Benches upcycled from TRANSWOOD® with Prasus® pen cases installed at Minamisou Junior High School

(Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Hideyuki Kasuga) is participating in the "Ichihara City Circular Economy1 Promotion Project," which aims to promote understanding and activities related to recycling in society. The upcycling of pen cases made of environmentally friendly material "TRANSWOOD® with Prasus®"2 to benches was completed, and the pen cases were installed at the junior high school on February 5, 2025.

Reference: Ichihara City Circular Economy Promotion Project

Since 2023, Ichihara City has taken the initiative in implementing this project in cooperation with Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. and hide kasuga 1896, Inc. to promote understanding of the circular economy through the experience of using, collecting, and upcycling pen cases made of environmentally friendly materials in an integrated manner. This is an educational project led by Ichihara City in cooperation with Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. and Hide Kasuga 1896.

1 Economic activities that seek to create new added value by circulating, rather than disposing of, resources.

2 Produced by blending thinned wood and biomass plastic in the city

Reference: TRANSWOOD, an environmentally friendly material ® with Prasus with Prasus ® with Prasus TRANSWOOD ® with Prasus ®"

TRANSWOOD® is a brand of environmentally friendly materials designed by Dr. Hideyuki Kasuga (Doctor of Engineering) based on the concept of "materials that can last for 100 years. TRANSWOOD® is a composite material made of "wood-derived materials" such as wood flour and cellulose microfiber (CMF) from thinned wood, and biomass resin [Prasus®] made from waste cooking oil such as tempura oil, etc. TRANSWOOD® reduces CO2 emissions and plastic usage during the manufacturing process. Transwood is a recyclable material that reduces CO2 emissions and the amount of plastic used in the manufacturing process.

Prasus®, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals Group, is a brand of biomass resin with GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions 60% lower than petroleum-based resins, manufactured in Japan, and stably supplied.