Major Transformation in Apparel: Challenging with Circularity, Regeneration, and Technological Innovation - Monthly 'Project Design' June 2026 Issue Released
The publishing division of the Institute of Business and Design, Graduate School of Project Design, has released the June 2026 issue of 'Monthly Project Design'. This issue focuses on the major transformation of the apparel industry through circularity, regeneration, and technological innovation, as well as Miyagi Prefecture's creative reconstruction and the establishment of next-generation growth foundations.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 1, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 1, 2026 at 22:31 (10h 59m after Collected)
The publishing division of the Institute of Business and Design, Graduate School of Project Design (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Risa Tanaka), released the June 2026 issue of "Monthly Project Design," a specialized magazine for corporate revitalization, regional creation, and innovation, on Friday, May 1st. https://www.projectdesign.jp/202606
[Special Feature] Major Transformation in Apparel: Challenging with Circularity, Regeneration, and Technological Innovation
The fashion industry, which has been criticized for mass production and mass disposal, is now at a major turning point. The government has set a goal of reducing waste by 25% by 2030, and optimization of the entire ecosystem, including material manufacturers, retailers, and households, is being sought. Diverse players, from discovering young talent to promote attractive fashion, improving sustainability across the entire apparel supply chain, reuse, inheriting traditional industries, utilizing advanced technology, and fair trade, have begun to chart a course towards a sustainable circular society.
● Towards "Fashion City Tokyo": Discovering and Nurturing Young Designers Aiming for the World
Scenes from the show at Paris Fashion Week on March 29, 2026, featuring works by NFDT/SFDA 2023 (FY2022) award winners who received the Tokyo Governor's Award Grand Prize in the NFDT2026 Inclusive Design category.
● Aiming for Circular Fashion through Proactive Collaboration / Naoki Hagiwara, Executive Officer, Urban Research
● Passing on Traditional Industries Rooted in the Region to the Next Generation / Yasuhiro Tomita, Representative Director and President, Tomihiro
● Creating Exciting, Low Environmental Impact Socks / Ryota Takahashi, Director and Branch Manager, Renfro Japan
● Solving Denim Production Challenges with Biotechnology / Masashi Shimizu, Representative Director, Microbiofactory
● Visualizing the Environmental Impact of Medical Clothing with Blockchain / Shinichi Hasegawa, Representative Director, Working Hasegawa
And others
[Regional Feature] Miyagi Prefecture: Building Next-Generation Growth Foundations Beyond Creative Reconstruction
Through creative reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake, Miyagi Prefecture has achieved one of the highest rates of large-scale land consolidation for agriculture nationwide, and the introduction of smart agriculture is progressing. In agriculture, in addition to its tradition as a rice-producing region, it boasts the highest harvest volume nationwide for items like seri (Japanese parsley) and paprika, and ranks 4th nationwide in fishery output, earning it the title of "Food Kingdom." Governor Murai, now in his record sixth term, has positioned the attraction of global semiconductor companies as the next pillar of the prefecture's economy and is implementing multifaceted policies such as fostering startups centered around NanoTerasu, expanding inbound tourism across Tohoku, and promoting prefectural government DX.
Interview with Miyagi Prefecture Governor Yoshihiro Murai / Paving the Way for "Wealthy Miyagi" with Semiconductor Company Attraction as the Core
Governor Murai, whose record sixth term began in November 2025. He has positioned the attraction of global semiconductor companies as the core of his growth strategy and is implementing multifaceted policies such as smart agriculture, DX promotion, and expanding inbound tourism across Tohoku. We delve into his thoughts on his sixth term, which he considers his last, and the future vision he envisions for Miyagi.
Miyagi Prefecture Governor Yoshihiro Murai
Interviews with notable businesses in Miyagi Prefecture
● Unique Mechanism for Creating Hit Products / Akihiro Oyama, Representative Director and President, Iris Ohyama Inc.
Iris Ohyama develops numerous products that cater to people's lives and solve dissatisfactions and inconveniences, not limited to food and daily consumables, but also including furniture and cleaning robots. Advocating "de-charisma and team management," the company promotes human resource development, actively conducting follow-up and executive training (photo shows President Oyama speaking).
● Long-Established Ryokan Opens New "Back to Basics" Ryokan / Ippei Ichijo, Representative Partner, Ichijo Ryokan Partnership
The exterior of the new annex "THE YUKAWA Ichijo Branch" opened in 2025. All 11 rooms are all-suite with open-air baths and terraces, allowing guests to fully enjoy Miyagi's rich nature. The cuisine is also carefully selected, featuring ingredients primarily from Miyagi Prefecture.
● Challenging Circular Recycling in Collaboration with Regional Sports / Hiroki Kaku, Representative Director and President, Kousoku Co., Ltd.
● Towards a Regional Media that Plays a Part as a Local Zebra / Masahiko Ichiriki, Representative Director and President, Kahoku Shimpo Publishing Co.
● New Sake Culture Pioneered by Japan's Smallest Station-Side Brewery / Yuka Izawa, Representative Director, Katsuhana Brewery Co., Ltd.
And others
Philosophy and Ideas of Leaders
● Goal: A Company that Realizes Ideas / Tomohiko Okubo, Representative Director and President, JSP
● Aiming for a "Circular Welfare Collaboration" Growth Model / Takeshi Kuroda, Representative Director and President, Rynet Japan Group
● Challenging New Possibilities for Professional Athletes / Koji Maeda, Representative Director, Pro Athlete
● Creating a New Gift Culture Guided by "Fui-Ryuko" (Immutability and Transience) / Taisuke Saka, Representative Director and President, Bankaku Sohonten
And others
The original form of Yukari, "Nama Senbei," was a food baked on a home brazier. "BANKAKU KITCHEN," a specialty take-out shrimp food menu store, opened in Higashi-ku, Nagoya City in 2024.
