Cooper Hewitt says...
Ryohin Keikaku Company, Ltd., popularly known as Muji, is a Japanese manufacturer and retailer specializing in household and consumer products. The name Muji derives from the Japanese phrase "mujirushi ryohin" ("no brand quality goods"). Mujirushi Ryohin started as a product brand of The Saiyu, Ltd. supermarket chain in 1980. In 1983 the first stand-alone Mujirushi Ryohin retail location opened in Japan, with the first international store opening ten years later in London. Muji is now world-wide, with hundreds of locations throughout Asia, Europe, and North America. The company’s design philosophy is distinguished by its emphasis on simplicity, function, selection of materials, efficient manufacturing processes, minimal packaging, recycling, and waste reduction. While Muji products are generally not attributed to individual designers, the firm has worked with notable industrial designers such as Naoto Fukasawa, Konstantin Grcic, and Jasper Morrison. The company’s “no-brand” brand does not rely on traditional advertising to achieve popularity, but on word of mouth from consumers who prefer unpretentious design, reasonably priced quality, and a simple shopping experience.
http://www.muji.us/about-muji/
http://www.muji.com/se/company/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muji
