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For centuries, the soulful rhythms of the taiko drum have carried the ancestral spirit of Japanese culture. Played at traditional ceremonies and rituals, the drums’ majestic tones invoke blessings for bountiful harvests and pay homage to the natural gifts of the land. Source: Timberbiz Yoshihiko Miyamoto’s family has been crafting taiko drums and other Japanese festival equipment since 1861. From the very beginning, the company has been guided by the same philosophy: ‘Value skill and honour tradition (宮本重義作)’, a concept that Mr Miyamoto was determined to uphold when he inherited the company in around 2010. Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten produces about 30 types of drums, that could be expanded to more than a hundred if the different sizes are considered. The drums are crafted using a variety of materials, each chosen with precision to suit the specific drum type. The primary ones are zelkova wood (keyaki – ケヤキ), cedar (sugi – 杉), and bamboo. The company employs two distinct manufacturing methods: one involves hollowing out a single piece of wood, while the other laminates wood into a board shape and joins it together. Mr Miyamoto prefers to create items that aren’t consumed quickly. Instead, the focus is on making good quality products that can be used for a long time, repaired, and then used for even longer. As he contemplated the drums’ sacred role in Japanese culture and their inextricable bond with nature, he felt a growing responsibility to nurture the very forests that in turn, nurtured his family’s craft. Traditionally, taikos were made primarily from dense-grain premium woods such as zelkova and cedar, chosen for their aesthetic value and durability. But over-reliance on a few tree species risked upsetting the delicate forest balance. “In seeking high-quality materials, the drum-making industry hasn’t always considered the long-term environmental impact,” he said. “But the very spirit of the taiko symbolizes the harmonious coexistence between man and nature.” Determined to restore this intrinsic balance, he began exploring possibilities to utilize more sustainable wood sources that would allow both the heritage and natural environments to thrive. When he met Ryosuke Aoki of Tokyo Chainsaws through a mutual friend, it was as if Mother Nature herself had responded to his call. Tokyo Chainsaws is a Forest Stewardship Council certified forestry company based in Hinohara village, west of Tokyo. Discovering a mutual reverence for nature and cultural preservation, the two agreed to a collaboration: the ‘Echo-logical Taiko Project’. With this, Mr Miyamoto would use readily available, FSC-certified stock such as snow wood from Hinohara Tokyo Citizens’ Forest for certain types of drums. The project led to the release of a new line of sustainable taiko drums, making Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten the first company in the world to obtain FSC certification for taiko products. “It’s a revolutionary approach considering the cultural significance of the instrument and the usual preference for straight-grained wood,” said Mr Aoki. “People are often surprised to learn that 70% of Japan is covered in forests.” “Here in Hinohara village, you can see many cedar and cypress trees that were planted post-World War II. They have matured and are ready for use.” Currently, much of Japan’s timber resources remain underutilized, partly due to a lack of awareness among the public. Mr Aoki believes that more can still be done to showcase the bounty of Japan’s forests and boost utilization, beginning with community engagement.

Nokian Tyres has signed a development agreement with a Swedish biomaterial science company Reselo AB to develop their renewable material Reselo Rubber as a potential new raw material in tyres. Source: Timberbiz Reselo Rubber is a completely renewable material made from birch bark sourced from the residue of the global pulp, paper and plywood industry. The aim of the cooperation agreement now signed is to develop the material further to adapt it for commercial tyre production. “According to the initial laboratory tests we have conducted on Reselo Rubber, it has great potential to replace traditional fossil-based materials in tyres. Furthermore, the material is not only renewable, but we believe it may also be used to improve the tyre’s performance features. We are excited to develop it further in cooperation with Reselo and hope to have Reselo Rubber in Nokian Tyres tires in the future,” Heini Siekkinen, Senior Manager, Research & Sustainability from Nokian Tyres said. Reselo was the winner of Nokian Tyres’ FAST RACE, BIG CHANGE sustainable tyre innovation challenge that aimed to find new solutions for more sustainable tyres. After the preliminary testing, the potential of Reselo Rubber as a possible tyre material was established, and now the co-operation continues in close collaboration to further develop the material to match demanding tire properties in an industrial scale. “We are proud and excited to join forces with Nokian Tyres to improve the sustainability of the largest rubber industry segment even further. The partnership with Nokian Tyres marks an important milestone in our ambition to revolutionize the rubber industry with a high performing bio-based rubber,” Henrik Otendal, CEO and one of the founders of Reselo said. One of Nokian Tyres’ most important sustainability goals is to have 50% of the raw materials in its tyres renewable or recycled by 2030, and the company has reached several milestones recently. In June 2024, the company demonstrated the usability of of UPM BioMotion, a groundbreaking new renewable material in tires by presenting the concept tyre Nokian Tyres Green Step Ligna. In August 2024, Nokian Tyres announced that their factory in Nokia, Finland has obtained the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS. With the certification, Nokian Tyres is able to introduce new sustainable, ISCC PLUS certified raw materials in its tyres.