Kataguchi Matcha bowl

Laure and Claire had the chance to visit Origami’ headquarters and factory located in Toki City, Gifu area. If we had to sum our visit up in a phrase, it would be “full transparency”, throughout the production process!  

It all begins with clay

Origami's supplier is a local company situated just a 10-minute drive from the factory, who transform the raw materials (stones, kaolin*, etc.) into a slab of clay which they then deliver to Origami. This is a crucial step, because it is the raw material that determines the quality and robustness of the finished products. They have their own R&D team, tasked with finding the best recipes according to the properties of their raw materials.  

Their famous dripper

Origami was founded in 2014 by two brothers with the idea of producing the best accessories for baristas. The brand made a name for itself on the specialty coffee scene when it created its famous dripper, launched in 2016. The idea was born of their desire for a filter holder compatible with both the Kalita Wave filters and conical filters.  

Traditional know-how and new technologies

The brothers grew up in their father’s Koyo Toki ceramics factory in Toki, Gifu Prefecture, which produces drippers and cups. Although part of the production is now robotised, many tasks are still done by hand. They produce their objects to order, meaning no overproduction! The factory even has its own coffee shop and showroom, created to promote local porcelain know-how and showcase the work of over 300 Mino ceramic artisans.