Tuna Fishing "Fishing Lines" Turned into Sunglasses: The Startup "amu" from Kesennuma Takes On Gear Upcycling

Many people enjoy spending time looking out at the sea. However, 8 million tons of plastic waste enter the oceans every year. One of the culprits is fishing gear.

The use of plastic materials in fishing gear has marked a major advancement in modern fisheries. Yet, durable and easy-to-handle plastics, if not properly disposed of, place a heavy burden on the environment. How can we reduce industrial waste generated from fishing? A solution to this problem is being introduced by a startup based in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture: amu Co., Ltd.

Led by CEO Kodai Kato, Amu was founded by four members—none of whom are Kesennuma natives. Their unique initiative transforms fishing nets into apparel. We spoke with Hisashi Tatemoto, one of Amu's founding members, to learn more about their efforts.

"From Waste to Resource"—How Sunglasses Are Made from Fishing Lines

As its first upcycled product, Amu unveiled sunglasses in March this year made with monofilament (fishing lines) used in longline tuna fisheries as the raw material. They gather fishing lines purchased from fishers, thoroughly wash them, process them through specialized machinery, and turn them into pellets, which are then reborn as new products.

Until now, fishermen have had to pay waste disposal contractors to take away used fishing nets and lines as industrial waste. However, burning these items is challenging due to the nets' salt residue, grime, and the presence of mixed materials, which places heavy strain on incinerators. Even if they are buried in landfill, plastic products don't naturally break down.

"Society still lacks an effective system for properly disposing of and processing fishing gear as waste. When fishers dispose of nets as industrial waste, it often amounts to tons, meaning each time they throw them out, the cost can reach tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yen."

In small port towns, used nets that are left aside often end up piling up on vacant land, sometimes to the point where it’s no longer clear who originally left them there. Amu has built a system where they purchase these discarded nets from fishers, creating a win-win structure that benefits both sides.

"Disposing of large quantities of fishing nets happens every few years, which becomes a recurring burden for fishers. I felt we needed a system that properly circulates these materials. The idea for sunglasses came from wanting to create products from the items we collect from fishers, which might eventually come back around for them to use once again."

The spark for Amu’s founding in Kesennuma came from the aftermath of the March 11, 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

"Our CEO, Kato, first visited Kesennuma as a volunteer for the earthquake recovery efforts when he was a university student."

Kato is originally from Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and he had no ties to the Tohoku region. However, after seeing the community rallying together to overcome immense hardship and witnessing the fresh energy from people who came from outside the area to support the rebuilding, he was drawn in by the spirit of Kesennuma. Thereafter, in some years, he spent as much as half the year living in Kesennuma.

Kato initially had the desire to do something in Kesennuma, but didn’t originally have the idea of upcycling fishing nets. After graduating from university, Kato got a job at a company in Tokyo, but couldn't let go of the thought of starting a business in Kesennuma. He quit the company and made the decision to leave Tokyo. He then moved to Kesennuma to start his own business.

"At first, Kato was selling seafood and other such products. During that time, he saw old fishing nets being thrown away as waste, and began to think that recycling fishing nets could be a viable business."

The company's other co-founders (Shohei Ashihara, Yurika Tanigawa, and Hisashi Tatemoto) also come from different backgrounds and hometowns.

“Ashihara came to Kesennuma to work for an organization focused on local tourism development. Tanigawa and Kato met through the same volunteer work camp. As for me, Tatemoto, I was working in construction management for a general contractor, and my work assignment brought me to Kesennuma, where I met Kato through the local community for newcomers. I wasn’t initially planning to join as a team member, but Kato’s business pursuit gradually captivated me, and I decided to join.”

Aiming to Upcycle All Discarded Fishing Gear

At Amu, starting with sunglasses made from fishing line, the goal is to upcycle all types of fishing gear.

“There are various recycling initiatives for fishing gear within Japan, but the targets are often specific fishing methods or certain materials, and there’s not yet a place covering everything. That’s why, ultimately, we want to upcycle any kind of fishing gear, so that all sorts of new value can be born.

"To do that, we’re not just looking at apparel or outdoor gear, but also hope to see our recycled nylon used broadly in fields like mobility and architecture, since materials like nylon are widely utilized in cars and building materials, too.”

As they open up more diverse markets, future overseas expansion is also on the horizon. That’s because while domestic fisheries are shrinking, globally, fisheries are expanding and the volume of fishing gear used is on a vastly different scale.

“Whether in Japan or abroad, we want to provide solid information about where the materials were collected, which fishermen used them, what sort of fish they caught, and what kind of processing techniques are used to create the products. Even now, we allow people to see this information from a QR code on the product tags.”

“The charms of a region are often so commonplace that people living there overlook them. That’s why we want to portray and communicate them, and deliver their value clearly.”

The cycle that began in Kesennuma may one day spread across oceans around the world.