Casio announced today its latest addition to the PRO TREK line of outdoor watches. The new PRW-61 is the first Casio watch to be made with biomass plastics sourced from renewable organic substances. For the first time in any Casio watch, the PRW-61 uses biomass plastics in the case, band, and case back. The environmentally friendly biomass plastics are produced using materials derived from castor seeds and corn, as well as other raw materials. Casio is proud of this new material application for its line of outdoor tools, PRO TREK, for nature lovers.
Casio also announced the collaboration model PRW-51NJ with the Nature Conservation Society of Japan. Like PRW-61, biomass plastic is used for the case, band, and back cover. In addition, the included cross band uses recycled PET material made from PET bottles, which are the first to be used in watch products. The band has a camouflage pattern with the motif of Japanese satoyama, which the association cherishes, and the creatures that live there. Casio PRW-51NJ will be available in Japan from March 25 for 64,900 yen ($561/tax included).
Delivering on outdoor utility, the new models are equipped with Triple Sensor (digital compass, barometer/altimeter, and thermometer), as well as Multi-Band 6 radio wave reception from 6 transmission stations around the world, and Tough Solar to provide stable power for these functions and more. For optimum readability, the design features thick bar indexes to check time, direction, and other indicators at a glance, as well as slits on the band above and below the dial that serve as guides to quickly read the compass direction indicated by the second hand. Model PRW-61 will be available in Japan from March 25 for 59,400 yen ($515-tax included).
Produced from regenerable resources, biomass plastics are attracting attention as a material that can help reduce environmental impact by curbing CO2 emissions. As part of its focus on the Sustainable Development Goals, Casio is pursuing a number of environmentally friendly initiatives, including a shift from plastic to recycled paper in packaging for the PRW-61. Moving forward, Casio will also contribute to efforts to build a circular economy by expanding its use of sustainable materials in the design of other watch models, as well.
