Although Scallops are the most commonly eaten shellfish in Japan, they are also the most discarded shellfish. Hokkaido's Sarufutsu Village is home to the largest scallop catch in the country, and in 2021, exporters of shellfish discarded approximately 40,000 tons of shells on the shoreline.

Sarufutsu Village's scallops are well known in Japan and abroad, and scallop fishing is the most important industry underpinning the community. In the village, about 270 fishermen work and fish with passion to grow and catch scallops.

On the other hand, the fishermen felt guilty because scallop shells produced a large amount of waste that polluted the shoreline.

Therefore, we challenged ourselves to transform the scallop fishery in Sarufutsu Village into a sustainable industry by giving discarded shells a new role.

*This project was voluntarily proposed to Sarufutsu Village. The agency developed the brief, managing the entire process from idea development to design and PR.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE:

The aforementioned disposal of scallop shells poses a variety of problems. Experts have identified not only the need for a place to deposit the shells, but also the generation of foul odors from piles of shells and the contamination of soil and groundwater due to the leaching of heavy metals contained in some of the remaining viscera.

CULTURAL BACKGROUND:

Scallop fishermen work for long hours on the sea and face the risk of falling due to the unstable conditions beneath their feet and particularly rough weather.

In addition, due to the high risk of earthquakes and other disasters in Japan, helmets are considered a staple item for disaster preparedness, not only for fishermen, but for many people to protect their safety.

What if we could create an eco-system whereby the helmets worn by scallop fishermen and Japanese people are produced from the scallop shells caught by local fishermen?

We focused on the main component and structure of scallop shells, which is "calcium carbonate," a highly versatile component used in a variety of processes to increase strength, such as building materials and cement.

In addition, shells that survive the harsh natural world similarly exhibit high strength.

These two insights led to an idea: "Shells have protected themselves from external enemies and are now protecting human lives." The upshot was SHELLMET, the world's first helmet made from scallop shells.

(Japanese name: HOTAMET)

SHELLMET is made of 100% recycled materials from crushed discarded shells, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 36% compared to plastic.

The key message was, "Protect heads and the planet."

We aimed not only to recycle discarded shells, but also to add value by allowing consumers to support this project while protecting the environment.

Many products exist that create new waste in the name of recycling. Contrastingly, we aimed for a sustainable society through a system where SHELLMETs are continuously crushed and reused as building materials or new SHELLMET materials.

We interviewed villagers to ascertain the need for the product among fishermen and villagers, and utilized these interviews in development. Furthermore, with bicycle helmets becoming mandatory in April 2023, we positioned the product as "Sarufutsu’s specialty helmet" to coincide with the growing demand for helmets, sending a message from Sarufutsu to consumers.

More SHELLMETs means less discarded shells that cause soil contamination. This makes a tangible contribution to the planet and nudges the involvement of society, both individuals and companies.

In a world awash with upcycled products, we emphasized design in order to differentiate the product with newsworthiness.

There are many structures in nature that have been optimized over a long period of time, and the application of these structures to technological development is called "Biomimicry,". SHELLMET is based on this concept and incorporates a ribbed structure unique to shells. Given this, in the Von Mises Stress Test, it succeeded in yielding 133% more strength than regular helmets.

On December 14, 2022, SHELLMET was announced as a specialty product of Sarufutsu Village and sold worldwide. Because of its design and the timing of the announcement of the law change that would increase interest in helmets, the domestic media all reported on the product. The major buzz it created in Japan led to major international media outlets such as Fast Company and Guardian, raising the profile of Sarufutsu Village's sustainable community.

Since its launch, received 735 media exposures in 34 countries, reaching 3.2 billion eyeballs. The helmets have spread throughout Japan from local fishing communities.

Chalked up 1,397% ($37,000+) of sales in 2 months after launch.

In first year, over 24 tons of discarded shells are to be recycled.

*Scale expansion planned.

In recognition of its innovation, it was adopted as the official disaster protection helmet for the 2025 Osaka World Expo.

The SHELLMET material is making waves as a new alternative to plastic,

with offers pouring in from more than 16 global brands, including Shell.

50% of the proceeds from a portion of sales go to the village.

Currently, shell recycling projects are underway in Chile and other fishing villages around the world that are facing the problem of discarded shells. This provides a catalyst to the problem of discarded seashells not only in Japan but also overseas.

In Japan, following the enforcement of the Plastic Resource Circulation Act on April 1, 2022, society has begun to reduce the use of plastic and actively utilize renewable resources. In fact, the movement to charge for plastic shopping bags and to replace plastic straws and spoons with other materials is accelerating.

Against this backdrop, the creation of a potential new material to replace plastic using Japan's most familiar "scallop shells" has attracted a great deal of attention from ordinary consumers, the media, and companies alike.

Furthermore, discarded shells are not only a problem in Japan, but also an issue common to scallop and oyster producing areas overseas. This initiative has led to inquiries from fishing villages around the world, and we can expect a replicable deployment around the world.