The company has consistently advocated sustainability since its founding.

“Blue Bottle Coffee” has an impressive logo of a blue bottle resembling a clear blue sky.
Founded in Oakland, California, USA in 2002, the first store in Japan opened in 2015.
There are now 24 stores throughout Japan and over 100 stores overseas in the US, China, South Korea, and Hong Kong.

Coffee beans from all over the world are roasted in-house. The beans are roasted as the orders come in. Each cup is brewed with great care and fresh coffee is served.
“We originally began selling coffee at a farmer’s market in the US, so sustainability has always been the main pillar from the inception. We provide production support for sustainable coffee beans, roast coffee using power generated by natural energy, serve coffee in our stores in glass or ceramic cups, and use bamboo straws,” comments the brand and product director, Makiko Busato. The company has become known, not only as a refined coffee shop but also as a company with a high level of awareness toward global environmental conservation.

Breathing life into used coffee grounds. That’s how we show respect for the farmers.

“FOOD TEXTILE has an interesting initiative. We can fuse together some good ideas.
In the summer of 2021, we heard about the FOOD TEXTILE project. Until then, Ms. Busato admits she had never heard of FOOD TEXTILE. After hearing about the project, she thought they could somehow work together and began researching their previous initiatives and dyeing techniques. She felt confident that she could work with them.

“Our motto has been to always act responsibility from “seed to cup,” namely from the coffee bean stage to providing it to our customers. This project goes further, in that products would be created from used coffee grounds. I felt that there was a close affinity between us and the project. By blowing life into the used coffee grounds, it is revived as a new creation. This is connected to our showing respect toward the farmers.”

Thus, the collaboration between Blue Bottle Coffee and FOOD TEXTILE took off.

We wanted a product that makes us aware of sustainability through daily use.

In order to make this project meaningful, we first spent time discussing what sort of product we should make.
“We contemplated what sort of products would make customers happy and would be willing to purchase, such as a gift bag or case. After much discussion, we decided on a tote bag. Through this project, we wanted not only for the customers but also our employees to reaffirm our commitment to sustainability.”
We sought after something that’s always nearby and is eye-catching. A tote bag was decided on as an optimum choice as something that is used on a daily basis. We were particular about comfort with regard to size, length of the handle, shape and thickness of the material, and something that can be used on any occasion, simple and user-friendly. With regard to color, we requested the most popular “latte” color to represent the most popular latte drink. The issues concerning how to dye organic cotton, prices and lots were gradually resolved through proposals by FOOD TEXTILE.

The obstacle at this point was the color. We were told that any color could be produced.
Therefore, Ms. Busato had difficulty reaching a conclusion. “I looked at color samples on a small piece of fabric.
But the impression changes on a tote bag. At first, the color was too dark and did not go well with the blue bottle, so I asked them to change it. Ultimately, with consideration of the opinions of other employees, we decided on this color. I discovered this color highlighted the blue more than I imagined.” The fabric dyed with espresso coffee grounds created the very latte color produced when a generous amount of milk is poured into a strong cup of coffee. The soft texture of the fabric brings to mind the subtle sweetness of the coffee.

Passion for monozukuri(creat products include the development of entire products,design,quolity,innovation with considering sustinability)was a big incentive.

Both in-store and online sales were launched coinciding with the Earth Day on April 22, 2022. Many of our employees use this product every day and sales is steadily increasing. There are plans for overseas expansion in the US and China, etc. No doubt that a product with an interesting background such as this will attract people’s attention. “As a product developer, I’ve always wondered what can be done with used coffee grounds. Our encounter with FOOD TEXTILE has become a major catalyst, and awareness building of our employees has also progressed. In spite of the difference in business category, seeing a long-established, leading Japanese textile trading company with passion in monozukuri and foresight into the future has become a big incentive for us who are also engaged in monozukuri.”

In the future, Blue Bottle Coffee will have as its motto “Coffee in Nature” and will start running coffee trucks so that people may enjoy coffee in areas where there are no stores. Our desire is for people to enrich their lives through a coffee experience in a natural environment, such as in the mountains and near the ocean.
“Connecting people with nature”
Both coffee and FOOD TEXTILE are working toward the same goal. There are infinite possibilities to form a new synergy.

TEXT/ MASHIMO SATOKO
PHOTO/ SHIMIZU TOMOSHIGE