ChopValue - Once a chopstick, now a statement

ChopValue Manufacturing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt4RUAo6Hn8

ChopValue is a pioneering circular economy company that transforms discarded chopsticks into high-performance, sustainable products. ChopValue products are beautifully engineered climate positive alternatives to traditional virgin wood products. Our process not only diverts millions of chopsticks from landfills but also sustainability produces beautifully engineered products that showcase the potential of the circular economy.

ChopValue was born out of the need to create a viable example of a circular economy concept. As a wood engineer who understands scale, founder Felix Bock decided to develop and commercialize it with the help of a humble, neglected item we all see right in front of us - the chopstick.

For some context, not too long ago, Felix tried to apply his wood engineering and stereotypical “German efficiency thinking” to tackle the wood and construction waste in Vancouver, Canada, where he has lived for over ten years. He presented the research results and potential industry know-how for value added materials - unfortunately it did not resonate much with industry leaders. It was frustrating, but at the same time eye-opening. He realized that in order to prove sustainable business concepts that rely on under-utilized resource supply, there must be thought leaders who show its viability. It had to be interesting, something easy to comprehend, and something that elicits emotions towards the problem of linear economy and our vast amount of waste. He would need to develop a process that creates innovative, highly value added and appealing products from a relatable resource. And that is how ChopValue was born in 2016.

The World Economic Forum describes ChopValue’s Microfactory concept as “the blueprint for a circular future”, and BBC included us in their Age of Change Series as an example for the “future of manufacturing”. Felix does not pretend we can have a scientifically calculable impact on climate change recycling chopsticks. However, as we understand scale, and as we near celebrations for our 200 millionth recycled chopstick, Felix's responsibility to scale and share our technology know-how is growing.

Through innovative urban harvesting and micro-manufacturing, we create a range of elegant and durable items including furniture, accessories, and feature walls. Our highly densified composite material is manufactured using proprietary technology that compresses recycled chopsticks, making it harder than maple, stronger than oak, and as durable as teak. By manufacturing sustainable solutions engineered to last, we're empowering our community to make responsible choices. Together, we can prove a viable circular economy that prioritizes both design excellence and quality without compromise.

At ChopValue, we firmly believe that prioritizing social and environmental impact can coexist harmoniously with business profitability. Our commitment is to exemplify the viability of this business model through our own actions. We aim to be a leader in sustainable practices while being accurate and transparent about our environmental
footprint, and hope to inspire others to do the same. We have already recycled more than 184 million chopsticks, and counting, across eight countries (Japan will be the 9th) and have saved more than 9.1 million kgCO2e. We help our clients to manage their scope 3 emissions as we provide data on how many chopsticks are recycled into each material and the corresponding CO2e savings compared to conventional wood materials.

After more than 15 years in the wood and bamboo manufacturing industry, Felix openly says that nothing has fulfilled him as much as ChopValue work does. He is surrounded by a group of professionals who have dedicated their careers to realizing the potential and massive opportunity for scale in our global network of Microfactories.

One of our fundamental values at ChopValue is to create a positive impact – not only environmentally, but also socially. With the creation of local Microfactories at various locations globally, ChopValue can create new opportunities for the employment of young professionals in trades, which we believe is an important appreciation of hands-on work in the modern urban society. Additionally, the collaboration with local restaurants and partners in collecting chopsticks fosters a strong community engagement in recycling initiatives. As we expand our Microfactory network, we aim to raise awareness and educate each local community about the importance of the circular economy.

We are proud to challenge conventional business practices with our commitment to local manufacturing on a global scale, creating high quality products.

#circularity #ClimatePositiveWood #UrbanHarvesting #Micromanufacturing #WasteToResource

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It is no surprise that excessive material and product consumption is causing adverse effects on the environment, including the exploitation of natural resources, accumulation of waste, and production of greenhouse gases. More than two billion metric tons of municipal solid waste are generated worldwide every year, and this figure is expected to increase by 70% by 2050 (Statista, 2023).

The traditional ‘Take-Make-Dispose’ approach, also known as the linear economy, is where natural resources are extracted, converted into products and then disposed of in landfills or incinerated. Since this model is clearly not sustainable, many are starting to realize that this cannot be the path forward. As a result, more businesses and communities are aiming to shift towards a circular economy, a model where waste is eliminated by making better use and re-use of materials and natural resources. By extracting ‘waste’ from existing streams and reducing the use of new, natural resources, we are able to keep these materials within a ‘closed loop system’, and prevent resources from going to the landfill or incinerator.

The world uses 80 billion disposable chopsticks every year. That’s 1.5 billion chopsticks per week. ChopValue is founded in Vancouver, Canada - where it is estimated that in Metro Vancouver alone, approximately 100,000 chopsticks are discarded each day. Today, more than 350,000 of these are collected each week.

Little consideration is given to this single-use utensil that has travelled approximately 9,000 km for the purpose of a 20 minute meal. We made it our mission to operate within that framework and work on the problem directly. As we are poised to enter Japan at scale, we realize that the disposal of chopsticks in Tokyo/Kanto is more than 27,000,000 daily, over 95% of which are imported from China, Vietnam and elsewhere. These perfect, slender, defect-free chopsticks can be reutilized as a resource to develop novel engineered materials. By giving a second life to these materials, urban harvesting allows us to use what is readily available in our cities to minimize environmental impact and encourage resource efficiency.

ChopValue’s business decisions are motivated by our desire to be a leader in environmental impact and transparency. As the business expands, it is vital to us to ensure that expansion work, including the addition of new chopstick collection partners, incorporate our core aim of sustainability.

Circular economy and environmental stewardship are a priority in all facets of ChopValue’s business. Some of our environmental initiatives include:

1) Zero Waste Ambition in Manufacturing
The waste and off-cuts generated from the manufacturing of our larger products is saved and reused in other smaller products e.g. keychains.

2) Packaging
Our products are packaged using biodegradable, starch-based packaging peanuts and are wrapped in recycled paper; all packaging cards and labels are printed on recycled paper.

3) Repurposing
The sawdust that is generated from sanding our products is collected and reused as wood filler.

4) Oils
The oil used to finish our final products is vegetable-based and environmentally friendly.

5) Resin
The water-based resin used in the manufacturing of our chopsticks is free of toxic chemicals such as phenol and formaldehyde

ChopValue is hyperlocal and we are deeply immersed in a network of restaurant in our local communities. A ChopValue Microfactory requires a strong network of local businesses, chopstick collection partners, employees, and customers. The presence of a ChopValue Microfactory creates a local community that is engaged in the circular economy movement.

Establishing each new collection partnership is an opportunity to educate and inspire others to reutilize their waste into resources. By collecting one chopstick at a time, ChopValue has created a significant positive impact across different communities, which continues to grow each year.

We refer to a simplified leading question as a reminder of what the alternative would be if a product was not made from ChopValue engineered material: How many emissions can be avoided if a product is made from ChopValue’s engineered material instead of a commercial material?

While wood is a renewable resource, we’re showcasing the massive potential of using waste streams. Recycling materials like discarded chopsticks reduces emissions and makes a better use of resources that would otherwise be wasted. Plus, our hyperlocal manufacturing method cuts down on the carbon footprint even more by sourcing, manufacturing, and distributing locally.

We work hard to create awareness about the viability of a circular economy. Our motivation is to create real career opportunities for young professionals in trades who can be proud to be part of positive change.