KANEKA Biodegradable Polymer Green Planet™ Selected by ASICS Japan for Use in Shoulder Shopping Bags

ASICS Japan strives to be sustainable in all its business activities and is contributing to the realization of a more sustainable society. For years, its shoulder shopping bags, used by shops at marathons and other sporting events sponsored by ASICS Japan, have been popular items especially among students. However, because they are made of plastic, ASICS Japan had stopped its usage. By adopting Green Planet, an environmentally friendly material that offers the same functionality as plastic, ASICS Japan will now be able to resume handing out plastics bags, now as the eco-friendly bags. 

Kaneka has recently decided to greatly increase its production capacity for Green Planet to meet the rapid rise in demand from environmentally conscious brand holders. Led by its mission of "KANEKA thinks 'Wellness First," Kaneka will continue to strive to create sustainable, recycling-oriented societies and solve the problem of plastic pollution through the active use of Green Planet.

• *1. The Green Planet used in these shoulder bags satisfy the requirements for the use of "Biodegradable Biomass Plastic" marks under the "Biodegradable Plastic Labeling System," which was launched by the Japan Bio Plastics Association in July 2021.
• *2. Biodegrades at least 90% in seawater (30℃) within 6 months. The "OK Biodegradable MARINE" certificate was issued to Green Planet™（formerly called PHBH™）in September 2017 by Vincotte, an international certifying body headquartered in Belgium. TÜV AUSTRIA Belgium NV took over the certification work from Vincotte in December 2017.