9 circular economy apps you want to use in Japan

Against the backdrop of a world slipping into an irreversible pattern of unsustainability, a Circular Economy seems to offer an answer for businesses. It spurs enterprises to do better for society and the environment without sacrificing profits, and circular models are already starting to prove beneficial to the triple bottom line.

And as new circular businesses begin to grow and more companies start adopting circular business models, technology and innovation follow. Customer-facing apps become widely used too. We will look at some of these apps available in Japan, and suggest how we can use these apps in our daily lives in terms of sustainability.

How an individual can “practice” the Circular Economy mindset

But what does Circular Economy mean to an individual? It isn’t so much about the steps in creating a circular economy. But like Zero Waste, the mindset of Circular Economy is something that overlaps in our lives.

Many of us know the 3 R’s of recycling: reduce, reuse, recycle. However, while the issues of climate, nature and the mistreatment from the human race, we have to go further. The Amsterdam Economic Board shares what more commitment would look like in the following diagram.

When the 10 R’s of Circular Economy were proposed, it was redefining how businesses can treat the environment better. But these are also applicable to our daily lives. For example, we can choose to “refuse,” asking ourselves before making any purchase, “do I really need this?” Or in “repair,” where we seek to replace parts rather than replacing the whole product. It has also spun off “new R’s” of living circular. For example, “Rot” suggests that we should compost our discarded food (like unused parts of vegetables and fruits) and grow our own vegetables.

Many of the apps we introduce today will involve refusing, finding alternatives, and sharing. Many of these apps are in Japanese too, so you may need a certain level of Japanese to use.

10 Japan apps that participate in building a Circular Economy

• Jmty (Jimoty)
• Mercari
• airCloset
• SHAREL
• TABETE
• V-cook
• MyMizu
• iKASA
• Re&Go

Jmty (Jimoty)

 

Imagine a platform like Craigslist, but much more trusted and safer in Japan. Jimoty also offers a myriad of services and information to users, like calling for volunteers, promoting local events and training services. However, mention “Jimoty” and most Japanese will associate it with the “giving/sharing of things.”

Indeed, if you visit the Jimoty website, the first thing that stands out is a list where some users offer used items for free. These can include television, washing machines, desks, desk lamps, toasters, books, bags, bicycles and more. Furthermore, it is well known that most Japanese take care of their products, making the service highly attractive to use.

So no matter if you are buying something or discarding things because you’re moving away, there is likely a local community using Jimoty where you are. Consider using the app first before seeking other alternatives.

[ Website | Google Play | Apple Store ]

Mercari

Jimoty is excellent for everyday items, but what if you are looking for niche products or you have a collector item that is hard to give away free? Mercari is probably the most popular app for those needs.

Mercari is an online marketplace that allows users to buy and sell their personal items, from bags to anime figurines to collectibles. To date, the app has over 10 million downloads, showing the scale of usage by the Japanese. With the number of people using it, Mercari is a compelling alternative to buying and discarding.

So, if you don’t mind a little organization for listing and delivery, then Mercari may fit your needs. Furthermore, it has additional features like secure transactions through the app itself and payments through MerPay (digital currency) at physical stores. The company even introduced the Mercari Eco Pack, another step in tweaking their processes to reduce waste in packaging.

[ Website | Google Play | Apple Store ]

airCloset

While second-hand clothing is popular in places like Kyoto, fashion sharing services are finding their niche through clothes sharing services. And airCloset is one of the brands in Japan offering such services.

And it has found a popular following in Japan. For a monthly subscription, users can pick three pieces of clothing from airCloset to be delivered to your home. Users then return them the next month to receive another three pieces. Furthermore, users will have a personal professional stylist that provides advice, including how to coordinate accessories and more. So the more you use the service, the better you’d look!

We have entered an era where we can choose not to buy clothes anymore. We can “Refuse” to purchase new clothes, yet still have access to the styles we want.

By the way, new users should subscribe through the website, since the app is for service usage (ordering and communication).

[ Website | Google Play | Apple Store ]

SHAREL

As a branded goods fan, if you think you need to buy to enjoy their products, then you’d want to give SHAREL a look first. Like airCloset, for a monthly subscription, you can rent branded bags and jewelry. We’re looking at the usual beloveds, like Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Vivienne Westwood, TIFFANY&Co and more.

SHAREL understands the concerns of branded products too. For example, should the reserved bag arrived stained, you can return the bag to get a replacement, and the company will cover the expenses. SHAREL also allows users the option to purchase the items, should users grow attached to them.

