Originally inspired by an international arts festival, the Roooots Specialty Redesign Project is a collaborative initiative designed to showcase regional specialty goods and creative talent from around the world as well as promote sustainable development on a regional level. Roooots, an initiative by Loftwork.com which is the global open platform for creative talent with over 16,000 registered users, is a competition calling for entries of reworked package designs of regional specialty products. The designs will be judged and the creators of the winning entries will collaborate with regional manufacturers to bring the redesigned, regional specialty products to new markets.

2. Creative Local
talent allures
Local allures x Creative talent
= Revitalizing local communities
with new items!
Originally inspired by an international arts festival,
the Roooots Specialty Redesign Project is a
collaborative initiative designed to showcase
regional specialty goods and creative talent from
around the world as well as promote sustainable
development on a regional level. Roooots, an
initiative by Loftwork.com which is the global open
platform for creative talent with over 16,000
registered users, is a competition calling for entries
of reworked package designs of regional specialty
products. The designs will be judged and the creators
of the winning entries will collaborate with regional
manufacturers to bring the redesigned, regional
specialty products to new markets.

3. Roooots Project Milestones
2009
Echigo-Tsumari Specialty Product Redesign Project
Roooots originated as a collaborative initiative with the Earth Arts Festival in
Niigata’s Echigo-Tsumari region in a trailblazer effort to revitalize the region
through art. This first Roooots competition attracted some 900 entries, of which 28
submissions were developed into branded products.
2010
Setouchi Specialty Product Redesign Project
The second year, Roooots was rolled out together with the 2010 International Arts
Festival in Seto. Some 27 new Roooots brands were born as a result.
2012
Echigo-Tsumari Specialty Product Redesign Project
For the third year of Roooots, the project was run again with the Earth Arts Festival
in Niigata’s Echigo-Tsumari region. Some 550 entries were received and 25 of these
were selected to be marketed as Roooots brands.

4. Here are the number of products developed and creators involved in ROOOOTS to date…
80 products
44 creators

5. Project Flow

6. Identify Specialty Products Representative of the Region
The desiners redesign the regional products that showcase the local technology, industries and history.

7. Open Competition
Showcase all entries and users’ feedback online in real time. This ensures that ideas remain fresh and unique.
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Judges
Creators
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Users

8. Selection
The selection process for the Roooots Project is carried out by some of the creative scene’s top running creators.
Roooots Redesign Project 2012

9. Co-production with Designer + Local Businesses
Selected designers will visit the region to work together with local producers to make the final touches
to the design.
Roooots Redesign Project 2010

10. Sales Promotion
The finished products will be featured as Roooots-branded products, and sold mainly in local gallery
shops
and souvenir stores.

11. Achievement of Roooots
The redesigned products are, without a doubt, contributing to the local economy. Some of the products that have been
redesigned to date have seen sales figures boosted anywhere between 3 to 20 times more than pre-project sales.
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Sake Art Bottle “ Tenjinn-Bayashi” Sake Sponge Cake Tsumari-Soba(noodle)
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12. Roooots Products Win Awards
The products redesigned for the Roooots Project have been recognized the world over with a wide array of
awards.

13. Specialty Product Redesign Project 2013
Submission November 6 (Tues), 2012 to January 10 (Thurs), 2013
Period
Calling for reworked designs for 10 Setouchi local specialty products (food, sweets, alcohol, fans, etc.)
…and many more!
Judges
Taku Satoh (Graphic designer / CEO of Taku Satoh Design Office)
Fram Kitagawa (General Director, Setouchi Triennale2013)
Masamichi Toyama (CEO, Smiles Co., Ltd.)
Chiaki Hayashi (Co-founder of Loftwork Inc.)
Prizes
1. Redesigned product to be sold as an originally branded product in souvenir and
gallery shops in throughout the region around the time of the Setouchi Triennale2013 (summer)
2. Two season passes to the Setouchi Triennale 2013
3. A number of your own redesigned products
4. Setouchi specialty goods set
http://www.loftwork.com/blog/pickup/roooots201
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