EcoBorn, a Solution Turning Mixed Waste Plastics into Construction Materials, Wins Grand Prize at the 2nd Mito Sakigake Business Awards
InnovateX Inc.'s EcoBorn, which converts difficult-to-recycle mixed plastics into construction materials, received the Grand Prize. The business aims to solve waste issues and reduce public facility maintenance costs, targeting 1 billion yen in sales by 2028.
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- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 19:00
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Mito Sakigake Business Award Grand Prize trophy and a variety of waste plastic materials used as raw materials for EcoBorn.
InnovateX Inc. (Headquarters: Shirosato-machi, Higashiibaraki-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture; CEO: Kikuo Itako; hereinafter "the Company") is pleased to announce that its initiatives regarding the development, manufacture, and sale of recycled plastic construction material "EcoBorn" have been highly evaluated, resulting in winning the Grand Prize at the "2nd Mito Sakigake Business Awards" sponsored by the Mito Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
"EcoBorn," developed by our company, is an initiative that regenerates mixed waste plastics, composite materials, and contaminated materials—previously considered difficult to recycle—into construction materials for use in public furniture, building materials, and civil engineering resources. Taking the award as a model that balances environmental problem-solving with business viability, we will expand our supply system and aim to commercialize the business with a sales scale of 1 billion yen by 2028.
■ Award Overview
Representative Director Kikuo Itako (right)
Award Name: 2nd Mito Sakigake Business Award
Award Category: Grand Prize
Organizer: Mito Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Award Subject: Business activities related to recycled plastic construction material "EcoBorn"
■ Background of the Award
In Japan, approximately 8 million tons of waste plastic are discharged annually, most of which depends on incineration. In particular, mixed, composite, and contaminated materials are highly difficult to recycle, causing increased processing costs for dischargers.
On the other hand, wooden furniture and equipment used in municipalities and public facilities face challenges such as decay, insect damage, and paint peeling, requiring periodic replacement. Ongoing costs are incurred for replacement and maintenance, leading to an increasing need for alternative materials with long life and excellent maintenance properties.
"EcoBorn" is a construction material that simultaneously addresses two social issues: "waste materials that are difficult to recycle" and "wooden public furniture with high replacement burdens." We began research and development on waste plastic recycling in 2020 and succeeded in commercializing it as construction material in 2023. Since our establishment in August 2024, we have been introducing public furniture to multiple municipalities and companies.
■ Features of "EcoBorn"
Support for a Wide Range of Raw Materials, Including Difficult-to-Recycle Materials
While general recycled material manufacturers often assume single resins or cleaned materials, "EcoBorn" enables support for raw materials including mixed, composite, and contaminated materials by designing formulations for each project.
We are expanding the possibilities for utilizing materials such as multi-layer composite packaging, metalized films, and composite waste derived from sanitary products, which were previously considered difficult to reuse, as construction materials.
Supply System Geared Toward Implementation Sites
"EcoBorn" not only regenerates materials but also carries out business design with an eye toward future applications and implementation sites. Regular deliveries to major construction material distribution companies have already started, and public furniture introduction in multiple municipalities and joint projects with major packaging companies are also underway.
By connecting the flow from recovery to manufacturing and implementation, we aim to build a continuous circulation model where recycled materials are not just "made and done."
Standardization from Prototyping to Evaluation Reports
For companies and municipalities considering introduction, we have established a system to conduct impact tests, three-point bending tests, and combustion tests to create evaluation reports. We have built a standard flow that proceeds from prototyping to report presentation and purchase condition organization in approximately 90 days, making it easy for procurement, environment, and CSR departments to make decisions based on quantitative information.
■ Environmental Performance: Confirmed Reduction Effect of 14.9kg-CO2e per Unit
In an LCA evaluation compliant with ISO14040/44 conducted by our company, we have confirmed a reduction effect of 14.9kg-CO2e per "EcoBorn" construction member.
This reduction effect is generated by multiple factors, such as the substitution of wooden construction materials, the immobilization of waste plastic that was scheduled to be incinerated, and the reduction in update frequency due to long life. We are proposing it as a construction material that can be quantitatively explained for Scope 3 emission reduction initiatives in companies and for environmental considerations in municipal procurement.
■ Business Structure: Driving Expansion in Three Revenue Areas
The "EcoBorn" business mainly consists of the following three areas:
- Construction material wholesale (general-purpose materials such as 2x4 materials)
- Furniture wholesale (public benches)
- Furniture wholesale (public tables)
By handling everything from the manufacture of construction materials to furniture productization in an integrated manner, we have built a business structure that balances profitability and scalability. In the future, we plan to evolve into a more scalable supply system by increasing production lines and strengthening the furniture shipping system.
