Japanese retailer Muji is planning to start an eco friendly natural dyeing plant in Cambodia. The lifestyle brand that sells a large variety of household and consumer goods including home textiles and clothing for men and women has been promoting an eco friendly dyeing process with natural materials since 2012.
As part of its commitment to the Business Call to Action (BCtA) program, a global initiative that aims to support the private sector’s efforts to fight poverty through its core business, Muji plans to develop a 2000 square meter eco-friendly dyeing plant in Cambodia by 2015 that will employ more than 300 people. As part of the eco friendly efforts around the new plant, Muji will also cultivate indigo – the tropical plant used as a source of dark blue dye – for its new product line of natural indigo dye products, employing a further 50 people.
Muji supports recycling and local sourcing
“Muji is very honored to join the unique group of BCtA members in its commitment to use simple, high quality and eco-friendly technologies to develop products that will support local producers in developing counties, more sustainable life for our customers, and doing good to the society,” said Kei Suzuki, director and general manager, household division of Muji.
The company known for its design minimalism emphasizes recycling and tries to avoid waste in production and packaging as well as using local sources whenever possible to increase the number of local producers. Current projects include the sourcing of soapstone products from Kenya and wool felt products from Kyrgyzstan. Together with efforts in these two countries, both slated for a production increase of 8 percent by 2015, Muji expects to generate 1.3 million dollars revenue from the sale of products from Cambodia, Kenya and Kyrgyzstan.
Muji previously pledged to buy organic cotton from suppliers that engage in sustainable practices, including small-scale farmers in Tanzania, Egypt, and India. It’s also a frequent promoter of eco-friendly materials such as reused cotton and felt derived from recycled plastic bottles.
Muji is the short form of the Japanese Mujirushi Ry?hin, translated roughly as “no brand quality goods”, emphasizing Muji’s no-logo and no-brand policy. The retailer currently operates more than 600 stores in Japan, Asia, Europe and the USA, among them 13 in the UK.
