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Last 22 June 2024, appcycle held an event alongside three other local organisations at the Aomori Apio Health Guidance Centre. The event, which was entitled 「SDGsな子育てしてみませんか？」or Would you like to raise your child with the SDGs, attracting participants from all age groups. Here are some of the event’s highlights just in case you missed it! Event Overview Our main event was a lecture by the CEO of appcycle, Kei Fujimaki. In line with the theme, he gave a presentation on appcycle, including an explanation of our activities towards achieving the SDGs. He also discussed the state of the apple industry in Aomori, which is a major aspect of our company. Additionally, he introduced some of the current products made from RINGO-TEX, appcycle’s very own apple leather. By introducing our upcycled products at this event, we hope to encourage everyone to be more mindful of how they can live more sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyles. Our product showcase also allowed participants to have a firsth

Are you looking for a new accessory that can improve your outfit but is still kind to the environment? What about a handy pouch made of an environmentally-friendly but durable material? Look no further because some of appcycle’s RINGO-TEX leather products are available for purchase online right now! Keep reading to learn more about our currently available line up. What Is Heart: Leather Cap What Is Heart, a brand founded by Aomori-born talent Ourin, features street style inspired clothes and accessories. Some of her products include collaboration goods such as this leather cap made with RINGO-TEX apple leather. The side of the cap is embroidered with an artistic take on Mt. Iwake, one of Aomori’s natural treasures. The cap is sold in both red and beige colourways and is available for purchase here. What Is Heart: Card Case Along with the apple leather cap, What Is Heart also offers a RINGO-TEX leather card case. It comes in the signature apple red and is a stylish way to carry your ca

Sustainably Stylish! How to be Fashionable with Sustainability These days, environmental issues are becoming a larger part of our consciousness, with the conversation shifting to things like our clothing and fashion consumption. But although the condition of the planet is an alarming topic, many people probably wonder the best way to still participate in fashion without contributing to environmental damage. Luckily, there are many ways that you can stay stylish while also staying sustainable. Here are 3 ways you can stay fashionable while also helping the planet! Take Better Care of Your Clothes The truth of the matter is the most sustainable thing you can do is to consume less. This means buying a smaller amount of new things to ensure you also waste less. One way to still stay stylish while also purchasing less is to simply take better care of your clothes.  Clothes that have been chosen intentionally and are kept in good condition will always look better than clothes that were mere

Unlocking Success: How Workplace Flexibility Powers appcycle! How much do you like your workplace situation? Do you sit in a cubicle all day? Perhaps your workplace is too cluttered and stressful?  Although you probably know appcycle as an environmentally sustainable company because of our efforts to make apple leather, we believe in other ways of being sustainable too! One of our company’s primary missions is to create a diverse and flexible workplace – in short, one that is socially sustainable. We believe that the wellbeing of our employees and the people we work with should also be sustainable, meaning that everyone can work together happily for a long time. In line with our mission, workplace flexibility and diversity are part of our core values. Learn more about why this is important for us below! Better Work-Life Balance Start-ups can be busy and appcycle is no exception. Our CEO has multiple meetings to attend throughout the day, sometimes in different places. Meanwhile,

appcycle inc. Joins the Mission: Raising SDG-Conscious Kids on June 22! We are proud to announce our participation in the event entitled 「SDGsな子育てしてみませんか？」or Would you like to raise your child with the SDGs? The event is a joint project between four organisations, namely appcycle, my.josan-in PEANUT, Coconet Aomori, and N-STAGE.  The event will feature a lecture by our CEO, Kei Fujimaki about RINGO-TEX as well as a make your own leather tag activity using RINGO-TEX.  The entrance fee is free and you can sign up early using the QR codes in the posters above or by filling in the form here. Join us on 22 June, 2024, Saturday at the Apio Aomori Health Guidance Centre! Admission will begin at 9:30 AM and the event will continue until 11:30. Don’t forget to sign up and we hope to see you there! If you want stay updated on appcycle and our events, check out the rest of the website and follow us on our official Instagram page!

From Bin to Bag: 3 Types of Leather Alternatives! Microfiber Leather Microfibre leather is another popular type of synthetic leather alternative. While it can also be made from the aforementioned PU, some types are made from nylon. Well-known due to its uniquely soft and water-resistant properties, microfiber leather is made from ultra-thin synthetic fibres which are the reason for its namesake. Additionally, microfiber leather has been recognised for its higher breathability and flexibility than its PU and PVC leather counterparts. However, it is slightly more expensive than PVC/PU leather and due to its use of mostly synthetic materials, it is also not the most eco-friendly option. Bio Leather Finally, there is bio leather otherwise known as plant leather which is made from plant-based sources. Bio leather can be made from all sorts of biodegradable plant materials from pineapples to mushrooms. Our product, RINGO-TEX, for example is an apple based leather, made from the remnants of

