Loft Co., Ltd. (Shibuya, Tokyo, President Koichi Ando) has launched the “Loft Green Project Recycling Program 2024” starting September 1, 2024. This program focuses on recycling cosmetic containers, aiming to reduce environmental impact through the expansion of participating brands and new product developments.
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Since October 2021, Loft has implemented a recycling program for cosmetic containers as part of the “Loft Green Project.” By the end of July 2024, a total of 4,269 kg of used containers had been collected. In this fifth phase of the program, nine new cosmetic brands have joined, making a total of 38 brands cooperating to further advance recycling activities.
The program collects used cosmetic containers at recycling boxes installed in 168 Loft stores nationwide. The collected containers are recycled by TerraCycle Japan Co., Ltd., transforming them into new products as recycled resources.
An example of recycled plastic material is a small shopping basket planned for test use at Ginza Loft this fall. This basket contains 5% recycled material, contributing to reducing environmental impact.
Additionally, TerraCycle points are accumulated based on the amount of empty containers collected through the program, which are then used for donations to charities and schools. In July 2024, donations were made to the “Present Tree” reforestation project through the certified NPO Environmental Relations Institute, contributing to forest creation in Hinohara Village, Tokyo.
Loft is also actively engaged in recycling textile products. The “BIOLOGIC LOOP” program, which started in April 2022, promotes the collection and reuse of textile clothing. This initiative has expanded from Ginza Loft to Loft stores in the Kanto and Kansai regions, with a total of 4,534 kg of textile products collected by July 2024. The collected textiles are sorted at recycling processing facilities and transformed into new products.
Moreover, Loft is working to reduce waste from store decorations by using polyester fabric decolorization and reuse technology. A trial operation for recycling tapestries is scheduled to begin in-store around October 2024.
Loft has also launched a “Pen Recycling” program in collaboration with stationery manufacturers. The program, which began as a pilot in July 2021, was expanded nationwide in June 2022 and to 90 stores in April 2023. Currently, used plastic writing instruments and correction tapes are collected at 102 stationery and miscellaneous goods sections, aiming to reduce environmental impact and achieve a circular economy.
Under the slogan “Making Life and the Earth Happier Through the Power of Miscellaneous Goods,” Loft is committed to advancing environmental protection and resource circulation. Through the “Loft Green Project Recycling Program 2024” and other environmental initiatives, the company is taking concrete steps toward achieving a sustainable society. As environmental issues become increasingly important, Loft’s efforts could serve as a model for how businesses and consumers can collaborate to contribute to environmental protection.
Press release available here