Matsuyama Plant: Reclamation of Teijin Fiber's uniforms (September 2006)

Matsuyama Plant: Reclamation of Teijin Fiber's uniforms (September 2006)

In 2006, Japanese companies were in the midst of a full-scale effort to respond to the "recycling-oriented society. Amid a legal system that encourages the reduction of waste and the reuse of resources, and amid calls for environmental considerations as part of corporate social responsibility (CSR), Teijin Fibers Limited (Osaka) developed an advanced recycling business. The company is recycling approximately 50,000 old uniforms collected from the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ into polyester material at its Matsuyama Plant in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, to be used again as a resource.

This initiative is a recycling model that integrates the manufacturing, collection, and recycling processes into a single flow, and has attracted attention as a new form of recycling. The Matsuyama Plant served as the central base for this model, taking care of all processes from disassembly to recycling, and also played a role in supporting local technology and employment.

At the time, recycling activities tended to be treated as a "cost," but Teijin's attempt set a precedent that could turn environmental value into added value. This effort, in which urban and rural areas collaborated to balance environmental considerations and industry, is still considered a good example of sustainable management. Behind the seemingly simple activity of uniform restoration, the demands of the times and the challenges of the company intersected.