PikaBlue by FLASH Holdings (12. Epsilon)
Executive Summary
PikaBlue is a portable tubular flashlight lensdesigned to detect the concentration of recycledplastics in clothing materials and other plastic
products. Our innovative technology aims toempower consumers to make informed choices
by providing real-time numerical and visual
information about the truthfulness of products’
green marketing.
Background & Motivation
The textile and clothing industry has faced
scrutiny due to its environmental damages likehigh water usage, chemical pollution, extensive
waste generation, and plastic use [1]. Amongst
these, companies have particularly focused on theproblem of waste generation by 1) incorporating
recycled plastic materials into their products or 2)
eliminating the use of plastics; 72% of the world’s
largest companies have made some commitment
to reducing plastic pollution [2]. So, promoting andadvertising the use of recycled plastic materials
has become an imperative part of green-washingfor many companies [3]. However, verifying theactual percentage of recycled content has been acomplex task for consumers. Many have resorted
to blind faith when searching for sustainableproducts, resulting in a skewed and unreliable
market; in fact, two-thirds of multinational
companies fail to fulfill their pledges to reduce
plastic pollution[4], but consumers are unaware.
By purchasing PikaBlue, consumers can visually
verify the numerical value of plastic contents inproducts, legitimizing truly recycled plastic
products and preventing the consumption offalsely green or over-marketed recycled products.
Product Description
The PikaBlue is a portable flashlight lens that
distinguishes the concentration of recycledplastics and thepresence of plastics inclothing material. The
outer walls of thePikaBlue areconstructed of recycled
aluminum, while theinside consists of aone-sided mirror, an electromagnetic radiator(UltraViolet Index 1), and a battery source topower the flashlight. We utilize plastic’s
fluorescent properties under UV rays and use theelectromagnetic radiator to emit wavelengths (UVI1) that reflect from plastic to create different
shades of blue. The different shades represent
the concentration of Propylene monomers, themajor component of plastic [5]. Plastic purity islost each time in the recycling process (i.e.
decreased Propylene monomer concentration) [6];hence, a dark shade of blue represents low purity,indicating that the material is mostly made ofrecycled plastics. If the material does not include
any plastics, the material will not emit color. The
one-way mirror film eliminates all external lightinside, enabling color-coded indication.

Product Prototype
PikaBlue is a lightweight device that weighs anestimated 56 grams. With its low-profile design
and portability, it provides easy access toconsumers. The device’s outer cylinder is madefrom recycled aluminum while the lens is made ofrecycled glass. The radiator and one-sided mirror
include pieces of both materials. When used,plastic materials will emit a blue shade that iscaused by the light reflections from the Propylene
monomers in the material. The dispersed UVI 1
waves have been tested as completely safe forthe fabric or the human eye [7].
Market Analysis
Our target market is focused on, but not limited to,Japanese consumers aged 16-45 with medium tohigh incomes, who are willing to spend more on
sustainable fashion. Today, Japanese interest insustainable fashion is increasing, with 71.6% of
the 45 million consumers in our targeted age
bracket being interested in sustainable fashion [8].
The most common barrier to making sustainablePikaBlue by FLASH Holdings (12. Epsilon)
consumption choices is the lack of accurate
information and transparent policies of large
businesses claiming to be sustainable [9].
PikaBlue responds to these needs by providing anoption to personally check items at an affordable
price. Hence, PikaBlue will be distributed to local
and online stores, using a B2B sales method.
Previous solutions to the waste generation andplastic use problems have 1) utilized completely
different technologies, or 2) required complex andinaccessible scientific understanding. PikaBlue
can provide consumers easy access to accurate
and clear data on sustainability in the fashionindustry. This is unlike existing solutions such aslabels on the product that show that it is approved
as eco-friendly, without comprehensible evidence.
Since social media is the most common source ofsustainability-related information obtained by ourtarget group [10], we will advertise PikaBlue
through influencers who promote sustainability on
Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and X. To promote
our own company transparency and to retain thetrust of our consumers, we will actively seek out
third party committees (government agencies,research institutions, etc.) for annual official
checks on our products’ accuracy and legitimacy.
Pricing and Financial Statement

The PikaBlue will sell for $20, an affordable pricepoint for our target market. The number of peoplein our target audience is calculated based on thepopulation of 16-45 year olds living in Tokyo.
Through appealing to our market, we estimate
20,000 customers on our initial launch with amarket penetration rate of 0.67%. The number is
expected to increase exponentially. Due to startup
costs such as machinery and infrastructure, wewill first operate at a loss, gradually creating profit;
we expect to hit $570k in our 4th year. Our startup
will require $473,200 in initial investments, and we
aim to set our interest rate of return at 7%,
repaying the entire amount by our 4th year.
Conclusion
PikaBlue presents an accessible, affordable, andrealistic solution to the challenge of firsthandconsumer verification of recycled products. Ourproduct empowers consumers to make informed
choices in a sustainable fashion with its innovativetechnology which promotes easy understanding of
the products at hand. With strategic marketing
efforts and a clear financial plan, our productbridges the gap between green marketing claims
and reality, supporting SDGs #12: Responsible
Consumption and #13: Climate Action.
Works Cited[1]europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20201208S
TO93327/the-impact-of-textile-production-and-wa
ste-on-the-environment-infographics[2]popsci.com/environment/plastic-greenwashingrecycle/[3]sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019850
12300192X[4]plasticsoupfoundation.org/en/2022/08/many-promises-made-by-corporations-are-just-blah-blah/[5]pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acssuschemeng.2
c03389[6]blog.nationalgeographic.org/2018/04/04/7-things-you-didnt-know-about-plastic-and-recycling/[7]19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/sunsafety/uv-i
ndex-scale-1_.html[8]prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000075.000027658.html[9]onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/fcsr.1247
5[10]bunka.repo.nii.ac.jp/record/2087/files/0020311
07_03.pdf