ReDish (Part 1): Recycling Ceramics with a power of Traditional Craftsmanship
by Hiroki Yanagisawa on February 28, 2010 4:40 PM
ReDish is the only ceramic product in the world that utilizes used/broken ceramics as a part of material to create new ceramics.
When it comes to recycling in Japan many people are aware that PET bottles, glass bottles, and cans are being recycled. Its reasoning -- household trash is required to separate these for recycling. (Plus, there's always trash cans for each of them next to vending machines.)
What about "ceramics"? What happens when your favorite bowl for rice and a tea cup for green tea break apart? Most likely, their destination is a landfill.
But this is not the case for some areas. The 8 local governments are taking initiatives to collect broken/used ceramics from households for recycling.
This recycling system, also known as Green Life 21 Project, was established in 1997 in Tajimi/Tosa, Gifu -- also known as a home of Mino ware, which its history dates back to Heian Period. (AD794-1192)
Green Life 21 established infrastructure, which allow collecting of used/broken ceramics from all over Japan, and utilize them as a part of material for new ceramics. The products are branded as ReDish.
EDGY JAPAN's founder, Hiroki Yanagisawa, walks through the history of Green Life 21 with Mr. Yoshikazu Hasegawa, the person who architected this unprecedented movement.
When it comes to recycling in Japan many people are aware that PET bottles, glass bottles, and cans are being recycled. Its reasoning -- household trash is required to separate these for recycling. (Plus, there's always trash cans for each of them next to vending machines.)
What about "ceramics"? What happens when your favorite bowl for rice and a tea cup for green tea break apart? Most likely, their destination is a landfill.
But this is not the case for some areas. The 8 local governments are taking initiatives to collect broken/used ceramics from households for recycling.
This recycling system, also known as Green Life 21 Project, was established in 1997 in Tajimi/Tosa, Gifu -- also known as a home of Mino ware, which its history dates back to Heian Period. (AD794-1192)
Green Life 21 established infrastructure, which allow collecting of used/broken ceramics from all over Japan, and utilize them as a part of material for new ceramics. The products are branded as ReDish.
EDGY JAPAN's founder, Hiroki Yanagisawa, walks through the history of Green Life 21 with Mr. Yoshikazu Hasegawa, the person who architected this unprecedented movement.
Part 1: Background behind ReDish and Green Life 21
It was back in June 1997 when Tajimi/Tosa area's companies and governmental organizations, got together to established Green Life 21, a project focused to create recyclable ceramics.
"Since the production of a ceramic involves many parties, a network of multi-diciplinary industry was crucial to achieve our goal." Mr. Hasegawa recalls the story behind the establishment.
Back then, Mr. Hasegawa worked for Gifu Prefectural Ceramics Research Institute, a governmental organization, specialized in research and development of ceramics.
1997 happens to be the time when the environmental issues were gaining more and more attentions. The recycling of plastic is becoming ubiquitous and many companies began to commit into the environmental issues. But the ceramic industry was somewhat ignorant to this movement.
"That's because many people in the industry thought that a ceramic's main ingredient, clay, is a natural material and therefore, there's not much harm done to the environment. This argument was merely an excuse. Each ceramics factory consumes a large quantity of fossil fuel to burn dishes. It was the time we had to change -- something had to be done by our industry as well." Mr. Hasegawa recalls.
The first question that Green Life 21 had to answer was, "Is it really possible to create new ceramic products from used/broken ceramic prodcuts?" Gifu Prefectural Ceramics Research Institute had many trials to achieve sustainable production of recycled ceramics. After numerous trials, the institute came up with a golden formula. 20% blend of used/broken materials to new material. This 20% blend allows manufacturers to use the exact same procedure to burn the ceramics (meaning no additional facility-related cost to create ReDish), and yet, their physical property is same as the 100% virgin material-used ceramics.
Now the technology part is solved, the next step was to create a loop for recycling. A supply of used/broken ceramics, was also crucial for a successful and stable production.
