The Japanese Ministry of the Environment introduces Deco Katsu, a public-private initiative aimed at fostering sustainable lifestyles and achieving a carbon-free society through collaborative efforts in various sectors, including fashion.
The Ministry of the Environment in Japan has launched a public-private initiative known as “Deco Katsu,” aimed at fostering sustainable behaviors and lifestyles to achieve a carbon-free society. This initiative emphasizes the role of sustainable fashion and includes a variety of supportive measures, including budget projects designed to facilitate its implementation.
Launched in October 2022, the Deco Katsu endeavor seeks to promote a new way of living interconnected with decarbonization efforts. Within this framework, it establishes an “ideal” lifestyle centered on 13 action goals referred to as “Deco Katsu Actions.” A significant component of this movement is the formation of the “Deco Katsu Support Group,” which includes a diverse coalition of participating companies, organizations, and individuals who align with its objectives. As of February 5, 2023, the Support Group comprised 2,117 entities, including 1,193 companies, 330 municipalities, 356 organizations, and 238 individual participants. These stakeholders engage in information sharing, opinion exchange, and collaborate on measures to disseminate the objectives of the Deco Katsu initiative across various platforms, including a dedicated portal site and social media channels.
In June 2023, the Japanese government introduced a new capitalism execution plan that incorporated discussions from the Deco Katsu Support Group. This resulted in the establishment of a comprehensive “10-Year Roadmap for Living,” which was finalized in February 2023. This roadmap outlines strategies for decarbonization across seven sectors, including clothing, food, and housing. Specifically, in the clothing sector, the roadmap encourages practices such as “cool biz” and “warm biz,” which promote seasonal dress codes aimed at energy conservation. It also advocates for sustainable fashion principles, including the “visualization of ethical aspects” of products and the expansion of opportunities for garment exchanges, repairs, upcycling, and recycling.
In alignment with these directives, subsidy initiatives targeting environmentally friendly actions and carbon dioxide emission reductions have been integrated into both the supplementary budget for 2023 and the initial budget for 2024. Tomohiro Shimada, the Director of the Carbon-Free Lifestyle Promotion Office, elaborated on this approach, noting that it emphasizes “supporting the social implementation of decarbonization.” Budget allocations in the fashion sector target specific projects, including “Loop,” a clothing circular upcycling initiative in collaboration with Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores and Osaka Bunka Fashion College, and “Re-Creation,” which aims to provide sustainability certifications for fashion through partnerships with Itochu Fashion System. Additional collaborative efforts are underway to calculate sustainability scores within the fashion industry, led by companies such as Unisteps, LINE Yahoo, and Good On You.
The Ministry of the Environment underscores the importance of fashion in achieving decarbonization goals and is actively encouraging companies to join both the Deco Katsu Support Group and the Deco Katsu Declaration, further reinforcing the collective commitment to sustainability in the fashion industry and beyond.
Source: Noah Wire Services
