Kawaii! What?
, 2 min reading time
CuteStuff is, of course, the cutest kawaii shop. But what exactly is kawaii? Read about it in our first blog!
A cute plush toy looking at you with big eyes from the shop window, or that video of a fluffy cat irresistibly staring into the camera. Sounds familiar, right? "Kawaii!" is what the Japanese would say.
Kawaii_ (or 可愛い ) is the Japanese word for cute. Maybe you've heard it in a Japanese cartoon (anime) or just in daily life. Kawaii is super popular, but where does it come from?
In the 1970s, especially among young people, there was a pushback against traditional ways of life. Structure and rules. Sounds boring, right? They thought so too. By embracing cuteness, it became their way to stand out and resist the norm. Since then, kawaii has become woven into daily life and can be found everywhere. Not just in products, but also in fashion, art, design, animation, food, and drinks. Even major companies like banks and insurance firms use cute characters in their advertisements. And this trend hasn't stayed in Japan; kawaii has become popular worldwide. Even in our little frog country, you can't avoid it anymore. Okay, companies here are still pretty boring, but you do see cute images, clothes, and products popping up more and more. Just like at CuteStuff, of course.
You're probably already familiar with the most famous kawaii characters: think of Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, My Melody, or Kuromi, all part of the world-famous kawaii brand Sanrio. Or Rilakkuma and Sumikkogurashi from San-X. And there are so many other fun brands creating cute stuff (😉)! We also think Molang, CutieSquad, Pusheen, Kenji, and some NICI products are totally kawaii.
Ultimately, it’s different for everyone what they find cute. In our shop, you'll mostly find products we've fallen a little bit in love with ourselves. Take a look at our adorable pens, notebooks, stickers, plush toys, and more. But of course, there's also plenty outside our shop: there’s amazing kawaii fashion too: sweaters, dresses, skirts, scarves, necklaces, rings, hair accessories, and more fashion items. Then there are figurines, prints, and collector’s items. You can also find things for your home or for food and drinks, like cushions, blankets, lunchboxes (bentos), chopsticks, drink cups, and much more! So many “kawaii” things are for sale, but the cutest selection can, of course, be found at CuteStuff!
I could go on and on, but the essence is that kawaii is mostly about a cute lifestyle where everyone can be themselves. Regardless of age, gender, or background. It brings joy and happiness, which is the most important thing! That smile, that’s what we do it for!