Baby Goods Manufacturer Launches Product Recycling Service

Copyright Combi Corp.

Combi Corp., a leading baby products manufacturer in Japan, announced on September 21, 2010, that it would start a free pickup and recycling service called "ecoact" for their baby products no longer being used. This service is the first of its kind to be provided by a Japanese baby products manufacturer (see Note).

After registering themselves within six months after the purchase, customers can use Combi's pickup service free of charge. Eligible products include two- to seven-year-old baby strollers, child seats and baby rockers. The products will be disassembled and recycled to be used in manufacturing new products.

Prior to launching this service, a field survey was conducted targeting 400 mothers in their twenties to forties who have owned baby strollers, and 90 percent of them said that they would hesitate to discard baby products no longer needed. About 60 percent of them gave the reason as "baby goods hold memories with children" and the remaining 40 percent said "it is a waste to throw away something that is still usable." About 40 percent of them also mentioned that they found it difficult to discard baby products.

Based on this result, Combi intends to increase the number of "ecoact" eligible products not only as an environmentally friendly measure, but also to help their customers who have an aversion to throwing such items away.

Note: Among Japanese manufacturers of baby strollers, child seats and baby rockers that collect those items free of charge in compliance with laws (based on Combi's survey in September 2010).

Posted: 2011/04/20 06:00:15 AM