■ Future Outlook: Toward a Sales Scale of 1 Billion Yen by 2028
We will expand our business in the following three stages:
Stage 1 | "Visualization" through public furniture
Starting from implementation in municipalities and local companies, we will expand...
InnovateX Inc. (Headquarters: Shirosato-machi, Higashiibaraki-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture; CEO: Kikuo Itako; hereinafter "the Company") is pleased to announce that its initiatives regarding the development, manufacture, and sale of recycled plastic construction material "EcoBorn" have been highly evaluated, resulting in winning the Grand Prize at the "2nd Mito Sakigake Business Awards" sponsored by the Mito Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
"EcoBorn," developed by our company, is an initiative that regenerates mixed waste plastics, composite materials, and contaminated materials—previously considered difficult to recycle—into construction materials for use in public furniture, building materials, and civil engineering resources. Taking the award as a model that balances environmental problem-solving with business viability, we will expand our supply system and aim to commercialize the business with a sales scale of 1 billion yen by 2028.
■ Award Overview
Representative Director Kikuo Itako (right)
Award Name: 2nd Mito Sakigake Business Award
Award Category: Grand Prize
Organizer: Mito Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Award Subject: Business activities related to recycled plastic construction material "EcoBorn"
■ Background of the Award
In Japan, approximately 8 million tons of waste plastic are discharged annually, most of which depends on incineration. In particular, mixed, composite, and contaminated materials are highly difficult to recycle, causing increased processing costs for dischargers.
On the other hand, wooden furniture and equipment used in municipalities and public facilities face challenges such as decay, insect damage, and paint peeling, requiring periodic replacement. Ongoing costs are incurred for replacement and maintenance, leading to an increasing need for alternative materials with long life and excellent maintenance properties.
"EcoBorn" is a construction material that simultaneously addresses two social issues: "waste materials that are difficult to recycle" and "wooden public furniture with high replacement burdens." We began research and development on waste plastic recycling in 2020 and succeeded in commercializing it as construction material in 2023. Since our establishment in August 2024, we have been introducing public furniture to multiple municipalities and companies.
■ Features of "EcoBorn"
Support for a Wide Range of Raw Materials, Including Difficult-to-Recycle Materials
While general recycled material manufacturers often assume single resins or cleaned materials, "EcoBorn" enables support for raw materials including mixed, composite, and contaminated materials by designing formulations for each project.
We are expanding the possibilities for utilizing materials such as multi-layer composite packaging, metalized films, and composite waste derived from sanitary products, which were previously considered difficult to reuse, as construction materials.
Supply System Geared Toward Implementation Sites
"EcoBorn" not only regenerates materials but also carries out business design with an eye toward future applications and implementation sites. Regular deliveries to major construction material distribution companies have already started, and public furniture introduction in multiple municipalities and joint projects with major packaging companies are also underway.
By connecting the flow from recovery to manufacturing and implementation, we aim to build a continuous circulation model where recycled materials are not just "made and done."
Standardization from Prototyping to Evaluation Reports
For companies and municipalities considering introduction, we have established a system to conduct impact tests, three-point bending tests, and combustion tests to create evaluation reports. We have built a standard flow that proceeds from prototyping to report presentation and purchase condition organization in approximately 90 days, making it easy for procurement, environment, and CSR departments to make decisions based on quantitative information.
■ Environmental Performance: Confirmed Reduction Effect of 14.9kg-CO2e per Unit
In an LCA evaluation compliant with ISO14040/44 conducted by our company, we have confirmed a reduction effect of 14.9kg-CO2e per "EcoBorn" construction member.
This reduction effect is generated by multiple factors, such as the substitution of wooden construction materials, the immobilization of waste plastic that was scheduled to be incinerated, and the reduction in update frequency due to long life. We are proposing it as a construction material that can be quantitatively explained for Scope 3 emission reduction initiatives in companies and for environmental considerations in municipal procurement.
■ Business Structure: Driving Expansion in Three Revenue Areas
The "EcoBorn" business mainly consists of the following three areas:
- Construction material wholesale (general-purpose materials such as 2x4 materials)
- Furniture wholesale (public benches)
- Furniture wholesale (public tables)
By handling everything from the manufacture of construction materials to furniture productization in an integrated manner, we have built a business structure that balances profitability and scalability. In the future, we plan to evolve into a more scalable supply system by increasing production lines and strengthening the furniture shipping system.
■ Future Outlook: Toward a Sales Scale of 1 Billion Yen by 2028
We will expand our business in the following three stages:
Stage 1 | "Visualization" through public furniture
Starting from implementation in municipalities and local companies, we will expand...