The Mottainai shop sells garbage bags with endagered animal designs.
Japanese retailers and consumers have been criticized for creating unnecessary excess waste, with many products individually wrapped in several layers of plastic. However, attitudes are changing, as evidenced by the Mottainai project operated by Tokyo-based Tatsumi Co. “Mottainai” means “you shouldn’t waste that” in Japanese.
The project supplies retailers who would like to provide consumers with reusable shopping bags. Mottainai’s online shop, which sells directly to consumers, features products meant to reduce waste, such as reusable lunch boxes, chopsticks, and thermoses, as well as items meant to draw attention to the environmental impact of waste, such as garbage bags featuring designs of endangered animals. The project also organizes events to educate the public in environmental problems.