COME SACK: A sustainable solution to repurposing rice and barley bags

North Japan Seifukou Co. Ltd., which sells agricultural materials in Iwate Prefecture, has announced a bag called “COME SACK” made from the fabric of rice bags. The fabric used in the COME SACK is a plain weave made of a lightweight, thin, and durable tape yarn. The bag’s bottom is sewn with a sewing machine for rice bags, and the extended bottom thread is designed to resemble the remnants of a rice bag.

There are five types of bags available: large and medium-sized market bags, a large big clutch, a tote bag with a gusset, and a one-strap clutch bag. Prices range from ¥3,960 including tax. Because of its sturdy construction and ample capacity, the bag can be used for travel, outdoor activities, and as a sub-bag for town walks, allowing for various uses to suit the user’s needs.

The resin bags for rice and barley, which are used in the fabric of the COME SACK, are highly durable and are commonly used for other purposes such as sandbags during disasters, not just for transporting rice and barley. However, the demand for domestically produced rice and barley bags has drastically decreased due to the transition to flexible containers and paper bags, as well as cheap imported products from overseas.

According to the company, North Japan Seifukou is the only company in Japan that owns a machine capable of producing rice and barley resin bags in one go. It is not easy to continue producing rice and barley resin bags and to keep the machines running. Therefore, the company developed the COME SACK to sustain this machine, which embodies Japanese technology that has been passed down for generations.

The COME SACK has just successfully completed a crowdfunding campaign, and general sales are scheduled to begin in early April. In addition, until April 3, you can see and touch the COME SACK in the lobby of the 4th floor of the Hyatt Centric Ginza Tokyo hotel on the Namikidori street in Ginza, Tokyo.

Originally published on Life Hugger.

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