The Core of Duco built on New Urushi Materials
At the center of Duco’s work are our independently developed New Urushi Materials forming the foundation of a creative platform built on two pillars:
“Creating”—material innovation, and “Co‑Creating”—technical collaboration.
By uniting the inherent beauty of traditional urushi with the performance required in modern industries,
we extend its applications across architecture, mobility, interior design, and product development.
Six Materials and Technologies
Material × Craft × Design — OEM Services Utilizing Duco’s New Urushi Materials —
Using the urushi‑based materials developed by Duco, we produce products, art pieces, and decorative finishes for architectural interiors.
Our OEM services combine advanced technical expertise with refined craftsmanship to transform concepts into tangible form.
Co‑Creation Development— Collaborative Research and Development to advance New Urushi Materials —
This program builds upon our six urushi‑based material technologies,
enabling companies, research institutions, and designers to jointly develop new materials, applications, and technical innovations.
Six Materials
Duco creates products using our six foundational urushi‑based materials, while simultaneously advancing new material development through technical collaboration.
By combining natural urushi with a wider range of contemporary substrates, we generate next‑generation materials that evolve in response to the needs of our time.
Throughout history, urushi has been applied to ceramics, iron, wood, textiles, paper, and leather—transforming the character and performance of each substrate.
We carry this adaptive potential into modern material development, identifying the textures and functions required amid shifting global conditions and supply environments.
Together with our partners, we co‑create materials that look toward the future.
"Nami" Rhus Project - 3D Curved Natural Pattern Black Urushi Flower
Acry-U-lilLayered / Shaped Acrylic
Acry-U-lil is a multilayer acrylic panel composed of stacked single sheets.
Like standard acrylic, it can be cut, polished, and shaped into a wide range of three‑dimensional forms.
Its unique layered structure offers a fresh material expression, while its bendability enables applications such as door handles, furniture components, and one‑of‑a‑kind accessories enhanced by the distinctive brilliance of silver foil and urushi.
H Residence Decorative Wall Vermilion-Lacquered Titanium × Urushi
Titan UrushiTitanium × Natural Urushi
By combining lightweight, corrosion‑resistant titanium with natural urushi, this material achieves exceptional durability while offering a tactile warmth reminiscent of wood.
The subtle amber, jet‑black, and vermilion lacquer applied over titanium’s inherent metallic sheen creates a refined depth and spatial richness, making it suitable for architectural and interior applications.
"Glacier Plum" Produced by Rhus Project
Titan Maki‑eTitanium × Maki‑e
Titan Maki‑e uses titanium powder and granules to create lacquered patterns.
Through an entirely new approach that brings color expression to the titanium particles themselves, this technique achieves a unique aged‑metal character not found in traditional maki‑e.
The result is a material with a distinctive, art‑like presence that expands the expressive possibilities of urushi.
"Urushi Veil Sakura" Rhus Project - Urushi Film Cherry Blossom Pattern
Urushi Film The Thinnest New Urushi Material — Silver Leaf × Natural Urushi
Developed from the traditional datsukanshitsu (dry‑lacquer removal) technique, this urushi‑and‑silver‑leaf film represents the thinnest material in our urushi lineup.
It can be freely cut with scissors, offering exceptional flexibility for design applications.
Each sheet is delivered in vacuum‑sealed packaging to ensure optimal quality.
"Weeping Cherry Blossom" Optical Glass, Rhus Project
Glass Maki‑eGlass/Optical Lens × Traditional Maki‑e
Glass Maki‑e applies traditional maki‑e techniques onto glass or optical lenses.
Beyond flat panels, the technique can be applied to thick three‑dimensional forms—such as cylinders and rectangular pillars—allowing the viewer to experience a unique sense of depth and perspective created within the glass.
Natural Pattern: Retsu Pattern
Natural PatternGlass/Acrylic × Natural Urushi
The organic motifs created by the transparency of glass combined with natural urushi produce a powerful, distinctive presence.
This material can be applied across a wide range of fields—from interior surfaces and furniture to art pieces and accessories.
Types of Natural Patterns
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- 模様小晶紋
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- 桜紋
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- 自然紋烈紋
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- 漆花
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- 樹皮紋
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- 水紋
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- 石積黒
"Perfume Bottle" Hon-maki-e Komon, Rhus Project
Duco’s six proprietary materials
Natural Pattern, Acry-U-lil, Titan Urushi, Titan Maki‑e, Urushi Film, and Glass Maki‑e—form a unique foundation that cannot be replicated by other companies.
Each material can be customized to suit the intended application, tactile qualities, and durability requirements of the final product.
While retaining the depth and richness of traditional urushi, these materials also embody innovation and future‑oriented design.
Even in mass production, each piece achieves a one‑of‑a‑kind expression, making every product truly singular.
01Interior Decorative Production (Architecture & Spatial Art)
Duco’s materials demonstrate a distinctive presence in architectural environments, made possible through our core technologies.
Combining the depth and luminous quality of natural urushi with the strength and stability of contemporary materials, our finishes are selected for entrances, lounges, and shared spaces in high‑end residences and commercial buildings.
