Gunze Co., Ltd. Apparel company has established a sustainable supply chain. In collaboration with a supplier, we developed a hanger made from 100% recycled PCR material, which utilizes waste plastic discharged from logistics bases.

[Gunze Co., Ltd.] Apparel company establishes a sustainable supply chain. In collaboration with suppliers, we developed a 100% recycled hanger made from PCR material that utilizes waste plastic discharged from logistics bases ​
Gunze Co., Ltd. Press release: May 8, 2025 Apparel company establishes sustainable supply chain. In collaboration with a supplier, we developed a hanger made from 100% recycled PCR material, which utilizes waste plastic discharged from logistics bases. Gunze Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Osaka, President: Toshiyasu Saguchi, hereinafter referred to as Gunze) is promoting the “recycling of company-wide waste” with the aim of realizing a resource recycling society, and has developed a “recycled hanger” made of 100% PCR (*) material made from waste plastic from the distribution bases of Gunze Logistics Co., Ltd., a group company. The recycled hangers will be used primarily in men’s underwear from the Acedron and HOT MAGIC innerwear brands sold at chain stores (mass retailers), and it is expected that 350,000 will be used each year. (*PCR: Abbreviation for Post-Consumer Recycled, which refers to reusing materials collected on the market.)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23550/690/23550-690-f32823c746f2bdf9772c6e41a35075f8-640×640.jpg (Top photo) (From left) Gunze Co., Ltd., Okayama Prefecture Freight Transport Co., Ltd., Mazda Motor Corporation, CHU-PA Co., Ltd. ■Establishment of a resource circulation scheme involving the supply chain The newly developed “recycled hanger” was developed by existing suppliers Mazda Motor Corporation (hereinafter referred to as “Mazda”), CHU-PA Corporation (hereinafter referred to as “CHU-PA”), and Okayama Prefecture Freight Transport Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Okaken”) in collaboration with the aim of “resource recycling.” The raw material was soft plastic bags for packaging products that were scheduled to be disposed of at Gunze’s distribution bases. After delivering to each distribution base, we utilize Okaken’s return flight and consolidate it at Mazda. First, it is crushed and converted into plastic raw materials for material recycling. In addition, CHU-PA will use the recycled raw materials for men’s hangers to produce hangers made from 100% recycled PCR materials, without using virgin materials. Gunze reuses it as a men’s hanger. In the future, we will further expand our distribution warehouses and factories, accelerate the recycling of company-wide waste, and aim to realize a resource recycling society.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23550/690/23550-690-e5cdae63fd2bc29bbb7b8ade2ac229d8-1080×300.png ■Introducing the Re Gunze Recycling Mark
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23550/690/23550-690-1743edf1fa3905c66bc87cff71866b43-500×499.jpg Used as a symbol mark on Gunze product offcuts, secondary materials made from recycled waste, etc. *Registration 6590288 ■Comments from collaborative partners Okayama Prefecture Freight Transportation Co., Ltd. Regarding the environmental issues surrounding us, although our company has actively acquired GREEN management certification and has been working on eco-driving and modal shift, the “Environmental Vision 2030” has been announced, and environmental awareness such as decarbonization and carbon neutrality is increasing all over the world. Under such circumstances, we were looking for a new project in which we could leverage our strengths and contribute to environmental conservation, when Gunze approached us about this initiative. Taking advantage of these incidents, we would like to build a system that will allow us to recycle waste plastic wrap, waste pallets, cardboard materials, etc. generated in the transportation industry. While working with your company to give shape to this initiative, we realized that one form of future logistics would be to establish triangular transportation that includes arterial and venous logistics that connect the three categories of production, consumption, and recycling. We will continue to promote our recycling business, always being aware of what we can do as a logistics company for the future of the earth, and feeling a strong sense of mission and necessity to contribute to solving environmental problems. At the same time, we will actively work on various projects as your company’s partner. Mazda Motor Corporation Mazda Motor Corporation is working to resolve issues related to waste based on its management philosophy of “eliminating waste.” Although it was possible for our company to turn waste plastic into raw material, there were issues with efficient transportation and manufacturing. By collaborating with the four companies on this project, we were able to establish a resource recycling system. In the future, we would like to continue to develop environmentally friendly recycling initiatives. CHU-PA Co., Ltd. Gunze has been working on hangers using recycled materials (utilizing waste plastic) for some time, but this time we had the opportunity to participate in and help with a very meaningful in-house
“recycling-oriented” initiative. We would like to work together with our partner companies to ensure a stable supply. Regarding
environmentally friendly initiatives such as this one, we would like to prepare to respond to further developments in the future while paying close attention to the current situation in the world.