About

In December 2018, Future Earth, Kao Corporation, and The University of Tokyo Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (now renamed as Institute for Future Initiatives) launched a discussion platform called Future of Washing Initiative (Initiative), where various stakeholders from private, academic and public sectors collaboratively explore innovative and sustainable ways of washing. 

The Initiative hosted eight events and workshops in five years since the launch to connect our behavior in terms of daily business and personal habits with their impact on the environment, and also to provide opportunities to learn new technologies for developing various laundry detergents and washing machines including other products and technologies decreasing environmental impacts of washing. Based on the information provided at those events, participants explored new solutions for each sector that will make our daily washing more sustainable. By discussing the environmental impact of washing with various stakeholders, the Initiative facilitated a mind shift and a behavioral transformation in society towards sustainable washing.

The Initiative also engaged a wide range of stakeholders in Japan. While the Initiative discussed technology development in laundry detergents and washing machines, it also considered cultural and religious diversity of washing based on the fact that cultural habits and local knowledge also influence our daily washing. Thus, the Initiative explored various ways of sustainable washing in different countries to examine how people wash their clothes differently and how our cultural values influence our daily washing habits. 

The Initiative completed its activities in 2024, however, the blog series, which provides scientific information on sustainable washing from multiple perspectives, continues. It will continue to disseminate the Japanese translation of the Anthropocene Magazine’s Daily Science articles with the cooperation of Saraya Corporation (articles can be found here).