patents: Currently in the process of submitting a application for a patent.
Team Members: CEO : Kei Fujimaki
Vice President : Shohei Hatakeyama
Designer : Yutaro Kumagai
Craftsman : Fumio Sudo
Photographer : Ryokan Abe