Designers are breathing new life into vintage Japanese kimonos, turning them into contemporary outfits that cater to modern tastes. With demand rising for more circular fashion systems, upcycling deadstock and vintage pieces offers shoppers a regenerative approach to style and thrifting.

To cut CO2 emissions, Japanese beverage company Asahi is creating a 'forest' of green vending machines to suck up carbon from the air. With people often unwilling to take direct action to confront the climate crisis, brands can help them by offering sustainability-by-proxy.

Any Wear, Anywhere is a service from Japan Airlines that allows passengers to rent clothes for their trip to Japan. Offering twin benefits of sustainability and hyper-convenience, it motivates people to make more sustainable choices by fitting into and serving busy, time-poor urban lifestyles.

The surprise success of a Japanese book proposing degrowth to deal with environmental issues echoes the sentiments of young people eager to break with a status quo of political and economic pessimism. How can brands respond to the needs of this growing cohort and its feelings about the future?