For thirty years, Designphil’s flagship brand Midori has maintained an obsession with shrinking full-featured office tools down to pocketable scale. The lineage began in 1993 with the "CL" (Color Life) series, which broke out of 1990s beige office monoculture with translucent jelly-colored scissors and compact staplers. In 2016, Midori formalized this micro-engineering discipline under the XS (Extra Small) line, turning six core tools into a Good Design Award-winning travel kit.

White XS Stationery Kit pouch containing various clear plastic organizer components and small stationery accessories on a white background.

XS Stationery Kit (Transparent 6-Tool Set in Polyurethane Zip Case): ¥4,840 (tax included)

Marking the 10th anniversary of the XS moniker, Designphil has released the entire XS "Transparent" collection. Rolling out on October 22, 2026, the release strips color pigmentation away from all ten core tools to expose their internal gears, springs, and linkage systems, complemented by a limited-edition solid maple desktop organizer housing the complete set.

Mechanical Transparency

Midori's previous color refreshes in 2023 leaned into muted, opaque tones like burgundy and navy. For the 10th-anniversary milestone, the transparent models take direct cues from industrial gadget architecture:

Assorted transparent stationery tools including scissors, tape dispensers, and utility knives arranged on a white background.

Impact-Resistant Polycarbonate: Outer housings are molded from clear polycarbonate rather than brittle polystyrene, maintaining high structural rigidity under drop impacts and pocket pressure.

Unified Matte Grey Internals: Rather than exposing mismatched mechanical bits, all interior components—spring carriages, blade runners, and tape reels—are molded in a uniform matte slate grey.

Matte Gold Foil Typography: Product names and XS logotypes are stamped in matte gold lettering, adding clean graphic contrast against the exposed mechanical guts.

Instant Supply Monitoring: Beyond aesthetics, the clear bodies offer practical utility: staple remaining counts, correction tape consumption, and cellophane rolls are visible at a glance without popping open cases.

The Limited-Edition XS Desktop Set: Carved Solid Maple

Assorted collection of various Japanese fountain pen caps arranged on a wooden tray atop a glass desk.

For enthusiasts seeking a permanent desktop installation rather than a travel pouch, Midori has paired the 10 transparent instruments with a custom tray: the XS Desktop Set.

Machined from a single block of natural North American maple wood, the 323 mm wide tray features ten precision CNC-milled recesses cut to the exact perimeter of each XS tool. The base includes underside anti-warp relief grooves and dense rubber footings to keep the organizer stable during one-handed tool removal.

Wooden organizer tray holding various clear plastic stationery components on a desk next to an open planner.

Product Specifications & Japanese Retail Availability

Product Name: Midori XS Stationery "Transparent" Lineup & Limited XS Desktop Set

Brand / Manufacturer: Designphil Inc. (Tokyo, Japan)

Product Line: Midori XS (Extra Small) Series

Release Date: October 22, 2026

Gallery

Transparent correction tape dispenser with a clear plastic body and white tape roll on a white background.

XS Correction Tape: ¥418 (tax included)

Transparent tape dispenser containing a roll of green adhesive tape on a white background.

XS Tape Glue: ¥440 (tax included)

Transparent plastic stapler showing the internal mechanism and metal components.

XS Compact Stapler: ¥792 (tax included)

Transparent clear plastic ceramic cutter with a textured grip and visible internal mechanism on a white background.

XS Ceramic Cutter: ¥814 (tax included)

Transparent XS cutter utility knife with a small metal blade on a white background.

XS Utility Cutter: ¥528 (tax included)

Transparent retractable measuring tape with black metric markings and Made in Japan text on a white background.

XS Tape Measure: ¥858 (tax included)

Transparent Designphil compact scissors with stainless steel blades and a clear plastic handle on a white background.

XS Compact Scissors (Serrated Blade): ¥836 (tax included)

Transparent plastic scissors with stainless steel blades featuring a compact, foldable design for easy storage.

XS Compact Scissors (Standard Blade): ¥858 (tax included)

Two clear plastic XS tape dispensers containing small rolls of yellow adhesive tape on a white background.

XS Tape Dispenser: ¥726 (tax included)

Transparent clear plastic mechanical pencil components and disassembled parts shown on a plain white background.

XS Compact 2-Hole Punch: ¥1,628 (tax included)

White XS Stationery Kit pouch containing various clear plastic organizer components and small stationery accessories on a white background.

XS Stationery Kit (Transparent 6-Tool Set in Polyurethane Zip Case): ¥4,840 (tax included)

A collection of clear plastic stationery items including a ruler, stapler, and scissors arranged on a wooden board.

XS Desktop Set (Complete 10-Tool Set with CNC Maple Wood Tray): ¥11,000 (tax included, limited production)