Launching an In-House Project to Promote Sustainability with Custom Mugs

06/21/2024　Corporate Activities, Digital Printing

A project team has been formed at Roland DG to reduce waste from the company cafeteria by using our products to produce original cups, which are now available for purchase by employees.

A sustainable and achievable initiative

With the opening of our new head office in 2023, we set up cafeteria corners in both the head office and the Miyakoda office. These areas offer free access to coffee and tea, which has led to frequent use by many employees. However, the issue of disposable cup waste has become a concern.

Adhering to our basic policy on sustainability, we are committed to various environmentally conscious initiatives. As an immediate step towards a sustainable future, we are eliminating disposable cups and transitioning to My Cups.

Rather than simply recommending certain cups, we wanted to create a project that embodies Roland DG’s purpose: “To Empower Creativity and Excitement Worldwide.” This effort resulted in the creation and sale of these cups through our in-house online shop.

The journey to selling original cups

Inspired by the thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun to use our own products to decorate cups?’ we began experimenting with custom designs. After selecting cups and performing test prints, we found that the initial method using transfer paper was prone to peeling and lacked durability.

We then switched to direct printing using the VersaSTUDIO BD-8 desktop flatbed UV printer. The BD-8 allows for high-quality direct printing from logos to small text on various shapes and materials, including cups. Through trial and error, we crafted sophisticated designs that fit the curvature of the mugs. Satisfied with both the durability and print quality, we decided to offer the mugs in two colors: beige and black.

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  The team discussed selecting the right cups.

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  Designs for the cups were created and refined.

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  Test printing using the BD-8.

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  Samples were displayed in the cafeteria corner.

High sales arise at in-house online shop

Before sales began, we displayed samples in the cafeteria corner, allowing employees to check the designs and shapes. The limited-time sales surpassed expectations with a high number of orders, bringing great joy to the project team.

For the printing of the sales cups, we created custom jigs to allow for fine adjustments. Team members took turns handling printing and packaging with care. Each cup’s box featured a hand-applied original message sticker, expressing the team’s gratitude to the purchasing employees.

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  Custom jigs for fine adjustments.

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  Printing the sales cups.

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  Carefully packaging the completed cups.

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  Handmade original message stickers.

Distribution of original custom cups

The day came to distribute the completed original My Cups. Employees who received their cups expressed excitement, with some saying they were drawn to the design. Some immediately used their cups for coffee, much to the delight of the project team. One team member shared, “We were pleasantly surprised by the significant response within the company. Some employees even bought multiple cups for personal use at home, which made us very happy.”

This project aimed to foster a sense of unity and engagement among employees through the creation of original company items. It also provided us with valuable insights from the perspective of customers who use our products for production and sales. Roland DG will continue to strive to “Empower Creativity and Excitement Worldwide” by generating new ideas.

We also plan to hold workshops where employees can add personal decorations to their cups, such as their names or unique designs, to create truly customized items. We look forward to sharing the experiences from these workshops as well.