Comments on: Chopstick Economics and the “My Hashi” Boom http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/ A fresh look at Japan, by gaijins for gaijins! Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:58:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Mali http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-80810 Mali Sat, 31 May 2008 01:21:02 +0000 http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-80810 That's quite sad, but I'm happy steps are being taken to help the environment. I love the picture you have with this article. May I ask where it's from and if there's a store that sells them online? I'm a chopstick hoarder. That’s quite sad, but I’m happy steps are being taken to help the environment. I love the picture you have with this article. May I ask where it’s from and if there’s a store that sells them online? I’m a chopstick hoarder.

]]> By: Plausible Uses for your Everyday Junk! : Crafting a Green World http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-80757 Plausible Uses for your Everyday Junk! : Crafting a Green World Sun, 18 May 2008 05:59:07 +0000 http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-80757 [...] across the great blue expanse, have an additional problem: chopsticks. They produce approximately 45 billion pairs a year, most of which being as disposable as a Uwe Boll movie. That amounts to about 25 million trees a [...] [...] across the great blue expanse, have an additional problem: chopsticks. They produce approximately 45 billion pairs a year, most of which being as disposable as a Uwe Boll movie. That amounts to about 25 million trees a [...]

]]> By: Earth Day Roda at Bantus Capoeira Japan/ バントゥス カポエイラ ジャパオ (Kichijoji, Tokyo/吉祥寺・東京) http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-80665 Earth Day Roda at Bantus Capoeira Japan/ バントゥス カポエイラ ジャパオ (Kichijoji, Tokyo/吉祥寺・東京) Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:18:15 +0000 http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-80665 [...] Link [...] [...] Link [...]

]]> By: gman http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-4531 gman Thu, 08 Mar 2007 06:34:28 +0000 http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-4531 Yea those korean metal chopsticks are interesting....i ve decided that it was a government plan to force consumption of steel as korea strove to become a major world player in the steel industry. the govt majorly subsidised the modern Posco factory but i guess it took a while for a international demand for korean steel to kick in. I suspect that they only started using steel chopstix since the mid 60's....can anyone clarify that??? I was recently guided around a mid-size steel factory in China and none of the steel was mined locally...it was ALL purchased internationally as scrap, to be recast for domestic use hey, the korean restaurants better watch their silverware (chopsticks) now the chinese are pinching the lot! Yea those korean metal chopsticks are interesting….i ve decided that it was a government plan to force consumption of steel as korea strove to become a major world player in the steel industry. the govt majorly subsidised the modern Posco factory but i guess it took a while for a international demand for korean steel to kick in.

I suspect that they only started using steel chopstix since the mid 60’s….can anyone clarify that???

I was recently guided around a mid-size steel factory in China and none of the steel was mined locally…it was ALL purchased internationally as scrap, to be recast for domestic use

hey, the korean restaurants better watch their silverware (chopsticks) now the chinese are pinching the lot!

]]> By: gullevek http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-4510 gullevek Wed, 07 Mar 2007 22:32:11 +0000 http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-4510 @Traveler: no its not a modern way in Korea. They always used metal chopsticks. Especially, because they only use them for putting things together and then eat the rest with a normal spoon. Thats why they also do not take the bowl into the hand like japanese people do. And one more thing. Did you ever try to eat a whole meal with metal chopsticks? Well I am no Arnold Schwarzenegger, I prefer wooden ones. @Traveler: no its not a modern way in Korea. They always used metal chopsticks. Especially, because they only use them for putting things together and then eat the rest with a normal spoon. Thats why they also do not take the bowl into the hand like japanese people do. And one more thing. Did you ever try to eat a whole meal with metal chopsticks? Well I am no Arnold Schwarzenegger, I prefer wooden ones.

