Problems with the environment and resources, hunger and poverty, discrimination... these are becoming increasingly significant in today's society of accelerating economic activities and growing population. While more efforts are put into realizing a sustainable society in recent years by governments, companies and various organizations, ethical awareness among members of society is also growing, and demand for products that have a less adverse effect on society is increasing. At Sac’s Bar Holdings, we are incorporating a sustainable perspective into the development of products that we offer to our customers.
“Smart People” is a private-label brand specialized in bags and accessories made of natural leather. At a time when consumer lifestyles are constantly changing, the brand offers genuinely high-quality products, suggesting to consumers that they use them with care and for a long time. A by-product of meat processing, leather is a naturally recycled, sustainable material. Our products are designed to be long-lasting because of our pursuit of higher quality, as well as the repair service we offer. The brand aims to offer ethical and charming products, as opposed to something disposable.
Smart People products are produced in India’s Kolkata region. We chose this location not only to realize great quality at affordable prices, but also to help developing countries progress with Japan’s excellent manufacturing technology. Offering financial as well as technical assistance is considered to be a key aspect of aiding developing countries, enabling them to make further progress on their own. We also help to create employment stability in developing countries by providing local people with thorough training on Japan’s advanced manufacturing technology to improve their work skills, as well as by requesting their ongoing production of our products.
Mr. Ousmane Sankhon, an advisor to the Republic of Guinea Embassy in Japan, a former diplomat of the Republic of Guinea, and a popular celebrity, introduces products that showcase Japan’s innovative ideas and designs in the “Sankhon Project,” which contributes a portion of the proceeds to aid Africa. Giving the nod to this initiative, Sac’s Bar Holdings has created a “mask case” specifically for this project and launched it at our shops nationwide. The product has been developed and manufactured at a sewing workshop in Kyoto, our partner in the project. Originally created to prevent infections among children at school or private classes, this product inspired Mr. Sankhon, and has become a part of the project. Partially using recycled materials, it is also made with consideration for environmental protection and resource conservation.
Every day, a large volume of empty PET (plastic) bottles is disposed of. The total amount is equivalent to 180 bottles per person per year (according to the Council for PET Bottles Recycling Promotion Council). As is widely known, PET is a recyclable material. The volume of the waste can be reduced significantly if it is utilized efficiently.
At Tokyo Derica, we develop and sell products made with “REPREVE,” 100% recycled fiber obtained from used plastic bottles. Without any unnaturalness in texture that is often seen in conventional recycled materials, the fashionably designed products make it easy to incorporate eco-friendly materials into any lifestyle.
