Water Resource Management

Basic Approach

The Ryohin Keikaku Group recognizes its responsibility for the large volume of water consumed throughout the various processes from production of raw materials to manufacturing and commercialization, and is committed to reducing the impact of its water usage on the global environment. As the impact of global population growth and climate change become more severe, inadequate management of water resources will further accelerate water risks in various ways, such as water shortages, floods and river overflows, and water pollution.
The Group will promote sustainable use of water resources by reducing water withdrawal and consumption, while controlling, minimizing, and eliminating water pollution. We also respect and support Goal 6 of the SDGs, “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,” and will support stakeholder access to WASH services by correctly identifying diverse water-related issues and addressing the challenge of inequality in the use of water resources that should be equally enjoyed.

Goals

The Ryohin Keikaku Group is committed to preserving sustainable water resources in various areas such as in its own operations, the supply chain, society and local communities.
For our own operations, we identify issues for regions where our stores and offices are located and promote proactive and effective risk reduction activities.
Throughout the supply chain, we are strengthening our relationships with production partners who share our philosophy and are working to reduce water usage in production processes with high water usage, while also aiming to minimize the impact of our business activities on local communities and river basins.

Management System

Our environmental management system is managed and promoted in accordance with our environmental policy.

Data on Water Resource Management

Risks and Issues

We identify water resource risks and issues from three main perspectives: our own operations, the supply chain, and society/local communities. We recognize that water usage in raw material production and manufacturing processes has a large impact on the environment and in local communities due to potential impacts on water resources and due to factory wastewater.
The shortage of freshwater resources has become a concern due to various challenges posed by increasing populations, industrial development, global climate change and water pollution. We recognize water scarcity as a risk for MUJI’s operations and are implementing various initiatives to address this issue, such as promoting an environmental management system.

Initiatives

Water Risk Assessment

Ryohin Keikaku assesses water risks associated with its supply chain operations in relevant regions. We actively promote effective initiatives to address the water risks faced in the regions where Ryohin Keikaku and its production partners conduct business.
We use two water risk assessment tools to conduct water risk surveys of our own sites as well as those of the major production partners who make up 80% of our total transaction amount. The tools we use are Aqueduct, provided by the World Resources Institute (WRI), and Water Risk Filter, provided by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Based on the assessment results from our own sites, we will reflect flood risk in store opening criteria and work to reduce water usage. For production partners, we are working to gain a deeper understanding of the current situation of their water resource management through additional interviews using unique questionnaires. According to the results, we will encourage those with factories exposed to high water risk to make improvements.

Response to the CDP Water Security Questionnaire

We have been responding to the CDP water security questionnaire since 2023, and we have identified internal issues and are managing our progress accordingly.
We obtained an A- rating in the 2024 CDP water security questionnaire.

Water Conservation at Headquarters and Stores

At Ryohin Keikaku, we monitor water usage at headquarters and stores. The results are used to make continuous improvement to water conservation efforts and to measure their effectiveness. By promoting water conservation among employees, we aim to build an environmentally conscious organization.

Water Conservation Technology at Production Partner Factories

We are working with production partners to reduce environmental impact by implementing water conservation techniques and technologies. We promote the recycling of production water at sewing factories, the efficient dyeing of fabrics at dyeing factories to reduce water usage, and the use of minimal water and the recycling of tank cooling water at cosmetics factories for cleaning equipment.

Reducing Water Usage in the Denim Production Process

We revamped our classic denim series for the 2022 fall/winter season with a focus on environmentally responsible and long-lasting basic denim. In traditional denim production, the threads are dipped in indigo dye and pulled up repeatedly, undergoing a process called rope dyeing, which involves exposing the fabric to air and oxidizing it about 12 times to reach a deep blue color. Light-colored denim typically requires three times more water than regular indigo denim due to the need for wash processing to lighten the color after being dyed with indigo.
To reduce the water usage in the production process, we have re-evaluated our dyeing process for two new colors of denim. For blue, we reduced the number of times the thread is dyed to four, while for charcoal gray, we shortened the dyeing time. This has not only reduced the amount of dye used but also the water usage during wash processing. Additionally, we have minimized the traditional used-washed and bleaching processes for all denim series to make them more environmentally responsible.

“Let's Start with Water by Ourselves” Initiative

At selected MUJI stores, Ryohin Keikaku has installed free water dispensers that are available to anyone. Globally, increasing water demand is expected to intensify regional water risks and disparities. In Japan, population decline and the popularity of bottled water have led to reduced tap water supply volumes, while the renewal of aging water facilities has resulted in budget shortages. By serving as local water supply points in areas where stores are located, stores are helping to reduce plastic bottle waste while also addressing increased demand for tap water as part of the water infrastructure.