Recycling Discarded Kariyushi Wear
Kariyushi wear refers to short-sleeved open-collar shirts primarily worn during summer in Okinawa Prefecture and other areas. First released in 1970 by the Okinawa Prefecture Tourism Federation as the “Okinawa Shirt,” the name was unified as “Kariyushi Wear” in 2000 when design restrictions were eased. Widespread adoption followed the Okinawa Summit held that same year. However, in recent years, its use has shifted primarily to business settings. According to our own survey results, the majority of young people responded that they “have never worn one” or “don’t own one.” Meanwhile, over 400,000 Kariyushi Wear shirts are produced annually within Okinawa Prefecture, inevitably contributing to negative GDP. This prompted us to begin exploring what we could do with Kariyushi Wear slated for disposal. Our solution was to transform it into suits suitable for weddings and parties—the polar opposite of its negative (discarded) state. We believed this would create the greatest impact in a society increasingly focused on SDGs. Though the process from concept to release took only a few weeks, sales have steadily grown, following a positive trajectory. We are confident this effort has achieved something beyond mere sales figures: it has redefined the meaning of SDGs, which had become somewhat vague over time.
Okinawa Times: Discarded “Kariyushi” Shirts Turned into Suits2,000 Pieces Collected,Sales to Begin Gradually Kunigami, Urasoe
Kenichiro Koyama wearing a suit made from recycled materials in front of collected kariyushi wear at an event = July 25, Urasoe City, San-A Urasoe West Coast Parco City (Provided by Kenichiro Koyama Creative Produce office）[Kunigami/Urasoe] Kenichiro Koyama, owner of “Yanbaru Hostel,” and others held a kariyushi wear collection event at San-A Urasoe West Coast Parco City in Urasoe City for four days from July 22 to 25. This was part of a project to create suits using kariyushi wear slated for disposal.At the event, participants exchanged their brought kariyushi wear for ¥500 worth of San-A gift certificates. A total of 626 pieces were collected during the event period. Combined with additional kariyushi wear brought to the hotel by August 5th, the total collected exceeded 2,000 pieces.Future collection events are planned. Those bringing in 20 or more pieces will be able to purchase one of the suits produced in advance for ¥25,800 (excluding tax). Details for general sales will be announced within the year.Mr. Koyama stated, “I’m delighted that this event reduced clothing disposal and contributed to the global environment. To create a better world, we want to consider future developments, including design and sales methods.” Another collection event is scheduled at Parco City on September 11th and 12th.
