[Event Report] Praised by Professional Designers. 50 Limited Edition Kitpas Collaboration Packs Sold Out at Inclusive ART Festival 'WEAVE! 2026'!

## Event Participation Report: WEAVE! 2026

Nihon Rikagaku Industry Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture; President: Takahisa Oyama) participated in the inclusive ART festival 'WEAVE! 2026' (Organized by Toriko Co., Ltd. / WEAVE! Executive Committee) held at YOLO BASE (Osaka) on Saturday, May 23, 2026.

This event, now in its 6th year, has been expanding annually as an advanced art festival connecting diverse people, creators, and companies, and attracted over 300 visitors on the day. The company participated with the goal of conveying the value of its flagship product, 'Kitpas,' through 'experience' and 'dialogue,' and creating connections with new customer segments and creators beyond the welfare sector. This report details the day's events, which led to the sell-out of limited collaboration products and numerous opportunities for future co-creation.

## 1. Background of Participation: Resonating with the Philosophy of 'Art and Inclusion'

Since its founding in 1937, Nihon Rikagaku Industry has continued manufacturing, starting with dustless chalk, and currently, approximately 70% of all employees have intellectual disabilities. The realization of a 'Kai-do' (everyone working) society, where everyone can pool their wisdom and strength to work and feel the joy of being needed by society, is the company's strong belief.

Meanwhile, the slogan of 'WEAVE!' - 'The joy of self-expression for everyone,' this year's theme 'Time to Move,' and the concept of 'Art and Inclusion' deeply align with the company's philosophy of aiming for an inclusive society where everyone can participate. The company decided to participate again this year, following last year, to deliver the quality of Kitpas to creators and highly sensitive demographics, and to explore the possibilities of new social implementation.

## 2. Highlights of the Day: Deep Dialogue Born from Free 'Test Drawings'

The Kitpas booth became a place for flat interaction between visitors and members of the 'Kitpas Tsunagitai' (Tsunagi Squad), dressed in vibrant overalls.

### Starting with the Experience of 'Drawing' on Desks and Windows to Understand Products and Philosophy

For this booth, they purposely covered the entire desk with craft paper, creating a space where people could 'freely test-draw as much as they wanted anywhere.' Furthermore, they provided the experience of drawing on surfaces such as window glass and reversible panels.

This ingenuity of 'first, have them draw freely' became a catalyst for many people to stop by. As visitors experienced the smooth drawing feel, members of the Tsunagitai naturally engaged with them, explaining features of the product and the story of disability employment, such as 'this art material is made from rice wax' and '70% of the employees at our Kawasaki factory are people with intellectual disabilities who make them by hand.' Many people listened enthusiastically.

### Co-creation with Visitors Leads to a Sell-out of 50 Limited Items

From this thorough dialogue, many encounters occurred at the booth. Parents who were initially watching from afar heard the Tsunagitai's explanation and bought the product for their children, and an organizer of a music festival dedicated to social contribution activities agreed with the company's philosophy and bought Kitpas on the spot.

Also, children who came to the booth livened up the space by calling out to other visitors, 'Kitpas is super fun, try drawing!' With customers, they energized the booth. As a result, all 50 sets of the limited 'Jibun-iro Kitpas (limited package allowing selection of 6 colors),' a collaboration between WEAVE! and Kitpas Tsunagitai, were sold out.

## 3. Workshop Report: 'The Joy of Self-Expression with Kitpas!'

From 12:00, they held a special workshop, 'The Joy of Self-Expression with Kitpas!', utilizing the wide space. Over 10 participants challenged themselves to create their own unique works.

Members of the Kitpas Tsunagitai, the organizers, reflected on the day's response:

'By using Kitpas art materials and holding a self-expression workshop, we were able to quickly break the ice with both adults and children. It was a time where we felt that people can connect beyond the barriers of language and age, and the possibilities of expression can expand.'

Under the support of Tsunagitai members, participants enjoyed free 'doodling' and happily took their completed works home.