As a child, I loved going shopping for back-to-school supplies. I’d roam the aisles of the office-supply store stocking up on marble composition books, boxes of pencils, a new color backpack…I loved the fresh-start feeling of every new school year. Every year, I’d also head over to the Japanese-products store for my most treasured item... a Hello Kitty pencil case. These rectangular cases were emblazoned with Kitty cuteness, padded, plastic, and built like a Swiss Army Knife. They had a button to open the pencil compartment, a button for the pop-out eraser holder, a button for the pop-out pencil sharpener, a button for the pop-out mirror, and a button to reveal a secret storage area. Before my interests turned to makeup, this was the physical embodiment of my 7-year-old happiness.

Even as an adult, I love office supplies.. notebooks, pens, sticky papers…but still, it’s the Japanese stuff that really make my heart sing. They’re practical, but they’re also cute and whimsical... adjectives that I’d be hard-pressed to use at Staples. The charming stationery by Miyuki, Inc. perfectly embodies this aesthetic. Clear plastic folders are embossed with charming flower, leaf or heart designs, and sparkle with lame powder. The company uses special printing, processing and sewing technologies to create stationery and household goods that are both functional and girlishly sweet. They are popular among young Japanese women because their designs are both sophisticated and innocent... an elegant step up for girls who’ve (sadly) outgrown their pop-out pencil cases.