In collaboration with artists and designers, they serve as refined surface materials suited for premium spatial design.
- Walls and signage of corporate entrance
- Decorative elements in luxury condominium common areas
- Art panels for hotels and residences
- Custom interior materials developed with architectural design firms
The way urushi responds to light—shifting subtly with the environment—creates a serene yet striking spatial experience.
Designing from Concept to Narrative
Our materials open the door to stories rooted in natural substances, craftsmanship, culture, tradition, and human sensibility.
Rather than simply manufacturing objects, we work together to define the reason a product embodies a particular material or technique.
From original corporate gifts and retail products to sculptural objects for interior spaces, we design expressions tailored to each purpose.
Grounded in urushi craftsmanship, we consider the entire context in which the piece will be used—its scene, its role, and the brand experience it supports—creating value that is truly one‑of‑a‑kind.
"ISHIGAKI" Acrylic, Urushi, Silver Leaf
2021 TOKYO TORCH Tokiwabashi Tower, Tokyo
Client: Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd.
Planning / Direction: KODAMA SCENE
Project Members: Takashi Nakahara (DENBAKU FANO DESIGN), Mai Tsunoo
Assistant: Tatsumasa Sonobe
Design: PDC - Product Design Center / Produced by Rhus Project
02Co‑Creation Development
Collaborative Research and Development to Advance Urushi New Materials
Leveraging Duco’s accumulated expertise in urushi chemistry, material engineering, and production methods, we support partners from early‑stage research through prototyping and implementation.
This co‑creation program unites the mystical expressiveness of urushi with high‑performance functions such as weather resistance and conductivity.
- Applied Research for Semi‑Product and Industrial Use
We refine material properties—weather resistance, flexibility, transparency, conductivity—according to project goals.
Through this, we extend the potential of urushi into mobility, building materials, wearables, and luxury products.
- R&D Support, Process Verification, and Prototyping
We assist in developing proprietary urushi‑based materials, introducing new techniques, and supporting prototyping for brands seeking added value.
From production methods to mass‑manufacturing processes, we conduct joint verification to bring overlooked or unrealized value into form.
- Joint Development of New Materials & Brand Support
We support the creation of original materials and prototypes, preserving essential hand‑crafted elements while jointly verifying scalable production processes.
This enables the integration of unique, high‑precision techniques suited for demanding quality standards and international projects.
Titanium Strip Mirror Finish "San-en Wisteria" Produced by Rhus Project
Surpassing the Hardness Barrier: Unified Polishing Technology
Ordinarily, polishing titanium and urushi—materials with vastly different hardness—on the same plane is extremely difficult.
Together with Tokyo Stainless Grinding Co., Ltd., we established a technique that achieves a mirror‑finish surface where titanium and maki‑e lacquer exist as a single, unified plane.
| Feature | The urushi does not merely sit atop the metal; it becomes integrated with it. |
|---|---|
| Co‑Creation Partners | Tokyo Stainless Grinding Co., Ltd. / Nippon Steel Corporation |
Co‑Creating the Future through Natural Power and Industrial Knowledge
Creation of New Materials
By bonding urushi at the molecular level with materials owned by your company—such as polycarbonate, recycled plastics, or specialty alloys—we jointly develop a “third material” that unites structural strength, weather resistance, and a refined artistic texture.
Implementation of Advanced Technologies
We merge urushi’s inherent properties—natural insulation, deep tactile comfort, and its unique interplay of light absorption and reflection—
with modern technology to pursue the highest levels of function and beauty.
Redefining Spatial Experience
These technologies extend into haute‑couture applications for home appliances, audio equipment, and interior devices, as well as interior components for high‑end automobiles, aircraft, bullet trains, and yachts.
While rooted in tradition, urushi evolves into a material suited for advanced industries, offering a new vision of what spatial experience can be.
Service menuServices
At the Core of Duco
Six Materials and Technologies
Unlocking New Expressions of Urushi
Grounded in 25 years of repair techniques and traditional methods inherited from the Edo period, Duco has been developing proprietary materials since 2003.
01Interior Decorative Production (Architecture & Spatial Art)
Decorative Art Born from Six Materials
We translate architectural concepts into tangible form through the texture and craftsmanship of urushi, creating artwork that seamlessly integrates into spaces.
02Co-Creation Development
Co-Creating Uncharted Beauty Beyond Boundaries
Beyond our proprietary materials, Duco evaluates and tests compatibility with various partner substrates to maximize the full potential of urushi.
03Product Manufacturing
Crafted with Care for Special Milestones
Products utilizing Duco’s material technologies are chosen as commemorative gifts, luxury novelties, and executive presents that mark significant corporate milestones.
04Seminars
Sharpening Sensibility Through Craftsman Philosophy
Experience the maker's mindset and philosophy directly from artisans to sharpen your aesthetic sensibilities.
We offer specialized programs that unlock individual creativity and elevate organizational innovation from the ground up.
05Repair / Redesign
Breathing New Life for Modern Living
Far beyond mere restoration, we redesign cherished assets to seamlessly align with modern lifestyles.