Survey of 1,200 Parents of First Graders: 2026 Survey on Fabric Randoseru Awareness

Footmark Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Sumida-ku, Tokyo, President: Tokushi Isobe), celebrating its 80th anniversary, has announced the results of the "2026 Survey on Awareness of Fabric Randoseru (School Bags)," targeting 1,200 parents with children in the first grade of elementary school.

In this second edition of the survey (the previous one being conducted in December 2023), it was revealed that the awareness rate of fabric randoseru has surpassed the majority (55.7%) for the first time. Additionally, it highlighted that there are widely shared, complex difficulties with the randoseru currently in use, such as "cannot fit a water bottle" and "locks are difficult to use."

We asked Professor Ken Shirato (hereafter, Professor Shirato), who has been researching randoseru for many years, for his views on the survey results.

Survey Summary

1. Awareness of fabric randoseru exceeds the majority for the first time.

Increased from 48.8% in the 2023 survey to 55.7% (+6.9 points). Against the backdrop of diverse color variations, designs, and a wider choice of materials, awareness regarding the selection of randoseru is changing. The reason for choosing fabric, "because leather is heavy," increased from 18.2% to 31.7%, suggesting that the heavy image of leather is becoming a factor in the selection process.

2. Randoseru usability issues are complex, such as "cannot fit a water bottle" and "locks are difficult to use."

Dissatisfaction with randoseru spans multiple items: "cannot fit a water bottle" (21.8%), "insufficient capacity" (12.6%), "difficult to organize" (10.0%), and "locks are difficult to use" (8.8%). Almost half (48.3%) of first graders carry their water bottles diagonally across their bodies.

3. The experience of 'Ran-katsu' (randoseru shopping) is polarizing. A tendency to divide into an early-action group and a group confused by information overload.

The number one struggle was "too many choices to decide" (34.3%). On the other hand, 42.8% stated, "there was nothing particularly troublesome." As the timing of purchases continues to trend earlier (before April, one year prior to entering school: 16.7%), there is a polarizing trend between the group that makes decisions early and the group that continues to hesitate amidst information overload.

Furthermore, the final payer has shifted from grandparents (53.4% -> 42.3%) to parents (44.2% -> 55.1%), indicating that randoseru are changing from "something grandparents gift" to "something parents and children choose and buy together."

Changes in Awareness and Purchase Rates of Fabric Randoseru

- Signs of change in the deep-rooted "Randoseru = Leather" culture

In Japan, there has long been a unique culture of purchasing a randoseru when entering elementary school. Gradual changes are occurring in this market, where leather has been considered the standard. The percentage of respondents who chose leather because "a randoseru means leather" decreased by 13.9 percentage points from 43.1% in 2023 to 29.2% in 2026. "Because there were no other options" also decreased from 12.7% to 8.7%, indicating a shift from selections based on custom and peer pressure to a style of independently comparing, considering, and choosing. Regarding the background of this change, Professor Shirato commented, "In addition to the diversification of color variations and designs, the number of fabric products with excellent durability, functionality, and design has increased. The image that 'durability = leather' is changing, as fabric bags are now gaining the same level of trust."

- Awareness rate of fabric randoseru, +6.9 points in 2 years, reaching a majority for the first time

55.7% of parents answered that they "know" about fabric (nylon/polyester) randoseru, an increase of 6.9 percentage points from 48.8% in the 2023 survey, surpassing the majority for the first time. The actual purchase rate also steadily increased from 2.8% to 3.4%, showing the penetration of fabric as an option in the randoseru market where leather and artificial leather were mainstream. Professor Shirato stated, "The current purchase rate of 3.4% will also change. Just as things that were once considered rare become commonplace over time, consumer culture changes. Free distribution by local governments is also seeing more fabric bags, and the purchase rate may grow significantly in the future."

[Data Table Omitted]

- Reason for choosing fabric: The "heavy image" of leather is one factor

As for the reason for choosing a fabric randoseru (n=41), "because the child liked it" was the most common at 56.1%. "Because leather is heavy" increased from 18.2% in 2023 to 31.7% (+13.5 points).