Lion Corporation debuts recycled toothbrush sheet materials for architecture and interiors

Lion Corporation is exhibiting for the first time sheet materials made from recycled used toothbrushes, aiming to validate their commercial viability in architecture, interiors and store fixtures. The boards will be shown at the REMARE Plastic SUMMIT 2026 Exhibition at the Kokuyo Tokyo Shinagawa Office "THE CAMPUS" from October 14 to 16, 2026. Lion has collected 33.5 tonnes of used toothbrushes, about 2.68 million units, since 2015 through 1,724 collection points nationwide.

Key facts

Market context

Toothbrushes are typically made from polypropylene for the bristle holder and handle, with nylon commonly used for the bristles, and the mixed plastics are difficult to recycle through conventional streams. Recycled polypropylene is used in building products, interior panels, furniture, and store fixtures, where buyers value stable sourcing and consistent color and mechanical properties. Demand for post-consumer resin is largely driven by packaging and construction, and it typically competes with virgin resin whose price follows crude oil and propylene feedstock costs. Converting collected post-consumer items into sheet form is one way recyclers can access sectors beyond low-volume novelty goods. Such moves matter to resin buyers because they test whether recycled content can meet specification and volume requirements, which in turn influences collection economics and the spread between recycled and virgin prices.

Source: official release on lion.co.jp. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.