SDGs / Four and a half Tatami mat room Activity
In Japan, an expression goes, “half a tatami for waking and one tatami for sleeping.” As such, tatamis have been made based on our life scales. The “four-and-a-half tatami” is the smallest unit of a Japanese room; it can be a venue for a sophisticated tea ceremony or a room used in our daily lives to have a good time with family and friends.
Without realizing it, DIARON has engaged in sustainable activities through the tatami business. In addition, we are willing to extend that as much as possible within our reach.
As a manufacturer, we have adopted the concept of “responsible consumption and production” to the half-tatami without edges which is the signature product of DIARON.
Tatami’s history has continued for more than a thousand years— we will take action towards the next millennium as our own Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Positive utilization of LED lighting / Efficient use of energy
Since 2020, DIARON has been converting all lighting in the factories to LED. This has resulted in a reduction of CO2 emissions by 1kg per hour, a 23% reduction compared to the previous year.
100% recycled tatami core material and carbon neutral
Insulation board, the core material of tatami, is 100% recycled.
The base material is made by heating wood fibers with water, forming it into a board with synthetic resin, and then drying. By separating and recycling scrap materials generated from tatami production, we are actively involved in introducing renewable energy, utilizing carbon offsets, and thoroughly saving energy. In this way, we will participate in carbon neutrality (balancing greenhouse gas emission and absorption) and aim to promote and contribute to afforestation.
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF), used in our ultra-thin and thick tatamis, is also a material that is sustainable and eco-friendly, as it is made from wood that effectively utilizes “thinned wood” and “scrap wood.”
Synergistic contribution to society through efforts and partnerships with the regional community
Saitama Prefecture, where DIARON’s factory is located, is actively involved in creating a network of kodomo-shokudo cafeterias. In 2021 in Kuki City, we provided resin tatamis to a kodomo-shokudo adjacent to our factory. We donated these tatamis for the kids to have an environmentally friendly and sanitary floor surface. Kodomo-shokudo is where local residents and governments take the initiative to provide meals to children free of charge or at a low-price range. We are committed to making efforts in our local community to achieve a world without poverty.
Also, in the production of tatamis, DIARON has formed partnerships with overseas manufacturers that actively use materials compliant with the more regulated “EU REACH Regulation.” We are committed to reducing CO2 emissions when disposing of tatamis and protecting people’s health and the environment.
Improved working conditions in the factory/ Gender equality
The employment ratio of males and females in the manufacturing industry is 7 to 3. While we seek the future of tatami in the following millennium, DIARON is striving to establish an appointment system to nurture and hire craftsperson based on their abilities and skills in a way that allows them to be involved in manufacturing in a short period, regardless of their experience and gender.
DIARON has reviewed the internal regulations and introduced a support system for the employees taking care of their children or family members. Through one-on-one in-house meetings, we aim to change the employment structure of the tatami industry that was once perceived to be closed. Every day, we aim to create a better and more comfortable working environment.