Umbrella rental services in Japan thrive thanks to campaign to reduce plastic waste

Umbrella rental service is booming in Japan - Photo: Nature Innovation Group

Last June, Aikasa, an umbrella-sharing system run by startup Nature Innovation Group, reached its highest number of users ever. This service rents umbrellas from umbrella stands located at train stations, shopping malls, convenience stores, etc. using a smartphone app.

The service allows you to rent up to two umbrellas at a time for 140 yen (about 0.88 USD) for 24 hours, or 280 yen ($1.77 USD) per month. More and more companies are introducing this service as a benefit for their employees.

The company began offering the service in about 50 locations in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward in December 2018. It has since expanded to a total of about 1,600 locations in 14 prefectures, including Aichi, Osaka, and Fukuoka. The number of people who have signed up for the app has exceeded 600,000.

According to Nature Innovation Group, the number of service usages in June exceeded the record set in July 2022. Unpredictable weather during the rainy season is one reason, but growing awareness among people about reducing plastic waste is also considered an important factor.

Many industries are being asked to take proactive measures such as reducing plastic waste to realize a sustainable society.

According to a council of the umbrella industry in Japan, the annual consumption of umbrellas in Japan is estimated at 120-130 million. Of these, the majority are disposable plastic umbrellas because of their low cost. The increase in the use of "umbrella sharing" services is attributed to consumers' growing awareness of environmental issues.

Regarding the Aikasa service, the company's marketing director Ken Kurosu said: "We want to strengthen our alliance with real estate companies (buildings and apartments) to increase the number of rental locations by more than 10 times."

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dich-vu-cho-thue-o-tai-nhat-phat-dat-nho-chien-dich-giam-rac-thai-nhua-20240716194359783.htm