FCO-OP, a consumer cooperative in Fukuoka Prefecture, announced in October 2006 that they have introduced systems to collect and recycle fibers from company uniforms, which means they will be able to recycle the uniforms nearly indefinitely.

FCO-OP's uniforms are made of fibers produced from plastic PET bottles. Used uniforms are collected through a recycling system implemented by Chikuma & Co., a uniform manufacturer. Teijin, Ltd, a major fiber manufacturer, treats them chemically to regenerate polyester fibers, from which Chikuma subsequently produces new uniforms.

Presently about 1,500 FCO-OP employees wear uniforms, which taken together would weigh about 8 tons. With this new recycling system, the co-op can save the more than 3 tons of crude oil that would otherwise be needed to produce a new set of uniforms from polyester manufactured from oil.




Posted: 2007/01/27 06:51:33 PM
Japanese version

TAG Manufacturing industry , Material reduction , Non-manufacturing industry