Update: SHAREL announced their service will end on 31 May.

[ Website | Google Play | Apple Store ]

TABETE

Food waste is a significant source of waste; food businesses often overproduce to meet consumers’ demands. Two solutions exist to manage this: redesign business models to make-to-order (where the food is prepared only upon order), or sell/give away the excess.

TABETE app is the later. F&B businesses partnered with TABETE can offer their leftover menu on the app to nearby users, who can then order them and “rescue” the food. The app can help you find nearby shops available through location finding, and you’d be able to find a variety of shops like bakeries, restaurants and cafes.

Sometimes there are no discounts as many may expect there to be, but because the app is free to use, it’s difficult for businesses to provide discounts. However, the service and model are still developing, and the food rescue concept remains meaningful.

[ Website | Google Play | Apple Store ]

V-cook

Talking about food, another concern is its link to climate. Meat production is responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. So while going vegan is an option for many, a question arises: how do we address the gap between vegetables and gastronomical pleasure?

V-cook is a recipe platform that closes that gap. If part of healthy eating comes from home, then V-cook wants to share with users the tastiest recipe for vegan food, whether they be greens, soy meat or alternative food.

The V-cook does not have an app per se, but leverages on the features of the messaging LINE app to allow recipe search. As per normal, add V-cook to your list to enter their chat search. Alternatively, you can also use their intuitive website to search for recipes too.

[ Website | LINE ]

MyMizu

Why throw money away buying water in plastic bottles, when you can get water free by carrying your personal bottle?

MyMizu, launched in 2019, is an app that shows you where you can find locations to refill your bottle with water. These include public amenities (like drinking fountains) and shops that offer free water refills to the app’s users.

Users can also add new refilling locations to share with other users or even persuade businesses to offer free refills. The app empowers users to help others lead plastic-bottle-free lifestyles.

In addition, the app helps users keep track of the numbers of bottles they have saved by using the app’s Refill Tracker. It helps them visualize their impact for not using plastic bottles.

[ Website | Google Play | Apple Store ]

iKASA

Sometimes, you have to wonder, is an umbrella worth buying? How much time is spent wondering what are the chances of rain, and should you bring it out with you? There has got to be a better experience available, and there is.

iKASA, another sharing service app, allows users to rent umbrellas from kiosks placed mainly at train stations and available at some stores. Users can choose a monthly service subscription or pay-per-use. The flexibility in pricing and location availability makes the service attractive for use.

iKASA is a rather new service in Japan (launched Dec 2018), so the service is currently being implemented, starting in bigger cities like Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka. No doubt iKASA wants to expand into other prefectures to reduce waste from discarded or forgotten umbrellas.

[ Website | Google Play | Apple Store ]

Re&Go

Re&Go is an even newer service, but it needs a mention because we are witnessing the beginning of a new trend in Japan – reusable takeout containers.

With the coronavirus pandemic came the boom in takeout services. While many businesses are now finding new value in a new takeout model, the amount of waste produced from takeout containers is a major impact on the environment. With it comes innovators who are redesigning the takeout experience to minimize that impact.

Re&Go is one of these innovators, who just completed a test run in Okinawa in February. Through their app, users can order takeouts as usual from partnered restaurants. These restaurants will then prepare Re&Go containers for users to take away. When finished, users return the containers to any partner restaurants nearest to them. Re&Go then sends the containers to cleaning services to ensure a sterile cleaning for future use.

With the positive feedback they have received, Re&Go is aiming for nationwide release in 2022. We expect this service to grow and see similar services spawning off in other prefectures, so we’d have more options in the future for reusable takeout containers.

[ Website | Re&Go will release the app upon their next run ]

Final words on these apps

We do suggest using some of these apps to supplement your sustainable lifestyle. However, we do want you to weigh how apt these apps are for you. Read the reviews, find out about the good and bad of the latest versions (does the developer on the ball with updates? Does the app crash often?) Are you comfortable with their usage, especially when some of these apps involve interacting with other users?

Ultimately, these are nine of the many apps that you can start with. You’d be participating in addressing some of the issues that are not only in Japan, but are also issues on a global scale. While these companies do not promote themselves as part of “the Circular Economy,” they do not have to. Through their apps, they are helping customers make more sustainable choice. We only need to remind ourselves of the “Circular Economy” mindset: to be mindful of alternatives to buying, know where our products come from, and decide where products will end up.

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