Lots of camera straps these days are typically made of really nice leather, canvas or sailing rope. But a brave new Kickstarter is trying to do things a bit different. Kimi Camera, run by William Roy, is trying to create camera straps made of vintage Kimono silk and leather. This is completely different from everything else out there and quite honestly is sort of refreshing.
Will states that the reason why he came up with this idea is because he never liked the idea of having a logo on a strap. So he took it upon himself to create what he calls “a unique range of ethical, understated, logo-free camera straps, made from beautiful vintage kimono silk, with strong canvas backing, leather fittings and solid brass buckles.” Personally, I can’t blame him; I hate telling the world that I’ve got a Canon DSLR or a Sony camera around my shoulder.
To create these straps, Will is importing the Kimono silk from Japan into the UK, where artisans will make them. The strap is 5.5cm (2-inches) at its widest point, and gently tapers to 11mm (1/2-inch) at the end of the fabric where it meets the adjustable leather straps. The overall length of the strap can be adjusted from 107cm (42-inches) to 113cm (44.5-inches). Then you can connect them to your camera via split rings.
So why would one choose Kimono silk. Well, there’s a big environmental trend involving recycling materials. If all this fabric isn’t really being used at all, why not just find a way to make it functional? Granted, I’m a bit skeptical and probably wouldn’t use a strap like this out in the rain. I’d also be very afraid of it getting dirty or worn in. You see, worn canvas and leather looks really, really good. But worn in silk? It kind of rips, and tears, and shreds if you’re really giving your camera strap a beating.
Of course, I could be wrong; and I really hope I am simply because this is just such a different idea from what everyone else has out there.
To see more from this project, check out the Kickstarter project.
