“Unisex,” “for both men and women,” and “gender-neutral” or “genderless” are all terms that suggest something is not limited by gender.
However, each of them carries a distinctly different nuance.
They may seem similar, but each one points in a slightly different direction.
By understanding those differences, the background behind how things are made and how we choose them also becomes easier to see.
In this article, we take a closer look at the differences between these terms while also touching on the values that 和然 – WASHIKA – hopes to express.
What Is Unisex?
“Unisex” refers to designs or styles that can be used regardless of gender.
Its defining feature is that it is not created by first separating things into menswear and womenswear and then making them shareable.
Rather, it is designed from the very beginning without setting gender-based boundaries.
In other words, it is an approach that does not begin with categories such as “for men” or “for women,” but instead shapes a single aesthetic from the outset.
What Does “For Both Men and Women” Mean?
The Japanese expression meaning “for both men and women” is a practical term used to describe something that both men and women can use in terms of function or size.
Whereas “unisex” focuses on the design philosophy of the maker,
“for both men and women” places the emphasis on usability from the user’s point of view.
What Does “Gender-Neutral” Mean?
In English-speaking contexts, “Gender-Neutral” is a commonly used term for ideas or styles that are not bound by conventional gender categories.
In fashion, it often describes an approach that gently moves beyond fixed ideas of what feels “masculine” or “feminine.”
Comparing the Differences
To put it simply:
“for both men and women” is about whether something can be used by both,
“unisex” is about the way something is designed,
and “gender-neutral” or “genderless” is about moving beyond fixed gender categories.
They may seem similar, but each term places its emphasis in a different way.
Although all of these terms share the idea of not being limited by gender, they do not point to exactly the same thing.
What 和然 – WASHIKA – Hopes to Value
和然 – WASHIKA – is a bag brand that brings together Mino washi paper and cowhide leather.
What we hope to value is not simply the idea that something can be used by both men and women.
Of course, it matters that a bag can feel natural in anyone’s hands.
But even more than that, we want to value creating things without dividing the people who carry them too strictly by gender from the very beginning.
We want each piece to quietly blend into the owner’s own sensibility and daily life.
The soft expression of Mino washi and the dependable presence of cowhide leather create a kind of beauty that is not defined by gender.
That is why 和然 – WASHIKA – values the practicality of being suitable for both men and women, while also aiming for craftsmanship that naturally overlaps with the idea of unisex design.
Not choosing by gender, but being drawn to the material.
Feeling a connection to the quiet presence of a piece.
Sensing that it fits naturally into everyday life.
For WASHIKA, what matters is staying close to that kind of feeling.
In Closing
“Unisex,” “for both men and women,” and “gender-neutral” are similar-sounding terms, but each carries a different meaning.
Once we understand these differences, the intentions behind craftsmanship and the perspectives we bring when choosing something begin to look a little different.
Through its bags crafted from Mino washi paper and cowhide leather, 和然 – WASHIKA – hopes to remain a presence that gently accompanies each person’s sensibility, without being overly bound by the framework of gender.
