airCloset, Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Satoshi Amanuma) has been promoting “circular fashion”, which means the sustainability and recycling cycle of clothes, since its establishment. On the other hand, until now, it has not been proven whether the fashion rental service, which is a new model in the world, actually has decarbonization and resource recycling effects.
Against this background, we have participated in the Ministry of the Environment's "FY2020 Decarbonization Resource Circulation Business Utilizing Digital Technology Demonstration Project" ("FY2020 Decarbonization Using Digital Technology We are pleased to announce that the decarbonization and resource recycling effects of the fashion rental service have been estimated in the demonstration and verification consignment work related to the promotion of model 2R business construction, etc.).
■ Measure the sustainability effect of clothing sharing
Recently, there has been a debate as to whether or not clothing sharing fashion rental services are a sustainable business, mainly due to the environmental impact of shipping. However, this demonstration project by the Ministry of the Environment has estimated that the fashion rental service of the clothing sharing model is a sustainable business.
In the monthly fashion rental service “airCloset, which is a clothes sharing business operated by our company, we are building a foundation for circulating clothes necessary for operation and sustainable efforts through the service *. 1 has been implemented. In this demonstration project, we are measuring the environmental contribution effect of such initiatives in our business operations*2.
* 1 Our press release “airCloset achieves zero clothing waste through rental circulation”: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000169.000011623.html
*2 Ministry of the Environment “Project to demonstrate the effectiveness of decarbonized resource recycling business using digital technology”: https://www.env.go.jp/press/press_00690.html
Effect of reducing CO2 emissions by 19% and reducing waste emissions by 27% by suppressing overproduction and disposal of clothing
The baseline scenario is the normal sales model, where users own all clothing and dispose of it as combustible waste after use. , Rent (share) clothes with "airCloset" as a fashion rental service scenario, and estimate the effect.
As a result, after taking into account the environmental impact of delivery at the time of rental, it is estimated that the environmental contribution effect of the business will be "19% reduction in CO2 emissions and 27% reduction in waste emissions" by suppressing excessive production and disposal of clothing. it was done.
* Below is from the Ministry of the Environment (2023) “FY2020 Report on Commissioned Demonstration and Verification Business Concerning Promotion of Building Decarbonized 2R Business Using Digital Technology”
In the report, the scenario defined as decarbonized 2R business is described as fashion rental service
<CO2 emissions>
・In the fashion rental service scenario, a 19% reduction in CO2 emissions was expected compared to the baseline scenario.
・Because clothing has the characteristic of emitting large amounts of CO2 at the raw material procurement stage and the production stage, the reduction in the amount of clothing production is the main part of CO2 reduction by reducing the purchase and possession of clothing by users through sharing. It turns out that it is expected as an effect.
<Waste emissions>
・In the Fashion Rental Service Scenario, a 27% waste reduction effect was expected compared to the Baseline Scenario. This is due to the fact that the amount of clothes produced has been reduced by restraining the purchase and possession of clothes by users through sharing.
・Regarding the amount of waste generated, it is expected that the reduction in production volume will reduce the process loss at the raw material procurement and production stages and the amount of used clothing discarded, and the trend towards recycling will also reduce the amount of incineration disposal.
■ To realize sustainability in the fashion industry
In the fashion industry, there is a current situation of mass production and mass disposal, and the reality is that the situation is not sustainable. Through the realization of “circular fashion,” we believe that the fashion industry as a whole will become sustainable by promoting “reduction of apparel waste,” “optimization of production volume,” and “appropriate reuse and recycling.” .
<Points in Fashion Sustainability>
In this demonstration project, by optimizing encounters with clothes through sharing, it is possible to suppress excessive possession, overproduction, and disposal of clothes, and to control the amount of incineration disposal by sharing (reusing) and recycling clothes. In that respect, "airCloset" was said to be contributing to the realization of "circular fashion". Therefore, we believe that we can aim for sustainable growth of the entire fashion industry by collaborating with each brand and manufacturer through "airCloset".
The sharing model fashion rental service operated by our company is characterized by paying for the use of the rental service, not the cost of purchasing clothes, without changing the customer's experience of enjoying fashion. In addition, customers can not only choose consumption behavior with sustainability in mind, but also take sustainable consumption behavior without being conscious while enjoying fashion.
In the future, we will also contribute to the promotion of “circular fashion” in Japanese society by collaborating extensively in all areas of industry, academia, and government.
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What is the “Efficacy Demonstration Project for Decarbonized Resource Circulation Business Using Digital Technology”?
In order to realize a decarbonized society through the transition to a circular economy, the Ministry of the Environment has developed a resource recycling business model (servicizing, sharing, reuse, remanufacturing, product life extension, conservation and recycling) that utilizes digital technology. repairs, etc.). As part of this, we implemented the "Effective Demonstration Project for Decarbonized Resource Circulation Business Using Digital Technology (Demonstration of Digital Technology Utilization Effect)" in order to demonstrate the effects of decarbonization and resource circulation, etc. of the resource circulation business model.