At the end of May, the doors of TRUE BLUE Croatia opened in Hvar – the Croatian branch of a Japanese educational, ecological, and design-focused project that creatively combines sustainability, education, and design.
The first TRUE BLUE workshop was established in 2023 on the island of Okinawa, where Ayumu Takahashi – a Japanese writer, bohemian, and traveler – together with Megumi Tamamura, a designer and dedicated ocean conservation activist, launched a project that gives a new, meaningful purpose to plastic waste collected from shorelines.
Their vision is simple: to clean the sea, give discarded materials a second life – beautiful, useful, and lasting – and educate new generations about the importance of ocean preservation, including those who may not typically be interested in ecology.
TRUE BLUE creates unique jewelry, lamps, and decorative objects from plastic gathered in the sea and on beaches, all under the slogan “One Love, One Ocean.”
The project invites everyone to take part – through small but meaningful steps – in protecting the sea that we all share.
TRUE BLUE’s arrival in Hvar was made possible by Yukiko Carić, a Hvar native of Japanese descent, who connected the Japanese founders with the local community and the environmental association Moj Škoj. Together, they have already carried out a series of environmental projects, and now the TRUE BLUE Factory & Shop has opened in the historic center of Hvar – a space that serves as a shop, workshop, and educational center all in one.
Visitors can follow the entire recycling process – from plastic collected on the shore to the final product – and best of all: they can actively take part in creating their own souvenirs.
At the opening of the Hvar branch, along with Ayumu and Megumi, Japanese investors and committed project supporters Yuichiro Yano and Kimiyo Sawahara were also present, as well as Haruka, the head of TRUE BLUE Croatia. Haruka leads daily workshops and shows visitors how tiny plastic fragments can be transformed into interesting and useful objects.
Throughout the summer, TRUE BLUE Croatia will organize beach cleanups, workshops for children and adults, creative gatherings, and educational programs.
Follow them on Instagram at @truebluecroatia, bring the plastic you’ve collected from the shore, learn how to sort, wash, and shred it – and with Haruka’s help, turn it into something wonderfully beautiful and personal – like a keychain or a souvenir that tells a story about the sea and your role in protecting it.
One Love, One Ocean
