Sophia University Team Wins First Prize at the International Material Flow Competition 2025

From left: JMFI President, Assistant Professor Nkweauseh Reginald Longfor (students' supervisor), the winning team representatives (Chloé Rose Danielle Christin and Sara Roehrig), and the IMFC judges.

2025.12.10

A team of graduate students from the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies won first place at the International Material Flow Competition (IMFC) 2025, hosted by the Japan Material Flow Institute (JMFI) in Tokyo on November 21. Their winning proposal outlines a reusable packaging system tailored to Japan’s e-commerce sector.

About the International Material Flow Competition (IMFC)

Launched in 2024, the International Material Flow Competition brings together student teams from around the world to develop solutions for the future of logistics and supply chains. The IMFC aims to empower young innovators to tackle pressing sustainability challenges in Japan and globally, while raising awareness of material flow’s role in modern society. Building on its inaugural year, the 2025 competition emphasised collaboration among industry, government, and academia.

This year’s themes included (but were not limited to) AI and IoT in material flow, enhancing efficiency in e-commerce, logistics digital transformation (DX), global warming and environmental issues, and advanced logistics technologies.

The winning project: reusable packaging for Japanese e-commerce

A team of four graduate students—Sara Roehrig, Chloé Rose Danielle Christin, Giulia Marcarino, and Mochoge Marlen Kwamboka—guided by Assistant Professor Nkweauseh Reginald Longfor, received first place for their project “Reusable Packaging in Japanese E-Commerce.”

Roehrig (left) and Christin, representing the team during the presentation

Their proposal outlines a nationwide reusable packaging system tailored to Japan’s e‑commerce ecosystem. The concept aims to reduce packaging-related emissions and waste by:

Durable, reusable packaging designed for multiple cycles
QR-based tracking for returns and lifecycle monitoring
AI-supported logistics to optimize routing and turnaround
Japan’s existing convenience store (konbini) and postal networks to make returns simple and accessible

By leveraging infrastructure that people already use every day, the system aims to make sustainable choices effortless for consumers and cost-effective for retailers.

Looking ahead

Following their win, the team received positive feedback from JMFI and industry partners, who expressed interest in exploring the proposal’s implementation potential. Beyond the prize, the IMFC provides a platform for industry–academia collaboration, connecting students with leading logistics companies and showcasing innovative ideas with real-world impact.