TBWA\HAKUHODO HELPS RECYCLE 40K TONE OF MARINE WASTE
FROM ONE OF JAPAN’S LARGEST SCALLOP LANDINGS

TBWA\HAKUHODO and its partner Koushi Chemical Industry Co. announced the launch of “SHELLMET,” an environment friendly helmet made from wasted scallop shells, in Sarufutsu Village, Hokkaido.

Shells that have protected themselves from external enemies, are now protecting people and the planet.
In 2021 the export of scallop shells ceased causing concern for Soya district, where Sarufutsu Village is located, due to the area generating approximately 40,000 tons of shells as marine waste annually. The environmental impact on storing the scallops on the ground is hazardous and could lead to serious soil contamination, creating a social issue for the local community. To help solve the issue of surplus scallop shells, TBWA\HAKUHODO’s discovery that scallop shells main component is calcium carbonate and could be reused as a raw material for a completely new material. The TBWA\HAKUHODO team began efforts to recycle the material, which would become an important resource to support the village.
The role of a shell is to protect itself from outside enemies. With scallop fishing being dangerous, the idea for the “SHELLMET” – a helmet made from scallops to protect scallop fishermen – was born. The opportunity to scale the Shellmet to become more than a protective wear for the fisherman was obvious. In recent years, Hokkaido has been hit by major earthquakes, and the risk of disasters such as heavy rain and snow damage due to abnormal weather has been increasing. From this discovery, the team decided to commercialize the product for use by villagers as disaster prevention helmets to protect themselves.

・Official Site URL：https://koushi-chem.co.jp/hotamet/en/
・Press Release: Click here