Fortunately, some of local governments were eager to commit to this project, and established infrastructure to collect, and ship used/broken ceramics to Green Life 21. Some recycle-focused non-profit organizations are also taking initiatives to collect and ship. Nowadays, 250 tons of used/broken ceramics are collected from all over Japan every year.
The private sector is also in the loop. From 2007, Bikkuri-Donkey (Surprising Donkey), a nation-wide restaurant chain, collects broken dishes from each restarutant and send them over to Green Life 21. Dishes for the restaurants reborns as ReDish and shipped off to each restaurant again.
The network of ReDish also expands to overseas. Green Life 21 has been collaborating with designers from abroad. A line up, Oliva, was designed by Prue Venables, an Australian product designer.
The Part 2 of the article covers ReDish's entire manufacturing process with tons of pictures and motion pictures.
Other ReDish articles:
ReDish (Part 2) : How to make new dishes from broken/used dishes
ReDish (Part 3) : Next Step: 20% to 50% Ratio
If you wish to contact Mr. Hasegawa to acquire more information on Green Life 21 Project, or seeking for a trading opportunity of ReDish, please contact via edgyjapan.jp.
It was back in June 1997 when Tajimi/Tosa area's companies and governmental organizations, got together to established Green Life 21, a project focused to create recyclable ceramics.
"Since the production of a ceramic involves many parties, a network of multi-diciplinary industry was crucial to achieve our goal." Mr. Hasegawa recalls the story behind the establishment.
Back then, Mr. Hasegawa worked for Gifu Prefectural Ceramics Research Institute, a governmental organization, specialized in research and development of ceramics.
1997 happens to be the time when the environmental issues were gaining more and more attentions. The recycling of plastic is becoming ubiquitous and many companies began to commit into the environmental issues. But the ceramic industry was somewhat ignorant to this movement.
"That's because many people in the industry thought that a ceramic's main ingredient, clay, is a natural material and therefore, there's not much harm done to the environment. This argument was merely an excuse. Each ceramics factory consumes a large quantity of fossil fuel to burn dishes. It was the time we had to change -- something had to be done by our industry as well." Mr. Hasegawa recalls.
The first question that Green Life 21 had to answer was, "Is it really possible to create new ceramic products from used/broken ceramic prodcuts?" Gifu Prefectural Ceramics Research Institute had many trials to achieve sustainable production of recycled ceramics. After numerous trials, the institute came up with a golden formula. 20% blend of used/broken materials to new material. This 20% blend allows manufacturers to use the exact same procedure to burn the ceramics (meaning no additional facility-related cost to create ReDish), and yet, their physical property is same as the 100% virgin material-used ceramics.
Now the technology part is solved, the next step was to create a loop for recycling. A supply of used/broken ceramics, was also crucial for a successful and stable production.
Fortunately, some of local governments were eager to commit to this project, and established infrastructure to collect, and ship used/broken ceramics to Green Life 21. Some recycle-focused non-profit organizations are also taking initiatives to collect and ship. Nowadays, 250 tons of used/broken ceramics are collected from all over Japan every year.
The private sector is also in the loop. From 2007, Bikkuri-Donkey (Surprising Donkey), a nation-wide restaurant chain, collects broken dishes from each restarutant and send them over to Green Life 21. Dishes for the restaurants reborns as ReDish and shipped off to each restaurant again.
The network of ReDish also expands to overseas. Green Life 21 has been collaborating with designers from abroad. A line up, Oliva, was designed by Prue Venables, an Australian product designer.
Oliva line-up
The Part 2 of the article covers ReDish's entire manufacturing process with tons of pictures and motion pictures.
Other ReDish articles:
ReDish (Part 2) : How to make new dishes from broken/used dishes
ReDish (Part 3) : Next Step: 20% to 50% Ratio
Mr. Hasegawa, a man behind Green Life 21.
If you wish to contact Mr. Hasegawa to acquire more information on Green Life 21 Project, or seeking for a trading opportunity of ReDish, please contact via edgyjapan.jp.
Share & Make Your Comment