Introducing the Seiko x appcycle The Beatles Collaboration Timepiece! appcycle is excited to share an exciting announcement! appcycle’s RINGO-TEX leather has been chosen for a collaboration watch with Seiko in celebration of the 60th anniversary of The Beatles’ legendary album A Hard Day’s Night.  The limited edition timepiece includes special design elements, including a watch face featuring the title of the album, and hour marks represented by different titles in the album. It also comes with other themed details, including a commemorative marking on the case back as well as a The Beatles themed box. Additionally, the choice to use RINGO-TEX, an animal free apple leather, was made in response to former Beatles member Paul McCartney’s commitment to the animal welfare movement.  The watch comes in two variants, a metal band and the exclusive RINGO-TEX apple leather strap. It retails for JPY 59,800 tax exclusive. Get your own A Hard Day’s Night 60th Anniversary Watch now by clicking th

Beyond Leather: 3 Reasons to Embrace Leather Alternatives Leather alternatives, which are leathers made from materials other than animal skin, have become increasingly common on the marketplace. The materials used for each product vary widely from synthetic materials to apple waste, just like our own leather alternative RINGO-TEX. But these leather alternatives are not just a passing trend! More expensive materials like leather are no longer the only option, especially with the innovations of materials and textile manufacturers. That’s why today, we’re giving you 3 reasons to embrace the emergence of leather alternatives. Read on to learn why! Leather Alternatives are made without animal skin The first and probably most obvious reason to choose leather alternatives is because most of them don’t contain animal skin. Depending on your lifestyle choices or your religious beliefs, you may not be able to purchase leather products because of them.  Leather alternatives are a way for people

Inside the World of appcycle: A Day in Business Management Welcome back to our series, Inside the World of appcycle! This time we’re talking to appcycle’s Business Development and Marketing Manager Midori-san! If you want to learn about what it’s like to work for our company and how people find their way to appcycle, keep on reading! I had the chance to interview Midori-san over Zoom to ask her about her career at appcycle. Here are her thoughts! Interviewing Midori-san Please introduce yourself Hello, my name is Midori Matsunaga. I joined appcycle in October 2023. I live in Tokyo but I was born in Fukushima Prefecture. Most of the people in the company are from Aomori so I felt a bit nervous when I first joined but I like working here and I grew to like lots of things about Aomori, including the attractions and the people! What do you do at appcycle? I’m a Business Development and Marketing Manager. I’m in charge of the Marketing team and am the lead in its activiti

Inside the World of Appcycle: A Day with Our CEO Welcome back to our blog series Inside the World of appcycle! In this week’s instalment, we had a conversation with our CEO to give our followers some insight about the people who lead our company. If you want to learn more about our company philosophy and the people who run it, keep reading! Could you please introduce yourself? My name is Kei Fujimaki, and I am the CEO of appcycle inc. Thank you for having me. Where are you from? I am from Aomori city in Aomori Prefecture.  What did you used to do before becoming appcycle’s CEO? I used to work in the cosmetology, regenerative medicine, and cosmetics industries. What attracted you to appcycle? I found out that leather could be made from apples so I founded the company because I wanted to make the best apple leather in Japan. Can you give us a rough schedule of what you do in a day from when you wake up and work until you end the workday? I  normally wake up at 4:00 AM and check my email

appcycle: Pioneering a Greener Tomorrow with Apple Leather Did you know that there’s more to our business than meets the eye? We are appcycle, inc. Today, we’re unveiling the heart behind our business and what pushes us to develop products and solutions to environmental damage through apple leather. Where We Come From appcycle is from a prefecture in Japan called Aomori. For many Japanese and foreign tourists, Aomori is best known for its Nebuta festivals in the summer, its abundance of excellent quality tuna, and of course, the best apples in Japan.  However, despite the premium status of Aomori apples in Japan, tons and tons of them go to waste after being processed to make apple products like juices, jams, and the like. That’s where we step in. Our Purpose The name of our company gives away our mission. It is the combination of two words: apple and upcycle. Apple is an homage to the star product of our hometown, while upcycle refers to a type of recycling that turns waste into some

    Hi, I’m Yvonne from appcycle and I currently work as a part-time worker on the Global Marketing Team. I was an intern at appcycle for 3 months, and have been a part-time worker for 7 months now. Today, I ‘ll be showing you what it’s like to work for my company!         Part-time as a University Student   I usually start my day at work by making a to-do list of my tasks for the day. One thing I love about working at appcycle is the flexibility. Right now, I’m in my third year of university in Japan which is why I’m in a part-time position. I work on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays and typically have classes on the other days of the week. Because I was allowed to choose the days I work, I’m able to focus on both my schoolwork and my position in Global Marketing!     Working Remotely   I normally attend meetings once or twice a week, over zoom. And that’s another thing I like about appcycle! Ev

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by RINGO-TEX®︎ by appcycle | Apple Leather (@ringo_tex.global)   Hi, my name is Yvonne and I’m the head of Social Media for RINGO-TEX Global. On December 8th, 2023, I had the opportunity to see and help out at one of appcycle’s exhibition booths at EcoPro 2023. As a part- time employee, it was my first time visiting such an event, so here are a few of my impressions from my experience!   Big Sights at Tokyo Big Sight     EcoPro 2023 is one of the annual events held by Nikkei Messe to exhibit various products, services, and solutions that can support the development of Japan. The EcoPro exhibition, which was held last year from December 6 – 8, 2023, coincided with the SDGs or the Sustainable Development Goals Week. Themes for the booths included new services, inventions, and innovations that can help fulfil the SDGs that are targeted at saving the environment.    It was my first time visi