#patent #trademark
In recent years, the term “up cycling” has come to be used frequently amidst growing environmental awareness. For example, the Japanese published unexamined patent application No. 2022-115087 states the following.
”Up cycle” is one form of recycling, and is to provide new added value such as design and idea to waste which should be discarded and to upgrade and change to another new product. It can be said that the above described embodiment is upgraded to a fermentation composition ・・・ for food waste and food before expiration, and which can be used as a food by a person.
The applicant of this published gazette, Soi Co., Ltd. is a company that develops fermented foods in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. You can find their philosophy on upcycling on their website.
https://soijp.com/product/upcycling/
The “UP 0 TECH®” Japanese registration trademark (No. 6550670), which stands for “technological thinking that eliminates the concept of waste and recycles all resources,” has been registered as a trademark for the following designated products and services.
(Example.)
Class 3 (cosmetics)
Cosmetics manufactured by upcycling (waste recycling)
Class 30 (Confectionery and foodstuffs)
Coffee made by upcycling (waste recycling)
Bread produced by upcycling (waste recycling)
Class 40 (Processed goods)
Provision of information and advice relating to upcycling (waste recycling)
The website states, “We hope to realize a circular economy through the technologies and methods produced by UP 0 TECH®”. We expect that this technology will be in increasingly high demand in the future. (Conan)