Located in Ichikawamisato, Yamanashi, which boasts a 1000 year history of paper making, the Japanese paper (washi) maker ONAO and industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa teamed together to create the SIWA series. The name SIWA is both a reversing of the characters in the word washi (wasi), and a word meaning, "crinkle" in Japanese. As with leather goods, these washi products are lovingly, individually crafted.