Starbucks Japan: Notebooks made from recycled milk cartons

Every year, approximately 1,450 Starbucks outlets nationwide in Japan consume 1,000 ton of milk cartons. Since 2010, this massive amount is recycled daily. Every empty milk carton is washed, dried, folded neatly and recycled. The dedicated efforts have translated into paper napkins and serviettes used in stores.

Pushing themselves further with their ongoing efforts to go green, Starbucks Japan has announced the release of their very own eco-friendly notebook: Starbucks Campus Notebook.

In recent years, there has been a rise in attention and awareness of ethical consumption in consumers. The creation of this product is an initiative by Starbucks to embrace a sustainable society together with their customers.

Working together to release this product is stationery manufacturer KOKUYO Co Ltd. After two and a half years of immense research and trial and error, they have developed a recycled paper of high quality, using milk cartons as its main source of the material.

It is not uncommon for the recycled paper to have a finish with black spots. However, due to the largely white surface and minimal print and design on milk cartons used at Starbucks, these black spots are unnoticeable on the finished product.

The Starbucks Campus Notebook (480 yen, without tax) comes in two editions. The regular edition, in white, and the limited edition, in conjunction with Starbucks’s promotional theme for the fall season, in four different colors: blue, pink, grey and khaki. The limited-edition is available for sale while stocks last.

This portable and handy A5 grid-style notebook allow for ideas, graphs, and diagrams to be jotted down easily. The papers are also perforated and easily removed. The cover and back of the notebook are specifically made from recycled milk cartons. Another noteworthy point of the cover is its illustrations and quotes, which represent the company’s vision towards a sustainable society.

Without a doubt, this is a must-have addition to your stationery collection this fall! The Starbucks Campus Notebook is available for purchase at all Starbucks Japan outlets and Starbucks Japan’s online store.