REMARE
Upcycling difficult-to-recycle plastics into designed materials.
REMARE Inc. is a Japanese startup founded in August 2021 by Tadasuke Mase that addresses the problem of marine and industrial plastic waste through material recycling. The company is based in Toba City, Mie Prefecture, a location where large amounts of fishing-related waste accumulate, which inspired the business. REMARE developed a proprietary technology to recycle complex and composite plastics, which are typically difficult to process and are often incinerated or landfilled.
The firm operates an integrated in-house process that includes the collection, cleaning, crushing, molding, and processing of waste plastics into new products. Its core product is a recycled plastic board material that possesses unique, marble-like patterns due to the specific color-sorting and heat-press techniques used. These durable and aesthetically versatile boards are utilized in applications such as building materials, interior design, office furniture, and store fixtures. REMARE collaborates with a range of clients, including corporations, designers, and local governments, to develop new products and business models for plastic waste. The business model involves manufacturing and selling these recycled boards and offering circular economy support services, helping companies reduce their Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions.
The company holds over 4,000 sets of proprietary molding data, allowing it to quickly assess the recyclability of different types of plastic waste for potential clients. With support from a government grant, REMARE is expanding its factory to achieve an annual processing capacity of 1,200 tons. The company also plans to issue and sell plastic credits via Verra starting in 2025.
Keywords: plastic recycling, material upcycling, circular economy, waste plastic solutions, composite plastics, sustainable materials, green building materials, industrial waste recycling, marine plastic, cleantech, material science, GHG reduction, product design, interior materials, sustainable manufacturing, corporate sustainability, recycling technology