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SHELLMET
Agency TBWA\HAKUHODO Inc. / Tokyo + quantum Inc. / Tokyo + ROBOT COMMUNICATIONS INC. / Tokyo + KMCgroup / Tokyo
Category
Innovation / New Ideas in Design
Annual ID
OS24_DE016G
About the Work
Background:
Although Scallops are the most commonly eaten shellfish in Japan, they are also the most discarded shellfish.
Hokkaido's Sarufutsu Village is home to the largest scallop catch in the country. In 2021, exporters discarded approximately 40,000 tons of shells on the shoreline.
Experts point out not only the challenge of securing a place to deposit shells, but also an environmental preservation issue as piles of shells omit a foul odor, and cause groundwater contamination from heavy metals contained in the remains.
We aimed to transform discarded shells into a new resource to empower the community.
Impact:
Since launch, it has gained exposure in 887 media outlets in 34 countries with an estimated reach of 5.6 billion people.
SHELLMET has spread beyond the community of Sarufutsu Village and has become popular throughout Japan.
In the first two months, SHELLMET recorded 1,397% ($37,000+) of its sales target. Already in the first year, more than 24 tons of discarded shells are expected to be recycled.
Besides, the innovation created from discarded shells was highly evaluated, and adopted as the official disaster prevention helmet for the sustainability-themed 2025 Osaka Expo.
It has also been exhibited overseas at MAAT in Portugal and National Museum of Singapore.
This material, a plastic alternative, is gaining global attention, with collaborations from over 24 brands. Already, it is being used not only in buildings but also in various applications such as bag buttons for the apparel brand Camper, clasps for gas cylinders by Air Water, a company providing energy solutions, and in-flight items by ANA, a major Japanese airline. By transforming scallop shells from waste into a new resource, we have not only solved the environmental issues of Sarufutsu Village but also created a new source of income.
Although Scallops are the most commonly eaten shellfish in Japan, they are also the most discarded shellfish.
Hokkaido's Sarufutsu Village is home to the largest scallop catch in the country. In 2021, exporters discarded approximately 40,000 tons of shells on the shoreline.
Experts point out not only the challenge of securing a place to deposit shells, but also an environmental preservation issue as piles of shells omit a foul odor, and cause groundwater contamination from heavy metals contained in the remains.
We aimed to transform discarded shells into a new resource to empower the community.
Impact:
Since launch, it has gained exposure in 887 media outlets in 34 countries with an estimated reach of 5.6 billion people.
SHELLMET has spread beyond the community of Sarufutsu Village and has become popular throughout Japan.
In the first two months, SHELLMET recorded 1,397% ($37,000+) of its sales target. Already in the first year, more than 24 tons of discarded shells are expected to be recycled.
Besides, the innovation created from discarded shells was highly evaluated, and adopted as the official disaster prevention helmet for the sustainability-themed 2025 Osaka Expo.
It has also been exhibited overseas at MAAT in Portugal and National Museum of Singapore.
This material, a plastic alternative, is gaining global attention, with collaborations from over 24 brands. Already, it is being used not only in buildings but also in various applications such as bag buttons for the apparel brand Camper, clasps for gas cylinders by Air Water, a company providing energy solutions, and in-flight items by ANA, a major Japanese airline. By transforming scallop shells from waste into a new resource, we have not only solved the environmental issues of Sarufutsu Village but also created a new source of income.
2024 Awards
Total Points: 45
Gold Pencil
Credits
Agency
TBWA\HAKUHODO Inc. / TOKYO
PR / Marketing Agency
KMCgroup / Tokyo
Production Company
Robot Communications Inc. / Tokyo
Art Director
Takeshi Matsuda
Chief Creative Officer
Takahiro Hosoda
Creative Director
Masatoshi Usami
Designer
Hajime Sunada
Hisahiro Tomonaga
Director
Kohei Inoue
Editor
Nobuo Mita
Motion Designer
Kiyotaka Sumiyoshi
Photographer
Junya Taguchi
Producer
Yuki Sakamoto
Product Designer
Shintaro Monden
Senior Art Director
Yuhei Ito
3D Engineer
Minatsu Takekoshi
Business Producer
Takayuki Kashiwazaki
Head of Digital
Yoshiki Okayasu
PR Planner
Kyosuke Hashimoto
Suguru Kato
Promoter
Eri Sato
Takashi Hamada
Retoucher
Takumu Koshiba
Senior Business Director
Hiroaki Wada
Startup Studio
quantum Inc. / Tokyo
Transcreator
Eric Ellefsen
Jonathan Genki Fujimura
Joel Challender
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