New Cloth Woven from Waste Pigments - An Attempt at LOHAS Dyeing from Ichinomiya (January 2007)

New Cloth Woven from Waste Pigments - An Attempt at LOHAS Dyeing from Ichinomiya (January 2007)

Itsukin Kogyo of Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture, has developed a "LOHAS dyeing" process that uses natural dyes extracted from food waste. The company has created a cyclical system that is completed within the region, reproducing natural coloring from soybean meal, azuki beans, chestnuts, etc., and reusing the residue after dyeing as biomass fuel. In the midst of high oil prices and heightened environmental awareness, this project is unique in that it combines the traditional techniques of the Bishu production area with a new environmental philosophy. Compared to chemical dyes, the new fabrics have softer colors and warmer feel, and have attracted the attention of the apparel industry, which is increasingly interested in eco-friendly materials. This technology, which considers environmental conservation not as a "cost" but as a "value," symbolizes the trend in Japan in the 2000s toward a recycling-oriented society, and can be considered a model case for the simultaneous rea
lization of corporate CSR and regional industry promotion. It is a model case that simultaneously realizes corporate CSR and the promotion of local industry. LOHAS dyeing is recognized as a pioneering attempt to weave an environmental story into the manufacturing process.