Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on January 2010

Courtesy of Designphil

Is it a bird? No, it’s a paperclip. Stationery maker Midori excels at putting a cute spin on drearily functional products, whether it’s their Baby Penguin stapler, animal-shaped flashcard books, or dinky car that cleans your desk for you. The company has scored a genuine hit with the D-Clips range: paperclips shaped like animals, ranging from cats and dogs to crocodiles, elephants and dolphins. Attach a couple of these to your company’s annual report and nobody around the office will ever take you seriously again, but they’ll give you a cheeky little smile every time you bump into them in the corridor. Maybe.
D-Clips, ¥525 per box. Available from all good stationery shops. www.midori-japan.co.jp