Takara Shuzo’s Main Eco-Products
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 Returnable bottle
Takara believes that the returnable system is suitable for a recycling-oriented society from the viewpoint of saving resources and reducing waste. In addition to 1.8-liter glass bottles used for sake, shochu and mirin, Takara switched bottles for 720ml Takara Shochu “Jun” and “Jun” Legend into returnable bottles in 1994. In 2003, Takara launched Tokusen Sho-Chiku-Bai <Tokubetsu Junmai> 300ml that use a standard 300ml returnable bottle developed jointly by the Japan Glass Bottle Association and the Japan Sake Makers’ Central Association.
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 EcoFrost bottle
Since 2001, Shochu ZIPANG’s bottles have adopted an environmentally-friendly, special frosted finishing. Different from previous bottles, the new frosted bottles use no chemical agents, but instead are made by spraying with ceramic abrasive. Glass and abrasive powder generated in the manufacturing process can be recycled as glass materials. |
 EcoPET
In 1998, Takara Shuzo successfully developed a PET bottle that conforms to the guidelines for independent development of specified PET bottles for the first time in the industry. Resin caps are adopted and the handle of the 2.7-liter bottle is removed to make the shape of the bottle into a grip. Recyclable resin is used for the handle of the 4-liter bottle and the label can easily be removed. In 1999, a releasable cap was introduced for Hon-mirin and ryorishu so that the inside plugs can easily been removed. This has made it easier to sort out for customers and for recycling. |
 Ecology bottle
It is not easy to recycle the colored glass bottles often used for wine and imported spirits (excluding transparent and brown bottles) into glass materials. In response to the problem, Takara Shuzo adopted an “ecology bottle,” which takes over 90% of glass cullet of various colors (ground used colored glass bottles), for sake containers in 2000 for the first time in the industry. |
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Takara Organic Hon-Mirin obtained a “Type III Eco Label (EPD)” for the first time in the world food industry
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In 2000, Takara Shuzo launched Takara Organic Hon-Mirin at the top of the hon-mirin brand, and it obtained certification by OCIA, the international organic standard. The product uses tree-free paper (kenaf paper) for the label and adopts a “releasable cap” designed to make it easy to separate the plastic cap from the bottle. In 2003, an ultralight glass bottle that is about 100 g lighter than the previous bottle was introduced for Takara Organic Hon-Mirin and in 2004 the redesigned product was launched with the improvements and the Eco mark. The product obtained the EPD Type III Eco Label for the first time in the food industry, which serves as an indicator when customers select environmentally-friendly products.
*OCIA (Organic Crop Improvement Association International): International private organic certification organization in the United States
* EPD (Environmental Product Declaration): International certification by the Swedish Environmental Management Council. In Japan, the Japan Gas Appliance Inspection Association has been approved as a certification body. Products carrying the Type III Eco Label are obliged to disclose environmental data based on life cycle assessment (LCA) from the production of materials to disposal as waste. Whether the product is environmentally-friendly or not is judged by consumers.
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TaKaRa Hon-mirin <Organic> 500ml
- Registration number: S-P-00042
- Registration date: February 19, 2003
- Revised date: January 11, 2005 (Revision due to changes in containers and packaging)
- Assessment and registration organization: Environmental Products Assessment Department, Japan Gas Appliance Inspection Association
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