【Letra - April Dream】Weaving Culture into the Future. Letra pioneers a future of "fashion that expresses oneself" by harmonizing traditional techniques with modernity.

Giving a New Story to the Fading "Warmth of Hands."

As you travel the world, you'll find communities still scattered in places slightly away from urban centers, carefully preserving their unique cultures. There, you'll discover "handicrafts" passed down for centuries from mother to daughter, father to son.

An uneven, one-of-a-kind expression that can never be created by mass production using machines.

Isn't this "uneven beauty," imbued with the maker's thoughts and life background, the true richness we seek in today's era? The apparel brand "Letra" sheds modern light on beautiful handicrafts hidden around the world, weaving new business stories.

Reality and Our Challenge. Tradition is not just "old."

There is a reality where wonderful handicraft techniques are losing their bearers due to societal changes, young people are moving to cities, making it difficult to pass on the traditions protected by the parent generation, and facing a crisis of survival. When we actually visit Mexico, we feel that Japan and the rest of the world face the same challenges.

We can't help but feel that the essential charm of tradition holds the potential to transform into the "cutting edge." We believe that by reinterpreting tradition not merely as an object of preservation, but by breathing new life into it through modern trends and sensibilities, we can connect it to the future as a "living technique."

Through Letra's Filter, We Showcase Not Just the Product, but its "Background."

The Mercado bags we handle from Oaxaca, Mexico. Behind their vibrant appearance lies a powerful story of regeneration that supports the social reintegration of inmates.

We are not just a brand that sells "cute bags." We aim to be a medium that conveys the lives of the makers, their social significance, and the "background" that lies beneath.

The Way of Business is Never About Sympathy, but About the Customers' "Cute."

The form we aim for is not charity.

It is the ordinary business model where customers pick up an item because "this item is cute, I like it."

The background of the item they picked up happened to lead to someone's happiness. We believe that this chain of "cute" creates a sustainable relationship, not a fleeting one. We want to be a brand that finds value in Letra's filter itself, serving as a "bridge" connecting the creators of culture with customers who understand its value.

And we aim to find new encounters not only in Mexico but also in countries, cultures, and handicraft techniques that embody this business, and to spread Letra's circle throughout the world.

Embracing Your Own "Freedom" in an Age of Efficiency.

In modern society, we often get caught up in the number of "likes" due to the spread of social media, compare ourselves to others' lives, and inadvertently seek efficiency in terms of cost-performance and time-performance.

What truly attracts us, not efficiency or someone else's evaluation? What can express our identity and philosophy? We will continue to propose "fashion that expresses oneself" by wearing stories from the background.

"I don't need anyone's 'likes.' I like this."

Letra will create a future where everyone can confidently choose their own style, whether colorful or basic, supporting beautiful cultures by meeting new places and people from Mexico and around the world, enabling you to choose "who you are" with peace of mind.

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What is Letra?

Since 2014, Letra has gradually expanded the recognition of Mercado bags in Japan. Our procurement volume increased from 1,200 units in 2015 to 35,000 units in 2024. The return to producers has also grown nearly 30-fold in approximately 10 years.

In addition to environmental considerations aiming for a circular economy that produces products usable for 10 years, we want to contribute to the inheritance of traditional Mexican techniques, the creation of vocational training opportunities in prisons, and the stabilization of Mercado bag artisans' livelihoods through business for a long time.

The Circular Economy Embodied by Letra's Mercado Bags

1. Recycled plastic cords are made from discarded plastic.

2. Mexican artisans hand-weave each recycled plastic cord to produce Mercado bags, thereby transforming them into new, valuable forms.

3. Mercado bag weavers are men who weave with strong force based on wooden molds. Because Mercado bags have high strength, they retain their shape and are durable, allowing for long-term use.

4. They can be matched regardless of gender or age and have diverse uses. They accompany daily life for a long time.