Studio Indi Donates Unneeded Rental Suits Overseas. An SDGs Project Aiming to Reduce Clothing Waste and Support International Aid

Studio Indi Co., Ltd. (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo), which operates the job hunting ID photo studio "Studio Indi" at 14 locations nationwide in Kanto, Kansai, and Nagoya, has launched an initiative as part of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They will collect suits, shirts, and ties that are no longer needed from their free rental suit service and donate them to the NPO World Gift.

This project aims to solve the increasingly serious problem of clothing waste in Japan and support the economic independence of job seekers overseas by providing them with clothing.

Background and Purpose: Sustainable Overseas Support Through Rental Suits Currently, about 510,000 tons of clothing are discarded annually in Japan*, and improving the reuse rate has become a major challenge. In particular, business wear such as suits and shirts are often of high quality and can be worn for a long time depending on maintenance, making their disposal a significant loss of resources.

On the other hand, in many overseas regions, there is a shortage of clothes suitable for formal occasions such as job interviews, weddings, and funerals. The lack of appropriate clothing is one of the factors that hinder employment opportunities. In response to these challenges, Studio Indi aims to contribute to environmental protection and international refugee support by "connecting high-quality Japanese second-hand clothes to people in need."

*Source: Ministry of the Environment - Reiwa 2 (2020) "Fashion and Environment" Survey Results

Overview of the Initiative Details: Overseas donation of rental suits, shirts, and ties used at the studios. Donation Recipient: Specified Non-Profit Organization World Gift (NPO) Contribution to SDGs: Goal 1: No Poverty