Although Scallops are the most commonly eaten shellfish in Japan, they are also the most discarded shellfish. Hokkaido's Sarufutsu Village is home to the largest scallop catch in the country. In 2021, exporters discarded approximately 40,000 tons of shells on the shoreline.

According to experts, not only is it a challenge to secure a place to deposit the shells, there is also an environmental preservation issue whereby piles of shells generate a foul odor, and cause groundwater contamination due to the release of heavy metals contained in some of the remaining viscera.

Therefore, we aimed to transform the discarded shells into a new resource to benefit the local community.

NOTE: This project was voluntarily proposed to the client. The agency developed the brief, managing the entire process from idea development to design to launch, distribution, with a PR media budget of $0.

Scallop fishermen work at length at sea and risk falling due to instability underfoot and rough weather. Plus, due to the high risk of earthquakes and other disasters, helmets are a staple item for disaster preparedness, not only for fishermen, but for all sorts of people.

What if we could create an eco-system whereby helmets worn by scallop fishermen and others are produced from the locally caught scallop shells?

This is why we focused on the main component and structure of scallop shells, which is "calcium carbonate," a highly versatile component used in a variety of processes to increase mechanical strength, including cement.

In addition, shells that survive harsh nature exhibit similarly high strength.

These two insights led to an idea: "Shells have protected themselves from external enemies and are now protecting human lives." The upshot was SHELLMET, the world's first helmet made from scallop shells.

(Japanese name: HOTAMET)

SHELLMET is made of 100% recycled materials from crushed discarded shells, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 36% compared to plastic. One thing worth mentioning is the design. There are many structures in nature that have been continuously optimized over a long period of time. The application of these structures to technological development is called "Biomimicry," combining the words "Bio" for organism and "Mimicry" for imitation. SHELLMET is based on this biomimicry concept and incorporates a ribbed structure unique to shells. As a result, in the Von Mises Stress Test, it succeeded in yielding 133% more strength than a regular helmet. A lineup of five colors is also available for different purposes.

We will contribute to the realization of a sustainable society by developing a system in which SHELLMETs are continuously crushed and reused as building materials or new SHELLMET materials even after they have finished their intended role.

Since launch, it has gained exposure in 735 media outlets in 34 countries with an estimated reach of 3.2 billion people. It has spread throughout Japan, not only among fishermen, but also cyclists, street sports, and builders. In the first two months, the company recorded 1,397% ($37,000+) of its sales target. Already in the first year, more than 24 tons of discarded shells are expected to be recycled.

Offers are pouring in from companies around the world, and projects are underway with more than 16 global brands, including Shell. Besides, the innovation created from discarded shells was highly evaluated, and adopted as the official disaster prevention helmet for the sustainability-themed 2025 Osaka Expo. It has also been exhibited overseas at MAAT in Portugal.

SHELLMET has not only helped Sarufutsu Village with its environmental problem, but has also become a new source of income.

Sarufutsu Village's scallops are well known in Japan and abroad, and scallop fishing is the most important industry underpinning the community. In the village, about 270 fishermen work and fish with passion to grow and catch scallops.

On the other hand, the fishermen felt guilty because scallop shells produced a large amount of waste that polluted the ocean.

We wondered if we could create a sustainable system that they could be proud of by giving the discarded scallops a new role.