Tokyo, Japan — Sony Corporation announced today that it will be exhibiting for the first time at ISPO Munich 2020, the world's largest sporting and outdoor equipment exhibition, from Sunday, January 26 to Wednesday, January 29 in Munich, Germany.

In October 2019, Sony started trademark licensing of its Triporous FIBER™, a product developed for the textile and apparel industry. Triporous is a natural material made from rice husk. Sony has been conducting joint research and development as well as product development with various companies using this material. Sony will exhibit its Triporous FIBER™ product line at ISPO Munich 2020. Following the business launch of Triporous FIBER™ in Japan, Sony is now starting to expand to the global textile and apparel industries.

Triporous contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Triporous is a porous carbon material with a unique microstructure made from rice husk, which is a surplus biomass. In addition to micropores (2 nm or less) found in conventional activated carbon, many mesopores (2 to 50 nm) and macropores (50 nm or more) that are larger than the micropores are present in a complex form. This allows the material to deliver the property of easily adsorbing large molecular weight substances, which was difficult with conventional materials. Moreover, this structure also enables high-speed adsorption of low molecular compounds, making Triporous a versatile material for use in various applications such as water and air purification.

Sony aims to address social issues with this new Triporous material, and in doing so, hopes to contribute to the SDGs adopted by the United Nations. Sony will also introduce its efforts on the SDGs at ISPO Munich 2020.

Sony supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with Triporous

The main contributions of Triporous to certain SDGs are:

• Contributes to the creation of a recycling-oriented society by using rice husk waste, which totals 100 million tons worldwide (goal 12)
• Contributes to water and air purification by making the most of the adsorption characteristics of Triporous (goals 3, 6, 11)
• Globally promotes development and commercialization through open innovation (goal 17)

Inviting licensees and partners

Sony is looking for companies interested in using Triporous in their own products or in-house applications, such as in factories; any companies that are interested in collaboration with Sony in the Triporous business; as well as research institutions that conduct basic and applied development.

Inquiries regarding licenses and products/technology:

• IP Incubation & Investment Department, Intellectual Property Division, Sony Corporation