Upcycling retired cycling helmets into urban furniture for public use

The Imabari City Cycle City Promotion Council is expanding the IMABARI REHELM Project, a circular initiative that collects expired bicycle helmets from local residents and upcycles them into street furniture for the municipality.

Imabari is a gateway to the Shimanami Kaido, a popular  expressway route that attracts thousands of domestic and international cyclists each year. According to a 2025 survey by the National Police Agency, Ehime Prefecture recorded a bicycle helmet wearing rate of 70.3 per cent, the highest in Japan against a national average of 21.2 per cent. In addition, local rental bicycle dispatches reached a record more than 173 thousand units in 2025.

However, the Japan Helmet Manufacturers Association advises that bicycle helmets reach the end of their useful safety lifespan after three years due to material degradation. This regular replacement cycle creates a steady stream of composite plastic waste.

The IMABARI REHELM Project was first initiated in 2025, aiming to addresses this waste issue. Organisers developed the “Re: HELM”, a mobile collection cart built like a traditional street stall that moves through neighbourhoods to collect retired headgear directly from citizens. Once gathered, the helmets undergo mechanical crushing and are converted into reconstituted composite boards. Local secondary school pupils, who routinely wear helmets on their daily commutes, have joined the campaign. These students will present the circular scheme in English to overseas cyclists during the Cycling Shimanami 2026 event on 25 October.

The project partners plan to unveil and install the completed furniture pieces throughout public spaces in Imabari by March 2027. Organisers also plan to showcase the upcycled installations at Velo-city 2027 Ehime, a global cycling summit taking place in the prefecture in May 2027, presenting the model to international transport and municipal delegates.