Retiring after many years of working in an office usually means liberation from the everyday business suit. It also means that those suits, which have patiently and diligently protected their owners come rain or shine, will soon begin their own retirement full of peaceful days resting in a wardrobe or a closet. Things seem to be changing as of late, however: while the number of people maintaining active lives after retirement increases, the fate of a suit after retirement is also changing dramatically, and it may be part of a greener solution for society.

KONAKA, a major Japanese men's clothing store in Japan, operates a service to collect unwanted suits for free. It also started collecting men's dress shirts and women's blouses in July.

So far, more than one million unwanted suits have been collected and recycled to make felt, which is processed into insulting and acoustic absorbent materials for automobiles.The new shirt collection service actively promotes the recycling of cotton, which is widely used in a variety of clothing. In fact, these collection services are not only environmentally friendly. People who donate a suit receive a discount voucher worth 15,750 yen. Recycle a dress shirt or a blouse and receive a voucher worth 500 yen. This innovative service not only lessens the load on the environment, but it even offers an incentive! 

KONAKA is not alone in offering this service. Competitors AOYAMA TRADING and AOKI also collect shirts, which are recycled into heat insulating materials, gardening sheets to promote plant growth and prevent weeds and green materials such as oil absorbers. It also comes as a pleasant surprise that each company will accept suits and dress shirts bought from elsewhere. 

There is also a move to promote recycling that is more organic and makes a more direct contribution to society, rather than simply using recycled materials to manufacture new products. Ms. Hiromi Morimoto, an International Image Consultant at HeroMe, is calling for neckties, the quintessential suit accessory, to be donated and is advocating new social contribution and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) models.The primary purpose of the project is to help the homeless to achieve independence and find employment. The project is being implemented together with BIG ISSUE JAPAN, which supports the independence of the homeless. The concept of reusing unwanted ties instead of throwing them away is the essence of "eco."

In this project, donated neckties are sold at low prices at charity seminars on "The Strategic Approach to Choosing a Tie," which are conducted by Ms. Morimoto herself. The proceeds from the seminars are donated to BIG ISSUE JAPAN and they are used to help support the independence of the homeless. Although the project was only launched in mid-October, a number of neckties have been collected from companies and individuals who have heard about the project and it is gradually expanding its scope of activities. It has even held charity seminars at student employment fairs, selling neckties at the venue.

Although the act of raising donations is not common in Japan, unwanted suits are being utilized in various ways overseas, where the concept of charity and donating is pervasive.For example, major suit manufacturer MEN'S WEARHOUSE is calling for donations of unwanted suits, offering them to the unemployed who are looking to find work."Dress for Success" is another organization, one which helps socially disadvantaged women find jobs. They call for donations of women's suits as part of their activities and offer support to women in making a new start by providing them with a suit.  

Some suits start their "second life" in a new "eco" style after retiring along with their former owners. Other suits and ties end up starting new careers with new owners. Although in completely different forms, they both show us the possibility of making efficient use of unwanted goods, as well as the concept of "eco" and the spirit of charity, where people support each other and are connected to one other by their roots.