Kikusumi - Making an impact with beautiful handcrafted Japanese knives

Based in the heart of Tokyo, Kikusumi is creating, beautiful, handcrafted Japanese knives. These masterpieces are not only available through their online store but also showcased every weekend at the United Nations University Market.

Kikusumi's dedication to craftsmanship and sustainability is standout. Each knife seamlessly blends traditional Japanese techniques with a modern commitment to sourcing sustainable materials. From eco-friendly packaging to sustainably sourced wood, every detail reflects their passion for the planet and artisanry.

Kikusumi's focus on quality, coupled with their commitment to creating products that work with nature, makes them an ideal partner for PocketSeed. Together, we are crafting a compelling narrative that not only showcases their environmental stewardship but also deeply engages their customers in a shared journey towards a better future.

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How PocketSeed helps Kikusumi interact with their customers.

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With Kikusumi’s keen interest in wood and sustainability, it was clear that forest preservation was a key mission in their journey. With PocketSeed’s support, and access to high integrity climate projects, they decided that Katingan Mentaya forest preservation project in Indonesia fit their vision, not only preserving the forest, but supporting all 17 of the United Nations sustainable development goals for the surrounding communities.

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Using PocketSeed, a campaign was created to tie 100kg of CO2 (about ¥200) avoided to each sale of their NATUR knife series, empowering the customer to make a difference to the planet simply by purchasing a knife.

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The implementation

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The key to a successful campaign lies in meaningful interactions with customers, inviting them to be the cause of a positive outcome through their daily activities. Whether it's shopping, engaging with a service, or simply signing up for a weekly newsletter, adding a compelling incentive inspires them to share their experience with others and return for more.

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By embedding the impact directly into the product, Kikusumi ensures that every purchase becomes a catalyst for change. This isn't a donation—it's the product itself driving positive impact. Simply by choosing Kikusumi, customers play an active role in making a difference, without the guilt or pressure of paying more on top of their purchase. This seamless integration creates a rewarding experience, ensuring that every purchase has a meaningful impact. Kikusumi views this as a strategic investment in marketing and sustainability, building stronger connections with customers while benefiting the planet.

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To active the products and involve their customers Kikusumi leverages a mix of tools from PocketSeed including touch points, impact profile, physical QR codes and NFC touchpoints in store.

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These allow customers to learn about the impact their actions have when purchasing the products, creating a feel-good experience for the customer while simultaneously strengthening Kikusmi’s image for being a business for good.

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Results

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While it’s still early days, we have received lots of great feedback from customers praising the efforts the brand is taking to help the planet, and feeling like they are directly contributing to good through buying their products.

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Each touchpoint engagement averages almost 70%, seeing visitors interacting with multiple pages per session and returning on average 2 to 3 times.

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Check out Kikusumi's impact profile.

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Next steps

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After the pilot of a single collection of knives, to allow the brand to test the effectiveness of integrating positive impact into their products, next steps will see more products activated, across their physical stores and online store, and including ways for their customers to share their positive impact to social media with ease to share the difference they are making.

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To date, Kikusumi has contributed to 2,500kgs of CO2 avoidance and supported 17 of 17 sustainable development goals, and continuing to grow.

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By tying micro impacts to everyday tasks, over time, we can make a meaningful impact on the planet while seeing positive ROI for businesses. Contact PocketSeed today and let’s chat about how we can help your business do good too.

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