Other Noteworthy Articles and Series
"Business Design" for conceiving and implementing businesses:
● Hato Sablé 1
Keywords:
[Special Feature] Major Transformation in Apparel: Challenging with Circularity, Regeneration, and Technological Innovation
The fashion industry, which has been criticized for mass production and mass disposal, is now at a major turning point. The government has set a goal of reducing waste by 25% by 2030, and optimization of the entire ecosystem, including material manufacturers, retailers, and households, is being sought. Diverse players, from discovering young talent to promote attractive fashion, improving sustainability across the entire apparel supply chain, reuse, inheriting traditional industries, utilizing advanced technology, and fair trade, have begun to chart a course towards a sustainable circular society.
● Towards "Fashion City Tokyo": Discovering and Nurturing Young Designers Aiming for the World
Scenes from the show at Paris Fashion Week on March 29, 2026, featuring works by NFDT/SFDA 2023 (FY2022) award winners who received the Tokyo Governor's Award Grand Prize in the NFDT2026 Inclusive Design category.
● Aiming for Circular Fashion through Proactive Collaboration / Naoki Hagiwara, Executive Officer, Urban Research
● Passing on Traditional Industries Rooted in the Region to the Next Generation / Yasuhiro Tomita, Representative Director and President, Tomihiro
● Creating Exciting, Low Environmental Impact Socks / Ryota Takahashi, Director and Branch Manager, Renfro Japan
● Solving Denim Production Challenges with Biotechnology / Masashi Shimizu, Representative Director, Microbiofactory
● Visualizing the Environmental Impact of Medical Clothing with Blockchain / Shinichi Hasegawa, Representative Director, Working Hasegawa
And others
[Regional Feature] Miyagi Prefecture: Building Next-Generation Growth Foundations Beyond Creative Reconstruction
Through creative reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake, Miyagi Prefecture has achieved one of the highest rates of large-scale land consolidation for agriculture nationwide, and the introduction of smart agriculture is progressing. In agriculture, in addition to its tradition as a rice-producing region, it boasts the highest harvest volume nationwide for items like seri (Japanese parsley) and paprika, and ranks 4th nationwide in fishery output, earning it the title of "Food Kingdom." Governor Murai, now in his record sixth term, has positioned the attraction of global semiconductor companies as the next pillar of the prefecture's economy and is implementing multifaceted policies such as fostering startups centered around NanoTerasu, expanding inbound tourism across Tohoku, and promoting prefectural government DX.
Interview with Miyagi Prefecture Governor Yoshihiro Murai / Paving the Way for "Wealthy Miyagi" with Semiconductor Company Attraction as the Core
Governor Murai, whose record sixth term began in November 2025. He has positioned the attraction of global semiconductor companies as the core of his growth strategy and is implementing multifaceted policies such as smart agriculture, DX promotion, and expanding inbound tourism across Tohoku. We delve into his thoughts on his sixth term, which he considers his last, and the future vision he envisions for Miyagi.
Miyagi Prefecture Governor Yoshihiro Murai
Interviews with notable businesses in Miyagi Prefecture
● Unique Mechanism for Creating Hit Products / Akihiro Oyama, Representative Director and President, Iris Ohyama Inc.
Iris Ohyama develops numerous products that cater to people's lives and solve dissatisfactions and inconveniences, not limited to food and daily consumables, but also including furniture and cleaning robots. Advocating "de-charisma and team management," the company promotes human resource development, actively conducting follow-up and executive training (photo shows President Oyama speaking).
● Long-Established Ryokan Opens New "Back to Basics" Ryokan / Ippei Ichijo, Representative Partner, Ichijo Ryokan Partnership
The exterior of the new annex "THE YUKAWA Ichijo Branch" opened in 2025. All 11 rooms are all-suite with open-air baths and terraces, allowing guests to fully enjoy Miyagi's rich nature. The cuisine is also carefully selected, featuring ingredients primarily from Miyagi Prefecture.
● Challenging Circular Recycling in Collaboration with Regional Sports / Hiroki Kaku, Representative Director and President, Kousoku Co., Ltd.
● Towards a Regional Media that Plays a Part as a Local Zebra / Masahiko Ichiriki, Representative Director and President, Kahoku Shimpo Publishing Co.
● New Sake Culture Pioneered by Japan's Smallest Station-Side Brewery / Yuka Izawa, Representative Director, Katsuhana Brewery Co., Ltd.
And others
Philosophy and Ideas of Leaders
● Goal: A Company that Realizes Ideas / Tomohiko Okubo, Representative Director and President, JSP
● Aiming for a "Circular Welfare Collaboration" Growth Model / Takeshi Kuroda, Representative Director and President, Rynet Japan Group
● Challenging New Possibilities for Professional Athletes / Koji Maeda, Representative Director, Pro Athlete
● Creating a New Gift Culture Guided by "Fui-Ryuko" (Immutability and Transience) / Taisuke Saka, Representative Director and President, Bankaku Sohonten
And others
The original form of Yukari, "Nama Senbei," was a food baked on a home brazier. "BANKAKU KITCHEN," a specialty take-out shrimp food menu store, opened in Higashi-ku, Nagoya City in 2024.
Other Noteworthy Articles and Series
"Business Design" for conceiving and implementing businesses:
● Hato Sablé 1
Keywords: