#Sustainability #Japan #Tokyo #Kokuyo #ChopValue

ChopValue Partners with Kokuyo for Market Entry

ChopValue Manufacturing Japan, a leading circular manufacturing company from Canada, is set to make its significant entry into the Japanese market through a strategic partnership with Kokuyo Corporation. This collaboration aims to integrate innovative and sustainable engineering products made from recycled materials into Kokuyo's primary business operations, showcasing practical applications of circular design.

ChopValue’s CEO and founder, Felix Beck, expressed the importance of localized solutions for fostering genuine transformation. He emphasized that their technology is designed to be adaptable to meet the unique characteristics of different regions. The partnership with Kokuyo and Takenaka Corporation aligns perfectly with their goal of establishing localized circular solutions. Beck showed pride in rethinking used chopsticks as a new resource, promoting sustainable innovation while respecting Japan's rich business culture.

Significance of the Collaboration

ChopValue’s collaboration with Kokuyo is set against a backdrop of Kokuyo’s evolution from a stationery manufacturer to a global workplace solutions leader since its founding in 1905. The company is committed to achieving more than 80% of its sales from circular products by 2030, underpinned by its culture of experimentation and continuous improvement.

Through this partnership, Kokuyo plans to implement several initiatives, including establishing a reuse scheme for used chopsticks generated in offices, developing office furniture using recycled materials, and creating a comprehensive circular business model encompassing collection, material conversion, and production.

Upcoming Celebratory Event

To celebrate this collaboration, ChopValue will host a special event at Kokuyo's Shinagawa office on the evening of April 22, 2025, coinciding with Earth Day. This invitation-only event will feature a panel discussion moderated by Mizuno Wizardspoon of Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan. Panelists will include representatives from ChopValue, Kokuyo, Takenaka Corporation, and Eisuke Tachikawa, a professor at Keio University and the representative of NOSIGNER. Attendees will also be welcomed to the grand opening of ChopValue Japan's first micro-factory, where they will learn about sustainable innovations and circular design practices in detail.

Overview of ChopValue

ChopValue is renowned for establishing the first commercial franchise model for circular business practices globally. The company collects used chopsticks locally and upcycles them into recycled materials at neighborhood micro-factories, operating in nine different countries. Through the development of over 80 micro-factories worldwide, ChopValue has created significant regional impact since its inception in 2016. Its approach, termed 'urban harvesting,' has rescued more than 200 million chopsticks from landfills, transforming an underutilized resource into eco-friendly wood-alternative products without compromising on quality or design. Their work represents a clear example of actionable circular economy initiatives that highlight the potential for transformative impact through community-driven business operations.

ChopValue is also part of the Micro Factory Venture Platform (MVP), which aims to promote the development of materials and products that have a positive environmental impact.

About ChopValue Manufacturing Japan

Founded in 2024 as the Japanese branch of ChopValue, the company is headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, and is set to make its mark in a market consuming over thirty thousand times more chopsticks than Vancouver, Canada. By opening its first micro-factory in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, in April 2025, ChopValue Japan aims to recruit local used chopsticks and establish a circular manufacturing entity, contributing to the upcycling of more than 20 billion chopsticks discarded annually in Japan into high-quality materials for furniture and interior design.

Company Info:

• - Name: ChopValue Manufacturing Japan Inc.
• - Location: 3-1-6 Motomazabu, Minato, Tokyo
• - Website: chopvalue.jp

About Kokuyo Corporation

Founded in 1905, Kokuyo has responded to various customer challenges through the manufacturing and sale of stationery and office furniture and spatial design. In 2021, Kokuyo redefined its role in society as a “WORK & LIFE STYLE Company,” aiming to create richer lifestyles beyond just stationery and furniture in the domains of work, study, and living.