When you hear the phrase “stainless steel kitchen”, most people would first think of a professional kitchen. Stainless steel, is corrosion resistant, durable, resistant to mould and odours, hygienic, and easy to clean.

The desire for a hygienic and durable kitchen is also equally applicable to domestic kitchens. Imagine if your key kitchen surfaces were consistently resistant to moisture, made easy to remove dirt, low in maintenance needs, and offered a longer service life … this kitchen exists: a stainless steel kitchen, equipped with the ‘Stainless Steel Eco Cabinet’ by Cleanup from Japan.

 

The ‘System Kitchen’ in Japan, featuring stainless steel

In 1973, Japan’s first ‘System Kitchen’, a modular kitchen that has a single, continuous worktop, was released by Cleanup. The design was inspired by European custom-made kitchen units, which commonly featured a single worktop at that time, and it is now widely adopted in Japanese domestic kitchens.

The System Kitchen allows customisation of the worktop, cabinets, sink, heating equipment, faucets, and other components, as well as the selection of materials and colours to suit personal preferences. Options such as wood grain or ceramic finishes are available to suit your interior, allowing you to create your own kitchen.

Why Stainless Steel? – Designed to last for decades

Now that many companies produce the System Kitchen, Cleanup stands out for its dedication to selecting stainless steel as a material for the System Kitchen from the very beginning. For example, the “Sakura DX”, a stainless steel cabinet kitchen released in 1975, just two years after the System Kitchen’s debut, proved to be strong, shiny, and beautiful even after 30 years of use.

Even after 30 years of use, this stainless steel kitchen remains in perfect condition.

The kitchen in the photograph is an actual unit that has been in use in a general household for over 30 years. Examination revealed no signs of mould or rust, and a structural analysis confirmed that it remained fully functional. Every part, including the rear and interior of the cabinet, retained its pristine conditionqualities that result from the material properties of stainless steel.

The ‘Stainless Steel Eco Cabinet’ was newly introduced in 2011. In contrast to most kitchens, which use wood for their cabinets, the Stainless Steel Eco Cabinet uses stainless steel in the frame, side panels, bottom, and even the bases of the drawers. Stainless steel is an ideal material for kitchens, particularly in areas that are difficult to clean, as it resists mould and odours caused by daily exposure to water, ensuring long-lasting cleanliness and durability.

 

A sustainable future with stainless steel kitchens

Stainless steel is an easy-to-recycle material with a recycling rate of over 95% (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and Team Stainless, 2022). At the end of its life, stainless steels are collected as scrap and directly reused to produce new stainless steel, without any downcycling. The Stainless Steel Eco Cabinet is not only an eco-friendly product that uses stainless steel as its material, but its cabinet structure is also designed for easy disassembly and recycling, making it even more sustainable. The design is simple, yet its strength is enhanced by special bending techniques. The use of materials other than stainless steel is minimised, which reduces the need for adhesives, resulting in a low-VOC emissions concept.

Designed with a simple disassembly structure, it minimises the use of materials other than stainless steel and reducing adhesives.

Pursuing the expansion of the adoption of stainless steel kitchens, Cleanup also offers a ‘Kitchen Cabinet Recycling Program’. When a stainless steel kitchen reaches the end of its service life, and you purchase a new kitchen equipped with the Stainless Steel Eco Cabinet, the old kitchen cabinet is evaluated, collected, and recycled.

Choosing a stainless steel kitchen can be a simple and firm visual step that supports sustainability in everyday life.

(Pictures courtesy of Cleanup)

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