Sonic’s Focus on the UX of Pencil Cases

Here Japanese stationery manufacturer Sonic rethinks the humble pencil case, which is typically a form-follows-function rectangle. Their Kakusta design angles the zipper, so that once open, the case presents the utensils:Another take on this is their vertically-standing Smart Stand. When you open the flip-down lid, an unseen magnet holds it against the base. This creates a very stable standing position, as this very Japanese-style illustration tells you: The flip-down lid is meant to provide a resting place for your phone.It seems like whatever time Konstantin Grcic and Erwan Bouroullec spend thinking about furniture, Japanese designers spend thinking about stationery.