Tsushima's Ocean-Washed PET Bottles Recycled into ANA Goods and Marine Product Interior Materials

PET bottles collected on the coast of Tsushima City are being recycled and circulated back into society as textile materials. The circular material 'OCEAN THREAD®', derived from ocean-washed plastic, has already been sold as an ANA upcycled product (flight tag), and its application to Toyota Motor's marine cruiser interior materials is also under consideration. A marine plastic resource circulation model originating from Tsushima is now being implemented in society.

Tsushima City has been addressing the issue of marine debris for many years. Based on this ongoing collection activity, the city is promoting the initiative in collaboration with the General Incorporated Association Ocean Taro (Representative Director: Yotaro Nakamura) and Ocean Class Inc. (President: Yotaro Nakamura).

Tsushima City is located on the Sea of Japan side and is a region where a large amount of marine debris, including that originating from overseas, washes ashore, making the response to the marine plastic problem a critical issue.

In this initiative, washed-up PET bottles collected on the coast of Tsushima City are recycled. As a mechanism connecting 'collection → recycling → fiber → product', the circular material 'OCEAN THREAD®' is processed into yarn and fabric and circulated back into society as products. OCEAN THREAD® is not just a material brand; it is the very mechanism for circulating ocean-washed plastic as a resource.

To date, approximately 7 tons of PET bottles collected on the coast of Tsushima City have been recycled, with a portion being used as recycled resin.

This material is being adopted in actual corporate products, with material development and adoption beginning for:

・ANA upcycled products (flight tags)

・Toyota Motor's marine cruiser interior materials

Resources collected on Tsushima's coast are regenerated as materials and reach society as ANA flight tags and marine cruiser interior materials. This initiative is attracting attention as the social implementation of a new resource circulation model for the marine plastic problem. Furthermore, a participatory cycle of 'pick up → participate → wear' is expanding, from participation in beach cleanups to the use of OCEAN THREAD® products.

Tsushima City aims to build a circulation model that utilizes collected resources in society to address the marine debris problem and will continue to promote the initiative in collaboration with related organizations and companies. Starting from this initiative, the city aims to build a resource circulation network for ocean-washed plastic on beaches nationwide. It is also considering beach cleanup activities in cooperation with local organizations and participatory initiatives related to World Cleanup Day in September. Within this, the city is also looking at product development such as T-shirts and towels using OCEAN THREAD®, aiming to realize a new participatory circulation model of 'pick up → participate → wear'.

Mayor's Comment

Tsushima City is a region where a large amount of marine debris washes ashore via the Sea of Japan, and addressing the marine plastic problem is one of the city's important issues.

We find it very significant that washed-up PET bottles collected on the coast of Tsushima City are being recycled and used in products as textile materials.

This initiative, where plastic washed ashore circulates back into society as a resource, has the potential to become a new model for solving the marine debris problem.

We will continue to promote measures against marine debris and resource circulation in collaboration with related organizations and companies.

We hope that this new initiative of resource circulation for marine debris will spread nationwide, starting from this initiative, and that the Tsushima-originated marine plastic resource circulation model will reach many people through participation in beach cleanups and OCEAN THREAD® products.

Nagasaki Prefecture, Tsushima City, Future Environment Department, Environmental Policy Division

Tsushima City has been working on the problem of plastic debris washing ashore on its coasts for many years.

The initiatives of the General Incorporated Association Ocean Taro and Ocean Class Inc. are a new challenge to circulate ocean-washed plastic as a resource and are significant for the region.

Tsushima City also hopes that such initiatives will spread.

Project Overview

Collection Area

Nagasaki Prefecture, Tsushima City

Collection Volume

Approximately 7 tons (ocean-washed PET bottles)

Recycling

Recycled as recycled resin

Application

Textile materials (yarn, fabric, products)

Circulation Model

Partner Organizations

General Incorporated Association Ocean Taro
An organization promoting the collection and resource circulation of ocean-washed plastic. Through the beach cleanup activity 'Shukatsu®' continuously undertaken by Representative Director Yotaro Nakamura, it is working to solve the marine plastic problem while accumulating collection results on beaches in Tsushima and other locations.

Ocean Class Inc.
A company that develops and deploys the circular material 'OCEAN THREAD®' derived from marine plastic. It promotes the creation of a resource circulation system that connects collection, recycling, and product manufacturing.

*General Incorporated Association Ocean Taro and Ocean Class Inc. are registered as 'Tsushima SDGs Partners' promoted by Tsushima City, Nagasaki Prefecture, and are working on a resource circulation project for ocean-washed plastic collected in the city.

Contact Information

Tsushima City, Future Environment Department, Environmental Policy Division
TEL: 0920-53-6212 (direct)

① Tsushima's debris-strewn coast

[Problem] Marine debris washed ashore on the coast of Tsushima City. A large amount of plastic, including that originating from overseas, washes ashore in this city located on the Sea of Japan side (provided by Tsushima City).

② Marine plastic collection in Tsushima

[Collection] Ongoing marine plastic collection activities in Tsushima City. Initiatives continue in cooperation with the region through 'Shukatsu®' promoted by the General Incorporated Association Ocean Taro (provided by Tsushima City).

③ PET bottle bales

[Collection/Recycling] Bales of ocean-washed PET bottles collected and compressed in Tsushima City. Approximately 7 tons have been recycled to date and sent to the next process as the textile material 'OCEAN THREAD®'.

④ Forklift loading/unloading

[Circulation] The process of recycling ocean-washed PET bottles collected in Tsushima City at a recycling plant in Kitakyushu City. The 'Tsushima-originated' resource circulation is in motion, from collection to product.

⑤ Ocean Thread circulation diagram

[Circulation] The mechanism by which ocean-washed plastic collected in Tsushima City circulates back into society as 'collection → recycling → fiber → product' (OCEAN THREAD® circulation model).

⑥ Resin and yarn materials

Process image.

'An example of the process where collected PET bottles are regenerated and transformed into yarn via pellets and fibers.'

⑦ ANA flight tag

[Social Implementation ①] An ANA original flight tag using the circular material 'OCEAN THREAD®' derived from ocean-washed plastic. Launched on January 27, 2025, it has been well-received, with additional orders decided within about two weeks, establishing a sales record.

Despite being priced at 2,400 yen, higher than regular flight tags, it has been well-received, with additional orders decided within about two weeks of its launch.

This product uses 'OCEAN THREAD®', a material born from recycling plastic that washed ashore, providing an opportunity to deepen understanding of the marine debris issue and contributing to the realization of a resource-circulating society.