URBAN RESEARCH launch pop-up upcycling store at Toranomon Hills

A new pop-up store showcasing products made from upcycled automotive and apparel waste is opened in Tokyo’s Toranomon Hills Business Tower. The campaign is a joint project between Toyota Upcycle, fashion retailer URBAN RESEARCH Co., Ltd., and textile trading company Toyoshima Co., Ltd.

The collaboration began in September 2024, and operates under the shared philosophy of transforming “mottainai,” the Japanese concept of regret concerning waste, into “motto ii,” meaning “even better.” The project aims to create a circular future where waste materials are continuously given new value.

The theme for the collection is “tsutsumu,” a Japanese word meaning to wrap, envelop or protect. This concept connects the primary function of both clothing and car parts, which serve to protect people. The companies state that both materials are “precious resources to be passed on to the future” rather than items to be discarded.

Under the partnership, Toyota provides waste materials generated during its car manufacturing process that are otherwise difficult to reuse or recycle. URBAN RESEARCHis responsible for product design, while Toyoshima leverages its production expertise to manufacture the items. The pop-up will feature products from the collaboration’s first collection, which launched this spring.

The event’s commitment to sustainability extends to its spatial design. The display fixtures are provided by “commpost,” an URBAN RESEARCHbrand dedicated to creating a circular society. The fixtures utilise sheets made from URBAN RESEARCH’s own waste clothing, combined with environmentally considerate materials like paper tubes and reinforced cardboard. The modular shelving can be assembled without tools and is designed to be reused across multiple locations.

The store will be located at the URBAN FAMIMA!! outlet and invites the public to experience the products.