High school students collect clothing for upcycling and sell them on Merocari Shops.

On September 14th, a sales kickoff event was held at Aichi Geijutsu High School for products upcycled from clothing collected in Seto City as part of the 'Seto City Reuse Demonstration Experiment' and sold on Merocari Shops.

At the event, officials like Yasuo Shinoda, Director of the Department of Civic Life, and staff from the Waste Reduction Section of the Environment Division in Seto City, who invited citizens to provide unwanted clothing at 6 public facilities equipped with Merocari Eco Boxes as part of the 'Seto City Reuse Demonstration Experiment,' participated as guests. Students representing those involved in creating upcycled items through the experiment and the Easy Marketing class presented their sales strategies and explanations of the upcycled products.

The initiative where high school students collaborate with local municipalities, shopping districts, and businesses to gather reusable items and sell them on Merocari Shops is the second of its kind in Japan following the recent effort by Kumamoto City's Senharadai High School. Additionally, this campaign of upcycling collected clothing for sale on Merocari Shops is the first of its kind nationwide this time.

High school students in the Fashion & Beauty course, who are learning with a focus on expertise, are involved in upcycling.

As the first installment, denim jackets and pants were upcycled from clothing collected at public facilities in Seto City this time.

Here is the "Mercari Shops" shop at Aichi Arts High School.

At Aichi Arts High School, in incorporating EC marketing into their curriculum, they are focusing on 'reuse sales', not just selling items, but transforming usable items into new forms and selling them. The goal of this class is to deepen students' EC site operation skills, improve upcycling skills, and enhance awareness and understanding of reuse.

Aichi Arts High School is a specialized school where students learn in courses such as manga, illustration, voice acting, music creation, dance, and beautician. The program being implemented this time is for students in the Fashion and Beauty Course.

Emphasizing the acquisition of technical skills, sensibility, and communication skills to enhance individuality and sensibility, students have learned various expressions such as makeup, nails, hair, fashion, and various ways to make people attractive, while nurturing the power to communicate with others.

The initiative to upcycle and sell clothes this time has become an effort that precisely utilizes the expertise these high school students have learned.

Seto City conducts the 'Seto City Reuse Demonstration Experiment' by collecting unwanted clothing at six public facilities.

Local government offices that have installed the 'Mercari Eco Box'

In this 'Seto City Reuse Demonstration Experiment,' with the cooperation of Seto City, the Seto City Office, Seto Kura, Party Seto, Setokko Family Exchange Hall, Seto Curland, and Novelty and Children's Creativity Hall, a total of six public facilities participated by installing the 'Mercari Eco Box' and receiving donations of wearable clothing items from the citizens.

In Seto City, in the fiscal year 2023, a weight-based 8% of recyclable old clothes included in household combustible waste was identified, and positive comments were received from municipal staff regarding the initiative being able to experience the flow and significance of reuse.

Seto City's official website

Sales of products in collaboration with the 'Beckoning Fortune Cat Festival' held in Seto City have also started.

Students have started upcycling by selecting wearable clothing items collected from various public facilities. The first phase of sales started at the presentation on September 14, and on September 28 and 29, the 29th 'Beckoning Fortune Cat Festival in Seto' is scheduled to take place in Seto City. Aichi Geijutsu High School has been involved in this festival every year, and in conjunction with this festival, the sale of products featuring cats has also started as the second phase. Real sales at booths will also take place during the festival.

At Aichi Geijutsu High School, we plan to continue the sale of upcycled products. We consider these efforts by high school students to sell on "Mercari Shops" as an opportunity to promote reuse in the region, so if you have something you want, we hope you can support us by making a purchase.

The representative student pressed the store button and the sale has started.

Mercari will continue to aim for the realization of a circular economy where "reducing waste" is possible.

(Ryohei Takahashi)

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