T: There's a lot of fast fashion out there these days. We don't think there's anything particularly wrong with a company manufacturing and selling those products in pursuit of profits. However, there are many things to consider regarding the way things are done and the rules. All of the production standards of companies that have left Japan are now being moved overseas. It's becoming increasingly nonsensical to have everything from accessories to raw materials to finishing touches being sourced overseas.

After all, domestically-grown companies need to create a system to give back to the country. For example, by developing new materials or actively participating in reuse and recycling. We may be at the stage where we need to impose legal regulations. Major companies may oppose this, but we have to do it to protect Japan.

Do you know how much bulky waste is generated from home appliances each year? 650,000 tons in Japan alone. This is a publicly-available and fairly accurate figure (because home appliances must be purchased). So, how much do you think the figure for clothing is? The only publicly-available figure for clothing is 1 million tons. It's estimated that about 2 million tons of waste is being discarded, including 1 million tons of household waste (including socks with holes).

The recycling rate for aluminum in electronic waste is about 78%. Meanwhile, only 12-13% of the 2 million tons of clothing is reused or recycled. Furthermore, it's only recycled into things like work gloves, ropes, and car seats; almost none of it is turned back into fashionable clothing. This is because almost all of the 2 million tons of waste is natural materials.

The other day, the president of the Jeans Association said that by 2025, the world will run out of cotton to make denim. The reason for this is that as the population grows and reaches 10 billion, food shortages will occur, and creating food fields will take priority over creating cotton fields. Therefore, cotton fields will disappear from the world. It's a plausible scenario. It's the same as oil. When supplies run low, exploitation begins, and wars break out... Well, in the case of cotton, we might have to find an alternative material, like paper.

Of course, food is an issue, but since we're not in the food industry, the shortage of raw materials for apparel is truly serious. When thinking about what to do about it, I think it's up to the people involved, not just the companies, to help define the problem.

But in Japan, if we do it in a lame way, it won't spread. For example, it only becomes a movement when luxury brands start using fabric made from recycled yarn. Even if it's a little expensive, it will become the global norm and standard.

Also, when I talk to people from Paris, New York, or anywhere else, they say that only Japanese people can invent machines to turn recycled materials. Germany is a machinery powerhouse, but not a fashion powerhouse. Japan is the only country in the world that is both a machinery powerhouse and a fashion powerhouse. For example, Shima Seiki, the company that developed the WHOLEGARMENT knitting machine. I've actually spoken to people at Shima Seiki, and I'm sure they can make it. I hope more companies like that will take action. I'm sure there will be difficult problems, but I believe that the ability to improve them is a good thing about Japanese people. Especially when it comes to technology.

So, if the government and companies like this step up now, we won't run out of resources, and if things continue as they are, it's clear that we'll face a truly dire situation.

I want to tell the people who built companies in the '80s and early '90s to take responsibility for today's world. When it comes to keywords like "revival," people in their 60s and 70s today need to take the lead and step up. After all, you're all at a level where you can do that, aren't you? As presidents and executives, you need to make the necessary arrangements. We are people who work on the front lines, and we no longer live in a world where we can survive solely on profits and sales. I would definitely like to contribute in that area. President Nagagabe might find this hard to hear (laughs).

O: No, no, I do feel a sense of responsibility for having worked in this industry, so I want to do my best to contribute to that end. The first thing we need to remember is that 30 years ago, we probably didn't even separate bottles and cans. With the rise of recycling awareness in society, sorting is now commonplace. Clothing, however, has been left behind, and I wonder if this is really okay. We have to do something because it's not okay. Many people feel the same way, but it's difficult to take the lead. We hope to contribute, however small our contribution may be.

This is such a big issue that even when we talk about it with our peers, they say, "I understand what you're saying, but it's just impossible." To make it feasible, the industry as a whole must first be committed. Furthermore, with the help of the media, we can build a recycling and reuse movement. Ultimately, if the government takes action and enacts a "clothing recycling law," I think we'll be able to get a head start on this issue.

T: In other industries, there's been liberalization of electricity purchases, right? We also generate electricity using solar panels, and they buy our electricity from us (lol).

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