JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 58

SOLUTlONS artistic vases

Fig. 8:
Hasegawa
Tohaku's Pine
Trees

Art FRP
Toyugiken focused on the
conventionally overlooked
artistic qualities of FRP to
develop a new concept in
FRP-applied products called
Art FRP, which combines
the superior FRP functionality resulting from advanced
technology and the unique
Japanese traditional sense of
beauty originating in traditional Japanese Nishijin-ori
(Figure 9) and Ikebana
(Figure 10).
Glass fibre FRP materials
usually have very good
physical properties but often
have an unpleasant appearance due to the visible glass

pattern. By combining them
with Nishijin-ori fabric, the
design takes on an appearance much like Japanese
paper.
This technology turns these
materials' shortcoming into
their strongest advantage.
Toyugiken and Ikenobo
used the innovative Art FRP
concept to design an artistic
f lower vase. They struggled
to insert the Nishijin-ori silk
cloth, which barely stretches, and make it fit neatly
with the curved surface of

the f lower vase.
The silk cloth was carefully
inserted piece by piece, considering its characteristics.
No additives were used so as
not to affect the transparency
of the resin. The procedures
and moulding technology
were improved to avoid resin
voids and sagging problems.
By allowing the beautiful
design of the Nishijin-ori
to be seen through the FRP
material, Art FRP lets the
users enjoy the profound
ancient Japanese beauty that
has been unaffected by time.

In contrast to ceramics or
glass vases, the light and
strong characteristics of
FRP enabled a composition
that was not possible in
conventional Ikebana.
Tradition and innovation,
technology and culture are
not in conf lict by nature.
If they mutually support
each other, it is possible to
progress and create a world
with new thinking and
values. In this case, Art FRP
focused on vases but in the
future, it will be used in a
variety of applications. Art
FRP research will continue
as a fusion of the advanced
technological strength that
is special to Japan and the
nation's unique aesthetic
and sentiments, and Art
FRP will try to convey these
ideas to the world as "Cool
Japan."

More information:
www.toyugiken.co.jp
www.ikenobo.jp

Focus

Fig. 11: The hand lay-up fabrication process

Figure 9: Nishijin-ori fabric

Figure 10: Nishijin-ori has been inserted
between the FRP.

58

Fig. 12: Senko Ikenobo's Ikebana work, the vase in which Nishijin-ori was inserted
within the FRP material

jec composites magazine / N°122 July 2018

Established in 1971
near Mt. Fuji, Toyugiken
Co., Ltd. uses extremely skilful techniques
incorporating the most
advanced
elements
of the hand lay-up
fabrication
method.
The company handles
gel-coating, moulding
and final checking of
the finished products. It
can produce the kind of
curved surfaces made
possible by glass fibre-reinforced plastics
(GFRP) and has already
produced a wide range
of luxury bathtubs in
Japan.
http://www.toyugiken.co.jp http://www.ikenobo.jp
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018
