Nakayoshi Shoji Co., Ltd., which manufactures and sells RIVERET, has launched a development project for 100% domestically produced tableware and miscellaneous goods using Japanese wood.

This is a project for a purely domestic series that utilizes wood from all over Japan (cypress, zelkova, cedar, etc.) and is carried out from manufacturing to sales at our Koshigaya factory.

Japan's forest area is approximately 25 million hectares, and it is said that forests account for 67% of Japan's land area, or two-thirds of the country's territory.
In terms of forest rate, which indicates the ratio of forest to country area, Sweden is the second largest forest country after Finland.

However, approximately 70% of the timber used in Japan is imported from overseas, meaning that the country's self-sufficiency rate is very low.
Unlike other countries where declining forest volume is a problem, Japan's forest resources are left unused and in surplus.
Although there are many good trees in Japan, the current situation is that they are not being utilized.
(Forestry Agency: https://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/ )

If forests are not utilized, they will become degraded, their water retention capacity will decrease, and they will become more susceptible to disasters such as landslides.
A healthy forest can only be achieved through the appropriate use and cultivation of forest resources.

We believe that utilizing Japan's forest resources will contribute to the achievement of three of the 17 SDGs goals: "Responsible consumption and production," "Take concrete action to combat climate change," "Protect the abundance of the oceans and seas," and "Protect the abundance of the land."

Nakayoshi Shoji has been processing products using bamboo and wood since its founding in 1988.
Based on the product design, molding, and coating techniques we have cultivated over the years, as well as mass production techniques using our own processing equipment, we aim to sell highly designed, high-quality, pure Japanese-made wooden products at affordable prices.

Although it may be a small amount compared to the amount of timber needed to build a house, we would like to do our utmost to help revive Japan's forestry industry by promoting the spread of tableware, miscellaneous goods, toys, and other products that are more closely related to everyday life and that use Japanese wood.

Currently, with the cooperation of local governments and financial institutions across Japan, we are purchasing a variety of wood and using it to prototype products.
We plan to announce our first products in early 2022.