TOKYO >> Clever are the entrepreneurs who have figured out how to tap into the bottomless well of unclaimed lost items found on trains and buses in Japan. Some of these items are refashioned to increase their value, while others are sold at discount prices. Either way, they benefit consumers without adding strain to the supply chain.

Among the items are unusual tote bags and pouches at a Tokyo store of the lifestyle brand O0u (pronounced “oh-zero-you”).

The items, made from used plastic umbrellas, not only look upscale, they are durable, resistant to rain and dirt and washable.

Mondo Design Co., a Tokyo- based bag manufacturer, purchases used plastic umbrellas, most of which were lost on trains. In 2021 alone, the company repurposed about 30,000 umbrellas.

The transformation begins with the umbrellas being disassembled and cleaned. Then they are stacked in layers and pressed before being sewn into something new.

The resulting tote bags and pouches, priced between $38 to $115, have unique designs with different patterns and textures. They are well received, especially by women in their 20s and 30s.

Railway companies have also gotten on board with giving lost items a new lease on life.

In the past, Tokyu Corp. discarded most unclaimed items, and in fiscal 2020, those lost items amounted to about 25 tons of materials.

In December 2021, the railroad formed a partnership with Bookoff Corp., a second-hand goods retailing company. Tokyu now sells books, earphones, watches, bags and other unclaimed items at some Bookoff stores.

In June, Tokyu Bus Corp. followed suit. And it seems consumers welcome the goods.

“With commodity prices rising, people are becoming more and more interested in the second-hand market, said Naoko Kuga of the NLI Research Institute, who specializes in consumer behavior.