Specific initiatives of each group company

Adoption of Office Furniture and Supplies Made of Sustainable Materials in Line with the Relocation of the Head Office

July 2024

KITAMURA HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.

On July 1, 2024, we relocated our head office to SHINJUKU i-LAND WING, 6-3-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo.
In relocating to the new office, we worked to create a workspace that is mindful of the environment, while also helping employees to feel a sense of fulfillment in their work. As a result, we made extensive use of environmentally friendly office furniture.

For example, some of our chairs use 100% recycled olefin resin, which is made from polylaminate and recycled disposable food packaging. Olefin resin is impact-resistant, lightweight, and less likely to produce dioxins and other harmful chemicals.
In addition, we also chose flooring materials that do not produce dioxins and which reduce the greenhouse gases produced during combustion by half, compared to conventional materials.
For our meeting rooms, we made a point of choosing domestic wood. Using domestic wood allows the forest cycle of planting, growing, harvesting, and using to run smoothly. This is thought to revitalize forests, thereby improving the forest environment. In addition, domestic wood involves shorter transportation distances than imported wood, thereby lowering CO2 emissions from transportation.
Furthermore, wood is regarded to have a range of psychological, emotional and health benefits, such as its soft and warm texture, and its relaxing scent which alleviates stress. We believe that these characteristics of wood will contribute to improving our work environment.

Sales of Albums Made from Recycled Materials

May 2024

LaboNetwork Co., Ltd.

LaboNetwork Co., Ltd. runs a BtoB business. It produces photo prints and albums for photo studios, handles print orders on consignment for photo apps, and offers photo-related systems.
Starting in June 2023, LaboNetwork began offering a product that is focused on sustainability, among its lineup of “Me:llow Series”(*1) album products.
In addition to the “Me:llow Album Nature,” which was exhibited and well-received last year at PHOTONEXT2023(*2), LaboNetwork launched a new product, “Me:llow Album Resort” on May 2, 2024. This new addition to the “Me:llow” series is specialized for weddings.
We demonstrate our commitment to sustainability by using ethical materials, such as fibers made from recycled plastic bottles and recycled cotton.

*1: Mellow Series
A series of wedding products for sophisticated brides, based on the concept of “rich and valuable memories and recollections for me.” We focused on a compact size that is easy for women to hold in their hands, with a soft, elegant and modest design. This is an album that people will want to look through again and again.
*2: PHOTONEXT
The largest exhibition in Japan dedicated to stimulating the market and boosting demand for photography-related goods and photo-related products. The event is open to professional photographers and people from a wide range of industries, including photo studios, bridal businesses, manufacturers, trading companies, and labs. In 2024, more than approximately 9,000 people attended the two-day event.

Kagoshima Photo Lab Starts Solar Power Generation

November 2023

SHIMAUMA Print Lab, Inc.

In November 2023, at SHIMAUMA Print Lab, Inc. we finished installing solar panels on the roof of our Kagoshima Photo Lab and began generating power.
We had recently added more production equipment to keep pace with growing business volume, which had led to higher power consumption. In addition, the large rise in electricity costs in 2022, which reflected the geopolitical situation, has had a further impact. As such, lowering electricity costs had become a major management issue. We had been working to reduce power use by introducing an energy management system for air conditioning. Installing the new solar power system has enabled us to generate roughly 30% of the electricity we use, while also curbing our greenhouse gas emissions.

Launched a Sustainable Photo Stand Product

June 2023

KITAMURA CO., LTD. Kitamura Camera Co., Ltd.

In June 2023, Kitamura Camera started selling original photo stands made from eco-friendly recycled cork and recycled acrylic. The photo stands, which are sold at approximately 80 stores, are based on the concept of “showcasing memories and feelings together.”

The photo stand uses cork material recycled by the nonprofit organization RE-kikou, as part of its ‘CIRCLE OF CORK’ initiative. In our production process, we ask persons with disabilities for cooperation, which supports their independence and participation in society.
We also use recycled kraft paper for the product packaging material. The product packaging work is handled by social welfare facilities in Mutsu-shi, Aomori, through the cooperation of RE-kikou.

Visual Aid Card "ShaMoji"

September 2022

LaboNetwork Co., Ltd.

LaboNetwork Co., Ltd. has been offering the ShaMoji service since September 2022, as part of its social contribution activities.
"ShaMoji" is a service for visually oriented children and their families, speech therapists (ST), and social workers (SW). Users can order card-type support tools for use in settings where visual aids are required. This service allows users to provide data from their own photos to create unique photo cards.