About

our story

the meaning behind the name

meori is a fusion of two Japanese words: “meian” (“great idea”) and “origami” (“folding paper”). The name roughly translates to “the fantastic idea of folding” — and it is this artistic vision that guides our team.

We’re a family-owned business that is passionate about simplifying life for our customers. A cluttered space contributes to a cluttered mind. meori helps you organize your things, wherever you are — and importantly, does it sustainably.

There’s only so much plastic our planet can take. Our stylish storage containers look much better than plastic bags, and are much more durable and versatile too. We want you to be able to use them as often as you’d like. After all, if you can only use something a few times, it isn’t really sustainable.

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The Minds Behind meori

Welcome to our family business.  We’re Dirk and Deirdre Meyer. We founded meori because we felt there was a real need for solutions to help people stay organized, especially while they’re on-the-move. We wanted products that could help carry our things comfortably and stylishly, and which would stand the test of time.  We believe that convenience AND sustainability can come together in durable storage bins, reusable tote bags, wine carriers and drink carriers.

Much of the inspiration for meori comes from our own experiences as a family. We have three children: Sebastian, Isabel, and Alexandra. We also have a dog named Ruby and a cat named Stella. We lived for a decade in Germany when the kids were little, and that is where we learned new organizing ideas for everything from grocery shopping to home building.  Traveling back and forth between the US and Germany meant we needed to “get organized” on-the-go.  

man and woman and dog on the beach carrying meori trunk organizer

We love going on road trips as a family and just being outside, and we’re always looking for ways to better organize our stuff during these travels and fun events at home. Many of our product ideas are all about being able to carry everything we needed to have the best possible time together. We wanted to bring those organizing ideas to the American audience when we moved back to the U.S.

meori U.S. was established in 2015 in Deirdre’s hometown of Seattle, WA.

What’s unique about meori?

Simply put, it’s the design and quality. Once you open the box and fold the bottom panels down, you’ll see for yourself. meori is made for real life—the fabric is tough, the seams are secure, the handles are reinforced—and those details add up to a strong, long-lasting box. Everyday messes are fully anticipated; meori wipes clean with a damp cloth.

How do meori boxes secure shut?

Each box has an elastic band sewn on one side. Just lift the bottom panels of the box, push the front and back together, pull the elastic band around the whole box, and done. Simple.

Are the boxes decorative?

They absolutely can be. Some have patterns, and some might just be great color matches for your home. Lots of customers use theirs to hold childrens’ toys, etc., because the small boxes are made to fit standard 11” x 11” shelves and they come in bright, happy colors.

What are the accessories for?

meori offers a cooler, a six-pack insert, and a picnic insert, all of which fit our small boxes. With a large box, however, you can use two inserts—perfect for an outing to the beach, for instance. A large box is double the size of the small, with two compartments instead of one. Our cover fits the large box only, and simply slides on over the top of the box.

How do people use meori?

One of the big advantages of meori is that carrying these boxes is much easier on your back than carrying several bags. The handles allow you to stand up straight and distribute weight evenly. For that reason, many people use meori to carry groceries, to pack up gear for car camping or a day outing, even to keep in the car when they run errands

Organizing Ideas

Organizing your home and life with eco-friendly and stylish reusable boxes, totes, and carriers is not only practical but also sustainable. We’ve assembled more of our ideas to organize every room in the house and even your car in the meori blog, Organize Life.