Muji is a company that focuses on simplification in all areas of production. From the materials they use to the packaging of their products, you’ll see a distinct difference in Muji versus companies that try to catch your eye with fancy packages and products.
Muji offers functional, high-quality products at affordable prices. The company has embraced the idea that consumers need tools that will successfully complete a job, not extravagant items that serve the exact same purpose.
But that doesn’t mean their products are cheap or boring. The Japanese-based company has taken over the world with its line of useful, deceptively innovative, affordable products. In the next few sections, we’ll discuss some of the most popular Muji products and how the company’s material selection process affects quality.
Muji Products
Make no mistake, Muji is simple, not basic…sustainable, not (necessarily) recycled. The company is highly driven to design neutral items that will fit into any lifestyle. So don’t worry if your personal style is far from “minimalistic”; you can still appreciate and make use of countless Muji products.
Muji has over 700 stores around the world, offering all of the following products:
- Stationery
- Furniture
- Home goods
- Clothing
- Travel needs
- Health and beauty items
- Food
The brand started small in 1980 with just 9 products and 31 food items. With such a small inventory, the company was able to refine its processes with every new product and build a reputation for sustainability.
Muji is a shortened form of the Japanese term Mujirushi Ryohin, which literally means, “no-brand, quality goods,” so we’d say that quality is high on their list of priorities!
Today, you’ll find that Muji’s most popular products include refillable ink pens, gel pens, notebooks, home organization tools, and high-quality yet basic clothing. Muji has the things you and your home need most.
Material Selection
Material selection plays a vital role in quality control for any company, let alone one that is trying to single-handedly defeat consumerism.
Simplicity and sustainability are two important tenants of Muji’s business model. The company carefully selects product and packaging materials to eliminate waste in all parts of the manufacturing and packaging process.
This resonates with consumers who understand that the quality and functionality of a product are unchanged if it is made from recycled, unbleached, or off-colored materials.
Here are a few material selection practices that set Muji apart:
- Purchasing high-quality materials sourced from leftovers or damaged goods. Because Muji is able to purchase slightly defective material (and by this, we mean it didn’t live up to some other company’s appearance standards), they get these expensive materials at cut-rate costs.
- Leaving materials natural. By not bleaching or painting the majority of their products, Muji saves time, reduces the use of chemicals in manufacturing, and creates an earthy aesthetic.
- Practicing minimal packaging techniques. Muji packaging is recyclable whenever possible, and much of it has been eliminated altogether, letting the product – not the package – shine.
- Constructing minimalistic store displays. Inside Muji stores, you won’t find bright signage and loud music. The layout of the store is logical and easy to navigate, so you don’t need to be constantly directed to the next aisle.
Quality
So how do Muji’s business practices result in higher quality products?
You may be surprised to see some of the ways a company’s ethics can affect the quality of its products. We will detail a few examples below.
Defective products aren’t thrown out
Other companies would be quick to toss out something that didn’t look like a carbon copy of the item beside it, but Muji prides itself on sustainability. Instead, they’ll discount a slightly defective product in order to sell it.
No money wasted on advertising
Muji relies on word of mouth and now social media exposure for advertising, which has been wildly successful. Therefore, more money is routed into designing products and buying the best raw materials possible.
In-store experiences are low stress
Because customers have a stress-free shopping experience, they are less likely to over-buy or impulse buy. You’ll only end up buying what you need, but Muji still makes money because they save money in so many other areas.
If you need even more proof that Muji offers the highest quality products, here’s what customers have to say:
- The gel pens are the smoothest writing, finest tipped pens they’ve ever used – perfect for doodling or note-taking. These pens come in a variety of colors and tip sizes, and most are refillable.
- Suitcases are ultra-durable and so well-designed that they can be used for checked or carry-on luggage. Not only do you end up with the perfect suitcase for any occasion, but you’ll now also have one piece of luggage that does the job of several, allowing you to declutter your bags.
- All elements of the Muji cleaning system integrate well with one another. From microfiber dust mop heads to wooden poles of different lengths, everything works together perfectly and does an excellent job of cleaning the whole house.
- Their ruled notebooks are sleek yet sturdy enough to handle your inkiest fountain pen. Muji offers many different styles and sizes of notebooks, for everything from taking notes to sketching.
- The upholstery lint roller is simply genius. It’s bigger than a clothing lint roller but serves the same purpose for your upholstery, curtains, and anything else you can’t easily wash.
Our Conclusion about Muji Quality
Who would have thought a line of unbranded, unadvertised home goods and clothing would become one of the better known sustainable brands in the world? Yet with only storefronts acting as advertisements, Muji is now known worldwide.
It just goes to show that you can’t go wrong when you start with high-quality materials and offer well-designed products at reasonable prices. The quality of these products is undeniable, reflected in their growing customer base and popularity.
Consumers value honesty. Integrity and quality. By producing reliable, no-nonsense products for every area of life, Muji has done just that.