YUEN | rerer new project
Launch of sail upcycling project with high school students
Giving new value to yacht sails that would otherwise be thrown away
This sail was actually used by the yacht club at Kaizu Meisei High School in Gifu Prefecture.
This material, which has been exposed to the wind many times and traveled between the sea and the sky, is destined to be discarded upon retirement.
However, it had a rich texture and expression that can only be found in something that has been well used.
This time, rerer has started a project with high school students to make new products by making use of the sails.
Time to reexamine "materials" and learn how to "make"
Students take an active role in the project, from dismantling the sails to designing and building prototypes.
It's not just about "making things," but a time to face materials and ask questions such as "why do we make them?" and "how can we use them?"
There are lessons and discoveries that can only be learned by getting your hands dirty.
By combining rerer's knowledge of upcycling with young sensibilities, perspectives and ideas that we could never have imagined are beginning to emerge one after another.
Completion is scheduled for September. The process of change is also a story in itself.
The completed items are scheduled to be released from September 2025.
Along the way, there will surely be things that don't go well and unexpected encounters.
But all of this is part of the reality of the idea of "upcycling," and it's what makes the project so exciting.
The time that the sail has traveled overlaps with the thoughts of the high school students, creating a moment when new life is born.
We will be watching with excitement as it all unfolds and helps it take shape.
The future of manufacturing is in young hands
Materials that have outlived their usefulness and the young people who will carry the future.
What value is created when these two come together?
I hope that this small initiative will inspire someone to think about what it means to "make use of things instead of throwing them away."
And I hope that this will lead to a future where we pay more attention to materials and emotions.
We will continue to report on the progress of the project, so please look forward to it.