]]> By: Traveler http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-3384 Traveler Sun, 25 Feb 2007 20:14:08 +0000 http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-3384 Korean restaurants in Korea have a modern solution to this: use metal chopsticks. Take a hint guys, using a silver pair of chopsticks (they used to sell those at Tiffanny too!) is good for trees. Korean restaurants in Korea have a modern solution to this: use metal chopsticks. Take a hint guys, using a silver pair of chopsticks (they used to sell those at Tiffanny too!) is good for trees.

]]> By: takebanashi http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-1216 takebanashi Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:42:56 +0000 http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-1216 Bamboo chopsticks are difficult to make because the wood is so hard. Fine-tuned carving takes a lot of time and so bamboo chopsticks are considered high-quality, i.e. not thrown away lightly. Their allure is that the wood is so light, does not break easily, and can be widdled to a very narrow point, but I haven't seen any machines that make them on a mass scale. Try making a set yourself though and you'll be proud of them forever. (hint: bamboo naturally releases a sealant under heat, so wave them through a flame for a bit after sanding down.) Bamboo chopsticks are difficult to make because the wood is so hard. Fine-tuned carving takes a lot of time and so bamboo chopsticks are considered high-quality, i.e. not thrown away lightly. Their allure is that the wood is so light, does not break easily, and can be widdled to a very narrow point, but I haven’t seen any machines that make them on a mass scale. Try making a set yourself though and you’ll be proud of them forever. (hint: bamboo naturally releases a sealant under heat, so wave them through a flame for a bit after sanding down.)

]]> By: Gourmet in Washington http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-526 Gourmet in Washington Mon, 18 Dec 2006 08:27:03 +0000 http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-526 wouldn't have a clue. I didn't even know you could make chopsticks out of bamboo...? wouldn’t have a clue. I didn’t even know you could make chopsticks out of bamboo…?

]]> By: Murasaki http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-403 Murasaki Thu, 14 Dec 2006 01:23:52 +0000 http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-403 Hmm...I remember campaigns going in the mid 90s when the (stippy creators first met) and the rant at school cafeterias was that the demand for Chopsticks encouraged the raping of the forests in Indonesia (by illegal loggers supplying places such as Japan) and that enough wood to build 20,000 houses each year in indonesia was being pillaged for bentoo boxes.... Another point is that wooden products in China are expensive! in fact they have to import most wooden material themselves so even with importation costs they are producing them so cheaply..in the case of more labour intensive products like furniture I can see how the saving in labour costs alone makes them competitive, but producing Wari-bashi cant be too complex (?) Last point, interested to see the figures on Bamboo chopsticks vs. wood Bamboo is the way to go...no?? Hmm…I remember campaigns going in the mid 90s when the (stippy creators first met) and the rant at school cafeterias was that the demand for Chopsticks encouraged the raping of the forests in Indonesia (by illegal loggers supplying places such as Japan) and that enough wood to build 20,000 houses each year in indonesia was being pillaged for bentoo boxes….

Another point is that wooden products in China are expensive! in fact they have to import most wooden material themselves so even with importation costs they are producing them so cheaply..in the case of more labour intensive products like furniture I can see how the saving in labour costs alone makes them competitive, but producing Wari-bashi cant be too complex (?)

Last point, interested to see the figures on Bamboo chopsticks vs. wood Bamboo is the way to go…no??

]]> By: Seth http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-393 Seth Wed, 13 Dec 2006 16:41:50 +0000 http://www.stippy.com/japan-culture/chopstick-economics-and-the-my-hashi-boom/#comment-393 200 pairs? Is that correct? Living in America, I don't use anywhere near the amount of chopsticks that someone in China, Japan, or Korea would use. I'm looking a 25 pack sitting at my desk now. Along with all the take out and sushi I eat in a year, I wouldn't be surprised to surpass 200 myself. BTW: Great blog! 200 pairs? Is that correct?

Living in America, I don’t use anywhere near the amount of chopsticks that someone in China, Japan, or Korea would use. I’m looking a 25 pack sitting at my desk now. Along with all the take out and sushi I eat in a year, I wouldn’t be surprised to surpass 200 myself.

BTW: Great blog!

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