On February 7, Tsuchiya Bag Mfg. announced its lineup of school bags for the 2025 school year and held a presentation in Tokyo.
A total of 52 products in 9 series and about 40 colors will be released on February 14 for the 2025 school year. In response to the need for lighter products in response to the increased luggage of elementary school students, 34 products, or more than 60% of the total product lineup, have been lightened by 5g to 70g. In addition, the company has moved up the start date of sales by about half a month from last year in response to the earlier “run activities” for selecting school bags.
The price range varies from man-made leather products priced in the 60,000 yen range to natural cowhide and cordovan products priced in the high 100,000 yen range. President Shigenori Tsuchiya, who took the stage at the presentation, explained that “this year, we have (basically) restrained price hikes through corporate efforts,” in response to the rising cost of raw materials due to the weak yen. Although he raised the price of “Basic Color Plus” by 1,000 yen, he left the prices of the main models, “RECO” and “ATELIER,” unchanged.
At the presentation, Yuichiro Ogawa, General Manager of the Randoseru Business Planning Department of the company’s Randoseru Business Promotion Division, introduced the 2025 entrance models. The third “Atelier” model, made in collaboration with Mina Perhonen, uses man-made leather as the main material, making it the second-lightest model in the company’s lineup, weighing approximately 70 grams less than previous models. In addition, the front pocket has been newly designed with a wider gusset to increase storage capacity. A total of six types of handkerchiefs with three patterns are available. Matching handkerchiefs and lesson bags are also available.
Made of a hybrid of cowhide and man-made leather, “RECO” is available in five basic colors and five premium colors. The concept is to allow customers to freely choose their own colors, and the company is conscious of “colors that even adults would want to have. According to Ogawa, the peak of “run-activities” to purchase school bags is during Golden Week and summer vacation, and purchases are on the rise, especially through May. For this reason, the “RECO” series will remain on sale until May 31 without selling out.
In addition, as part of its sustainability efforts, the company will also offer a “STOCK LUCK” program to sell new products manufactured in the past, an initiative that began in 2022, with a limited number of two “Atelier” series products for the 2022/2023 school year available this time.
In addition to selling randoseru (school bags) at 15 stores in 10 prefectures nationwide and at the company’s e-commerce site, the company will conduct 42 traveling stores in 30 prefectures nationwide starting March 3. With the exception of a few stores, reservations are required via the website, and one leather card case will be given away with each purchase of a randoseru (school bag) at both the store and the traveling stores. In addition, the company will also offer live streaming on Instagram, online consultations via LINE, and a rental school bag service for a fee.
© Source travel watch