First in the Convenience Store Industry: Gasification Chemical Recycling of Used Store Uniforms

June 30, 2025
Resonac Holdings Corporation
MC Fashion Co., Ltd.
Lawson, Inc.

Lawson, Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, hereinafter referred to as "Lawson"), Resonac Corporation (Headquarters: Minato Ward, Tokyo, hereinafter referred to as "Resonac"), and MC Fashion Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato Ward, Tokyo, hereinafter referred to as "MCF") have initiated a "Chemical Recycling"*¹ program that converts used store uniforms generated at Lawson stores located nationwide into carbonic acid gas and other materials by decomposing used uniforms into the molecular level at high-temperature. These materials will be utilized to produce refrigerants for freezers and refrigerating showcases. This is the first case in the convenience store industry to implement chemical recycling of used store uniforms through gasification instead of incinerating them.

At Lawson stores, approximately 10,000 uniforms are discarded each year due to factors such as aging, dirt, and damage, and they are currently incinerated through uniform rental companies.

In this new initiative, a portion of the used uniforms generated at Lawson stores nationwide (approximately 3,000 pieces, weighing about 900 kg) will undergo "chemical recycling" at Resonac's Plant in Kanagawa Prefecture, utilizing MCF's waste disposal license under the framework of "Wide Area Certification System."*² By refraining from incinerating the used uniforms, this process is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 80%*³ compared to traditional incineration methods, while also generating about 2,000 kg of carbon dioxide. The newly produced carbon dioxide will be distributed in the market through Resonac and utilized as refrigerants in freezer and refrigerating showcases, as well as a raw material for photosynthesis in greenhouse cultivation of plants.

According to the Japan Uniform Conference, approximately 70 million uniforms, weighing about 160,000 tons*⁴, are discarded as industrial waste in Japan each year. When used uniforms are incinerated, the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere occurs, making the reduction of environmental impact a significant challenge

Lawson, Resonac, and MCF will continue to reduce CO2 emissions through the "chemical recycling" of used uniforms generated at Lawson stores, while striving to achieve recycling-oriented society.

■Outline of this initiative

• • *1 Chemical recycling is a recycling method that chemically decomposes used plastic products to the molecular level and regenerates them as raw materials for chemicals.
  • • *2 The Wide Area Certification System is a program that allows businesses to obtain certification from the Minister of the Environment to collect waste on a wide area basis and recycle it into raw materials for products or to properly dispose of it.
    • • *3 According to Resonac’s survay
      • • *4 According to Japan Uniform Conference’s calculation