Towards carbon neutrality
The year 2023 will see a series of extremely hot days across the country, breaking records since observations began. In recent years, natural disasters, such as heavy rains that are said to occur once every century, have become a near-annual occurrence, and abnormal weather has become commonplace. It is imperative that we take action to reduce the burden on the children who will lead the next generation. It is time for not only governments, large corporations, and parts of the interior furniture industry, but also individual companies to take serious steps toward carbon neutrality, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero overall. Our company began its carbon neutral initiative two years ago, and we have decided to further advance our efforts.
Sustainable Product Creation
Since its founding in 1985, AD CORE DEVISE has been working to ensure that its products can be used for a long time by "never discontinuing products once they have been manufactured," "not producing any waste," "using a made-to-order ordering system," "producing in domestic factories using materials that do not contain toxic substances," and "using forest-recycled wood" in consideration of the natural environment.From 2022, we will completely eliminate protective materials such as plastic covers and Styrofoam made from fossil fuels used in product packaging, and will use only recyclable materials, as we have begun a full-scale effort to manufacture sustainable products.
The 2023 model aims to create products that are even more environmentally friendly, with the sofa structure made from over 80% domestic plywood (cedar and cypress coniferous plywood), which contributes to domestic forest conservation and carbon dioxide fixation, and the urethane foam used in the chair and sofa cushions is made from over 80% recycled rebonded foam (chip foam) and scraps generated during factory manufacturing. The fabric used is Oeko-Tex Standard 100, which is certified as a safe product that meets the world's highest standards for over 350 hazardous substances and is produced in a sustainable factory that is considerate of the burden on people and the environment involved in production.
Initiatives from 2024
The 2024 model sofa, manufactured in Hita City, Oita Prefecture, has had its inner materials revised, and the structure is made from 100% domestically produced plywood from Oita Prefecture (coniferous plywood made from cedar and cypress) and 100% recycled cardboard (produced in Saga Prefecture).More than 95% of the cushioning is made from scraps generated during factory manufacturing and recycled rebonded foam (chip foam), and the fabric is also made from recycled fabric, making this a completely environmentally friendly sofa.
Much of the furniture manufactured in Japan relies on imported materials, and the plywood used for sofas and other items is made from tropical lauan. This plywood is imported via ocean transport, and carbon dioxide emissions are generated even during domestic distribution. The domestically sourced plywood we currently use is produced at a plywood factory near our sofa factory in Hita City, Oita Prefecture. The plywood factory is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment that minimizes environmental impact. Only locally harvested cedar and cypress conifers within a 100-kilometer radius are used to process the plywood. By producing our sofas at a sofa factory near the plywood factory, we minimize carbon dioxide emissions during the transportation of wood to the plywood factory and from the plywood factory to the sofa factory. Furthermore, the cedar and cypress trees are planted and managed, increasing carbon dioxide absorption. Our sofa factory is located very close to the timber source, making this the ultimate carbon neutral solution. By the end of 2023, we have decided to discontinue the use of imported plywood in all of our previous sofa frame models and switch to using domestically produced plywood (cedar and cypress coniferous plywood).
Starting in 2022, AD CORE DEVISE will be using many fabrics certified with Oeko-Tex 100 safety, and from the 2024 model onwards, this proportion will be increased to over 60%. In addition, we will be using recycled fabrics, aiming to create products that are more environmentally friendly.
Eco-friendly product design
Environmentally friendly products are often thought of as using a lot of wood and having a very natural feel, but at AD CORE DEVISE we believe that the real environmental performance lies in what's inside. Rather than just using the precious white part of the wood (fatty tuna) on the surface, using the entire wood, including the red and black core and knots, is the truest form of environmental protection. We believe that using environmentally friendly and people-friendly materials that minimize carbon dioxide emissions while maintaining an invisible modern design is our approach to carbon neutrality.
[CEO Noboru Seto explains our efforts to become carbon neutral]