MONO MAKERS PROGRAM
Find your next collaborator and develop new products
To stimulate collaboration between Japan and the Netherlands, NN Life and MONO JAPAN joined hands together to start up the new programme “MONO MAKERS PROGRAM (MMP)”. The focus of this programme is to create a new product for the European market, that embodies the quality of Dutch design and Japanese craftsmanship.
About MONO MAKERS PROGRAM
Hands-on support for collaborations
Within the online platform, we host the “MONO MAKERS PROGRAM (MMP)” which will provide hands-on support for the collaboration between makers to create a new product. The members can seek a collaborator and communicate within the platform. When there is a mutual wish to collaborate between two parties, the pair can apply for this hands-on support program.
The focus of this program is to create a new product for the European market, that embodies the quality of Dutch design and Japanese craftsmanship. To achieve this goal, NN Life and MONO JAPAN will give hands-on support to the selected pair for one year, until the end of March 2026.
MONO MAKERS PROGRAM is co-organized by NN Life Insurance Company.
Open Call
MMP 2025
7 April - 23 May
We are excited to announce the continuation of our project initiated last year, with the launch of the 2025 edition this year. This project will once again unite Dutch and Japanese artisans to craft exceptional and innovative pieces that reflect the rich creativity and distinct visions of both cultures.
Our program aims to explore the intersection between Dutch and Japanese craft culture and to create a collaborative products that reflects the talent and creativity of each creators involved in the project. If you can make physical products with your own hands, we want to hear from you.
We believe that this project will be a great opportunity for designers and crafts people to collaborate and learn from each other, and we’re looking for passionate and enthusiastic participants who are interested in exploring new ideas and techniques. By working together, we hope to create something that is greater than the sum of its parts.
If you’re interested in joining this program, please read the application requirements below and submit your project proposal with your collaborator. We’re looking for designers and makers who are committed to this program and who are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with creators from a different cultural background.
Program Schedule
Application period:
Monday, 7 April 2025 (from 16:00 in Japan / from 9:00 in The Netherlands)) – Friday, 23 May 2025
Announcement of the selected pair:
Thursday, 5 June 2025
Hands-on support period:
Middle of June 2025 till end of March 2026
*The selection committee of the program will discuss and consider all applicants and projects. Selected pairs will be announced on this website. The committee will not provide each applicant with any comments, reviews or reasons concerning the application.
MMP 2024 Outcomes
In 2024, two unique collaborations were selected as part of the MONO MAKERS PROGRAM.
Shohei Kubo (KANMAKI / Kansai Makitori Haku Co., Ltd.) & Sigrid Calon
Shohei Kubo, known for manufacturing and selling pigment foil, collaborated with Dutch artist Sigrid Calon to develop a new line of paper stationery. By combining pigment foil, washi paper, and paper boxes, they created a visually striking stationery collection guided by Sigrid’s art direction.
2. Tsuyoshi Kato (Kato Ken Hata Flag Shop / kiten.Kyoto) & Laura Luchtman
Tsuyoshi Kato, the third-generation owner of a Kyoto-based flag maker and founder of the brand kiten.Kyoto, worked with Dutch textile designer Laura Luchtman to design indoor garments and bags. These items use traditional dyeing techniques originally developed for flag noren, reimagined into contemporary textile products.
Both collaborations were presented at the Kyoto International Gift Show held on March 12–13, 2025, and also featured at MONO JAPAN 2024 in Rotterdam.
MMP 2023 Highlight: YŌRAI WASHI
Selected through the 2023 MONO MAKERS PROGRAM, the partnership between Yohei Ooue of washi distributor Ooue Co., Ltd. and Dutch designer Mae Engelgeer explored the potential of washi beyond traditional uses. Together, they developed a new material using recycled washi—made from production offcuts by Inshu washi craftsmen—and dyed with ethical plant-based dyes by Kyoto artisans. The project aimed to position washi as a vegan leather alternative and create sustainable interior items.
In March 2024, they premiered four cushion cover prototypes at the Kyoto Gift Show. Their brand, YŌRAI WASHI, redefines washi through the lens of contemporary design, honoring Japanese craftsmanship while offering timeless products suited to modern interiors. The collection includes the Duo cushion series, placemats, storage boxes, and small trays—each showcasing the soft, inviting texture of washi and subtly elegant plant-dyed tones.
Their collaboration continues and will be officially presented at MONO JAPAN Fair 2024 in September.
Organisers
NN Life Insurance Company
Since the start of Japan operations in 1986 as the first European life insurance company in Japan, NN Life Insurance Company has been providing products and services to maintain and preserve the value of small-to-medium sized companies. As part of our support for the next generation, we are implementing a program to assist the successors and young managers who will be the future of Japan’s small and medium-sized companies, Our “Family Business Innovation Lab” program is being co-hosted with two local NPOs.
Japan Cultural Exchange
Japan Cultural Exchange (JCE) is the owner of the MONO JAPAN fair and the web shop MONO SHOP. The first MONO JAPAN Fair took place in 2016 in the Lloyd Hotel Amsterdam. Since then, more than 70 Japanese participants have exhibited their works with our support, most of them for the first time in Europe, and numerous collaborations between Japan and the Netherlands were born. In November 2019, the owner of JCE established an NPO “Stichting MONO JAPAN” to organize cultural activities and to separate these activities from the MONO JAPAN fair.