Yokohama launches textile drive for GREEN×EXPO 2027 uniforms

Yokohama City has launched a collaborative initiative to collect unwanted clothing from residents and recycle the material into staff uniforms for the upcoming GREEN×EXPO 2027. The circular fashion project began last week, and is being conducted in partnership with sustainability digital media company Harch Inc. and fibre recycling firm Nakano Co., Ltd.

Yokohama City aims to establish a “Yokohama-style Circular Society in the Clothing Sector” and encourage decarbonisation behaviours among its citizens. The project also allows residents to contribute directly to the International Horticultural Expo 2027, Yokohama (GREEN×EXPO 2027).

The collection drive targets clothing items made of 100 per cent polyester or 100 per cent cotton, provided they are washed and dry. These specific materials will be processed using recycling technologies to manufacture “circular uniforms.” These garments will be worn by staff at the Yokohama City exhibition facilities, specifically within the Urban GX Village located near the main gate of the Expo. Clothing made from other materials or blends collected during the drive will not be discarded but will be diverted to appropriate reuse or recycling channels to ensure resource circulation.

Nakano Co., Ltd., a company founded in Yokohama in 1934 as a textile waste wholesaler, serves as the logistical partner for this operation. They are responsible for collecting the garments from designated points, sorting the materials suitable for uniform production, and managing the reuse and recycling of the remaining items. This partnership leverages nearly a century of local expertise in fibre circulation to support modern circularity goals.

Collection boxes have been installed at key public facilities, including the City Hall, 18 ward offices, and the Yokohama City Central Library. The city plans to expand the network of collection points from January 2026 to include private sector partners and educational institutions. Participating organisations include branches of Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance, select AOKI and MUJI stores within the city, and campuses of Meiji Gakuin University and Yokohama National University.

The resulting uniforms will serve as a tangible representation of a society that coexists with the environment. The Yokohama City exhibition at the Expo intends to use these garments to powerfully communicate the concept of circulation to visitors.