2013.10.02
"Orgabits Project" 2013 Good Design Award
Press Release
Taking this opportunity, we will promote the "Orgabits Project" system, which connects the entire supply chain of farmers, manufacturers, brands, consumers, and NPOs, with the aim of further expanding the use of organic cotton.
■ Toyoshima & Co., Ltd. 's "Orgabits Project"■
The Orgabits Project is an organic cotton promotion project with the most brands participating in Japan. Toyoshima & Co., Ltd., has created a system that allows organic cotton to be easily commercialized while balancing both fashion and social contribution. Currently, only about 1% of cotton is organic. In order to increase the demand for organic cotton reasonably, the Orgabits Project does not insist on 100% organic cotton, but instead lowers the blend rate and sets the condition that it must be more than 10%. Organic cotton is a material that tends to be expensive because it requires a lot of effort, but by changing the idea that "rather than getting 10 people to use 100% organic cotton, we would like 1,000 people to use 10% organic cotton," we aim to spread organic cotton by making it easy for more people to use it.
To date, 65 brands have participated, and a total of over 5 million items have been produced. In addition, a system has been established to provide financial support to seven NPOs through products, and young designers and artists with intellectual disabilities are matched with apparel brands. In addition, agricultural support is also being provided in India.
■When "organic cotton" becomes popular■
Cotton grown using conventional methods contains approximately 15% of the insecticides and 11% of the pesticides used worldwide (Source: Textile Exchange), and strong pesticides such as defoliants cause health damage to cotton farmers in developing countries. It also involves various environmental problems such as soil pollution.
On the other hand, organic cotton refers to cotton grown organically on farmland where no pesticides or chemical fertilizers have been used for more than three years. As organic cotton cultivation spreads, farmers in developing countries will be able to earn cash income, which will lead to higher school enrollment rates. It is also expected to help solve environmental problems in China and the United States, and poverty issues in India.
Furthermore, there is no difference in the effect on the skin between regular cotton clothes and organic cotton clothes. The Orgabits Project also wants to dispel the misconception that organic cotton is good for the skin.
■Comments from the judges■
Comments from the Good Design Award judges are as follows:
"This is a new system to popularize organic cotton, which accounts for less than 1% of cotton grown. It is a unique, reverse idea that by reducing the percentage of organic cotton used in each garment, manufacturers can reduce costs, and by making it easier to use, the overall amount used can be increased. As a result, we have achieved a scale and track record of producing a total of over 5 million items for 65 brands. By driving the spread of organic cotton, it also leads to social design, which reduces the health damage to farmers in developing countries."
■Good Design Award Exhibition■
The Orgabits Project will be exhibited as this year's award-winning work at the Good Design Exhibition 2013, which will be held at Tokyo Midtown from Wednesday, October 30th.
<Good Design Exhibition 2013>
Period: Wednesday, October 30th to Monday, November 4th (substitute holiday)
Venue: Tokyo Midtown (Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Organized by: Japan Institute of Design Promotion
[Orgabits official website] http://orgabits.com/
[Orgabits Facebook page] https://www.facebook.com/orgabits
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