What do fruit and toilet paper have in common? The answer — I hope you didn’t say ‘both are used in the bathroom’ — is that they are common gifts in Japan. While fruit is more expensive, toilet paper can easily be gifted to customers as a symbol of appreciation. After all, the word fuku has 2 meanings: happiness (福) and to wipe (拭く).
Rolling up these two into the ultimate gift of happiness is designer Kazuaki Kawahara.
Late last year Kawahara designed Fruits Toilet Paper specifically thinking about all the companies and stores who “give a roll of toilet paper to customers as a novelty gift to show their appreciation.”He wanted to create something that would “wow customers with its cute style,” says the Kawahara, whose design firm Latona Marketing specializes in branding and packaging design.
And just last month the toilet paper, which includes kiwi, strawberry, watermelon and orange, won a 2015 pentaward for its creativity. Although many of the designs are currently out of stock, the 4-piece set retails for 1,500 yen.
