MUJI designs recycled uniforms for GREEN×EXPO 2027 with citizen clothing

Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd., the operator of the popular brand MUJI, has finalised the uniform design for staff at Yokohama City’s information hub for the upcoming GREEN×EXPO 2027 (International Horticultural Exposition 2027). The garments will be manufactured using recycled polyester derived from post-consumer clothing collected from Yokohama residents.

The initiative is part of the “Project to Promote Low-Carbon Lifestyles in Clothing toward the Formation of a Yokohama-Style Circular Society”, jointly executed by Yokohama City and Artiql Inc. Unwanted garments were collected from citizens at administrative and commercial facilities across Yokohama and subsequently reprocessed into synthetic fibre.

To ensure the uniforms can be re-recycled at the end of their lifecycle, Ryohin Keikaku applied product design principles developed for its “Return to Materials” garment series, which first launched in 2024. Conventional textile recycling often faces technical barriers due to the challenge of separating mixed fibres, trims, and fastenings. To streamline future reprocessing, the Expo uniforms will use mono-material construction where possible, matching the primary fabric with single-material sewing threads and buttons.

The manufacturing process relies on a partnership with Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., using chemical recycling technology. Collected polyester garments undergo sorting and pre-treatment before being converted back into polyester fibre, achieving a closed fibre-to-fibre loop that reduces reliance on virgin fossil-fuel inputs.

This venture expands upon a comprehensive collaboration agreement signed between Ryohin Keikaku and Yokohama City in May 2021, which established joint efforts around disaster preparedness and resource circulation, as well as ongoing regional circular economy exchanges with Artiql Inc.