Go Tokyo Your Experience
Are you the kind of person who always uses a toothpick to clean between your teeth after every meal? I assume that when you use a toothpick, you notice that there are usually a few fine grooves on the end you hold. Recently, a long-established toothpick manufacturer in Japan, “Kikusui Industries,” announced that they will no longer have these grooves on their toothpicks, which immediately sparked widespread discussion among netizens.
So, what exactly is the role of these grooves in history? And what prompted this toothpick factory to decide to eliminate the groove design? Let’s delve into this together.
First, let’s get to know “Kikusui Industry” company. This is a traditional Japanese toothpick manufacturer that was established 63 years ago, known for its unique traditional manufacturing process and carefully selected domestic Japanese wood. Their products have always adhered to the principles of meticulous craftsmanship and quality assurance, enjoying a good reputation in the market.
However, recently this company announced on X that they will no longer engrave grooves on the toothpicks they produce in the future, which has undoubtedly raised great attention and discussion among consumers and within the industry.
Many people may have always thought that the grooves on toothpicks were designed for functional purposes, such as making it easier to “hold the toothpick” or “retrieve it easily.”
However, these claims are actually long-standing misconceptions. Kikusui Industries clarified that these grooves are merely decorative and were inspired by the doll figure of the traditional Japanese crafts known as “kigasu,” unrelated to their function.
It is often rumored that these grooves are designed to “support toothpicks” or “make them easier to grab,” but these explanations are actually not based on facts.
As the representative of Jiu Shui Industry said: “Every time we tell people that we are a toothpick manufacturing company, the vast majority proudly say, ‘I know, the grooves on the toothpicks are for breaking them so they can be placed, right?’ But that is not the case; it is merely for decorative purposes.”
So, why was the decision made to cancel these grooves?
The Kikusui industry explains that engraving grooves often leads to inconsistent depth issues during the production process, which inevitably results in a large number of defective products being discarded, causing waste of labor and materials. In light of this problem, the company decided to eliminate unnecessary decorations and directly remove those grooves that have no practical function.
Since the cancellation of the grooves, the company has reported that the amount of discarded defective products has been reduced to one-third of the original, significantly improving production efficiency and resource utilization.
Many netizens expressed agreement, believing that removing the grooves from the toothpicks makes them seem more simple and elegant, in line with modern aesthetics.
Through this change, Kirin Industry not only saved production costs but also subtly enhanced the product image. This shift reflects the company’s keen insight into market demands and its high emphasis on resource optimization.
Similarly, some users stated that the toothpicks without grooves had no significant change in user experience, and even added a touch of quality and taste.
This small change reflects a dual consideration of meticulous craftsmanship and resource rationality, revealing the subtle yet important balance between design and practicality.
What seems like a simple toothpick contains design philosophy and production decisions that are worth our deep reflection.
