If you work in an industry where flipping pages and other papers is still an every day thing, then you have probably experienced paper cuts and finger fatigue among other things. You would think that in a highly digital society like Japan that shouldn’t be a problem. But alas, it is still indeed a common enough issue for people like bank tellers, proofreaders, clerks who deal with a lot of paperwork, and probably those who work in stationery companies (and we know Japan has a lot of those). We know that it’s a problem because we get products like these page-turning aids.
Designer: Plus
The elastic page-turning aids from Plus are called Mecricco Catch and they fulfill the sole purpose letting you turn paper products easily. The outer rib part of the device is able to hold the paper firmly while the inner ribs helps prevent your fingers from slipping while you’re flipping. There is also a concave curve at the bottom of the aid that lets you freely move your finger as you flip. You even get some holes that provide ventilation so your finger will have room to breathe.
This is also useful for those who have some sort of exquisite nail job that you need to protect even as you flip money or paper. There is also a shorter version of the Mecricco Catch that will allow you to type on a keyboard if you need to take a break from your paper-counting task. There seems to be several colors available so you can choose one that matches your outfit for the day or even contrast with your nail color of the moment. The design of the page-turning aids are simple enough but you know that it is practical and each tiny part has a purpose.
If you have gone completely digital, then this is something that you probably don’t need. But if your work involves a lot of paper or if you read a lot of paper books, then it’s something that you probably will need. For now it seems to be available in Japan only but you’ll probably eventually see it in your friendly Japanese store soon.
