Totoro, Soot Sprites, and Catbus pitch in to keep Tokyo-area forest beautiful.
Totoro isn’t just a forest spirit within the Studio Ghibli anime classic My Neighbor Totoro. He’s also a protector of real-world woodlands, though the Totoro Fund program, a charitable organization that donates to conservation projects to preserve the natural environment of the Sayama Hills region on the border of Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture, which itself served as the inspiration of the anime’s setting.
So for fans who’d like to pitch in and help keep Totoro’s home forest lush and green, Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku is offering a new line of Totoro Fund apparel and fashion items, starting with a Totoro Fund T-shirt.
The artwork features Totoro relaxing among plant life, lounging on leaves with flowers starting to bloom around him and a pair of Soot Sprites hanging out nearby.
The unisex design is available in either black or white…
…and there are a couple more Soot Sprites around back.
Though Totoro has never made any specific statements on the matter (as he can’t speak), it’s reasonable to assume that he’d be a big proponent of reusable environmentally friendly shopping bags over single-use plastic carriers, so there’s a convenient fold-out/up eco bag with the same illustration.
▼ It looks big enough to hold a whole lot of acorns.
The fourth, and final, new Totoro Fund item actually doesn’t feature Totoro himself anywhere on it, but fans won’t feel too lonely because it instead features the Catbus.
The illustration’s positioning makes it look like the Catbus is scampering up your shoulder as you carry the cotton bag…
…and it’s got some nice design touches like an inner pocket and a little loop where you can attach a key holder or nag accessory.
▼ This looks like a handy way to tell your Catbus bag apart from your friends if you’re getting together with fellow-minded Ghibli enthusiasts.
All four items are available through the Doguri Kyowakoku online store, with both the white and black T-shirts priced at 3,960 yen (US$24.75), the eco bag 1,540 yen, and the Catbus bag 2,750 yen.
Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4)
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