LAMINA®
Conceived 2016
Bags That Tell a Story
Designed and conceived by Martin I. Ritter
LAMINA® was conceived in 2016 as a completely new concept in instrument protection, developed specifically for the Japanese and broader Asian market.
The core idea is precise and literal: the bag tells a story. LAMINA® was not created as a graphic treatment applied to a product, but as a fully authored narrative world in which instrument protection, illustrated storytelling, and character identity exist as a single concept.
This website serves as a preserved reference to that original vision.
The Story Of Lamina
The LAMINA® universe is introduced through an original manga series titled Journey to Lamina.
The story follows two young girls, Bubble and Aqua, whose curiosity, imagination, and shared love of music lead them beyond the boundaries of their everyday world. Guided by an old village legend and a mysterious sign bearing the name “Lamina,” they discover a hidden world that exists alongside their own.
Their journey begins with a wish made under the stars and unfolds into a passage into Lamina itself, a place where creativity, courage, and belief shape reality. Music is central to this world, not as background, but as a force that connects characters, unlocks paths, and defines identity.
Gallery
The Characters
- Bubble
- Imaginative, optimistic, and emotionally open, Bubble represents curiosity, emotional honesty, and the courage to dream beyond limits. Bags associated with Bubble carry warmth, openness, and wonder.
- Aqua
- Thoughtful, practical, and initially sceptical, Aqua represents growth, trust, and balance. Bags linked to Aqua reflect calm, structure, and quiet strength.
- Roco
- The first guardian encountered in Lamina, Roco represents guidance, responsibility, and the rules that hold a world together. His presence marks the transition from the ordinary into the extraordinary.
- Loco
- Playful, mischievous, and unpredictable, Loco brings humour and energy into the story. He represents creative chaos and freedom, reminding the characters that not all journeys follow straight paths.
Together, these characters form a narrative ecosystem that young players can recognise, relate to, and grow with.
Bags As Story Objects
Each LAMINA® bag corresponds directly to a character or narrative chapter from the manga.
The characters appear on the bags not as decoration, but as identity markers. Carrying a LAMINA® bag means carrying a story, a personality, and a set of values. The bag becomes a moving chapter that accompanies the player to lessons, rehearsals, school, and travel.
This concept was designed specifically for young players, for whom imagination, belonging, and identification are as important as specification. LAMINA® allows young musicians to choose a character they relate to and, through that choice, become part of the story themselves.
Protection As Foundation
While LAMINA® is narrative-driven, protection remains fundamental.
Beneath the illustrated surfaces, the bags are engineered as serious protective equipment. Integrated padding, internal reinforcement, and structural support ensure reliable protection during transport, daily movement, and storage. Soft non-scratch interiors protect instrument finishes, while reinforced zones support vulnerable areas such as headstock, bridge, and body.
Carry systems are designed with younger players in mind, offering balance, comfort, and ease of use. The narrative never compromises function; instead, storytelling and protection are developed together as equal disciplines.
- Protection
- Integrated padding, internal reinforcement, structural support, and soft non-scratch interiors keep the bags grounded in real instrument care rather than surface treatment alone.
- Carry Design
- Balanced carry systems and easier handling support younger players in lessons, daily movement, storage, and travel without separating usability from the visual story.
A New Concept In Instrument Protection
LAMINA® was developed as a focused and coherent body of work rather than a conventional product catalogue.
The collection unfolds as a narrative sequence rather than a range expansion. Each bag represents a chapter within the LAMINA® universe, encouraging discovery, continuity, and emotional connection.
This approach introduced a concept that had not previously existed within instrument protection: a product that functions simultaneously as protective equipment, narrative medium, and cultural object.
The Creator
LAMINA® was designed and conceived by Martin I. Ritter.
In addition to his internationally recognised work within the musical instrument industry, Martin I. Ritter is a writer and multidisciplinary artist. His creative foundation began in youth with classical piano training and composition, later expanding into storytelling, illustration-led concepts, and authored narrative worlds.
In 1996, he founded and created an eponymous instrument bag brand that permanently altered how instrument bags and cases are designed, perceived, and valued worldwide. LAMINA® was conceived in 2016 as a new chapter within this broader body of work, introducing manga storytelling, character development, and narrative continuity into a field previously defined by neutrality and utility.
Due to health-related circumstances, Martin I. Ritter stepped back from active commercial engagement. This site therefore exists as a preserved reference, documenting authorship, creative intent, and a concept that remains open rather than concluded.
Archive
Original LAMINA® materials, manga publications, character artwork, and story development are preserved as a historical archive. They document the complete narrative universe and conceptual scope of the project.
Access to the archive is available upon registration.
Updates and Contact
If future notices or updates occur, you may register to be informed.
Registration for updates is optional and separate from archive access.
For general enquiries, please use the contact form provided.