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At Casio, Bioplastic Is the Watchword

The company chose plant-based plastic for the case and band of its new Pro Trek men’s watch.

April 7, 2022

1 Min Read
Casio PRW61-1A watch
Image courtesy of Casio

Casio America, in a continuing quest to make its products and operations more environmentally friendly, is using bioplastic in its new PRW61-1A watch — a first for the company.

The PRW61-1A is the latest product in Casio’s Pro Trek line of outdoor watches for men. Priced at $420, the new watch launches this month.

Casio’s Pro Trek watches are positioned as rugged, stylish timepieces for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, mountain biking, and hunting. Product features include a digital compass, barometer/altimeter, thermometer, and Multi-Band 6 radio-wave reception.

“For the first time in any Casio watch, the PRW61-1A uses biomass plastics, produced using materials derived from castor seeds and corn, as well as other raw materials, in the case, band, and case back,” said Tadashi Shibuya, Vice President of Casio’s Timepiece Division, in a prepared statement.

Casio chose bioplastic for the watch because it is a more sustainable material and reduces carbon dioxide emissions compared with petroleum-based plastics.

The company’s fiscal year 2022 sustainability targets and key performance indicators include:

  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions of the Casio Group by 9.5% vs. 2019;

  • maintaining the Casio Green Star product sales ratio at 80% or more;

  • reducing the amount of waste generated by the entire Casio Group by at least 1% vs. 2020;

  • boosting Casio Group’s recycling rate for site waste to at least 95%.

In addition to incorporating bioplastic in the PRW61-1A model, Casio has shifted from plastic to recycled paper for the watch’s packaging. Going forward, the company plans to expand its use of sustainable materials in other watch models.

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