Rakuten Kobo introduces a more eco-conscious way to read and listen with Kobo Clara 2E

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TORONTO, ON - Rakuten Kobo announces the new Kobo Clara 2E, a more eco-conscious eReader with big upgrades. Taking an important step in our mission to make reading lives better, the Kobo Clara 2E is built with an exterior made with more than 85 per cent recycled plastic—including 10 per cent ocean-bound plastic—includes Bluetooth® wireless technology and is Kobo’s first 6” waterproof eReader.

Kobo Clara 2E is Kobo’s first eReader made with ocean-bound and recycled plastic, following the company’s commitment to transition to certified recycled materials wherever feasible while meeting technical product requirements. Over the course of the year Kobo plans to divert more than 200,000 plastic bottles from our planet’s oceans and more than a million CDs and DVDs from landfills. Booklovers can feel good about getting lost in their latest read on an upgraded 6” HD E Ink Carta 1200 glare-free screen, with Dark Mode and ComfortLight PRO with blue light reduction, allowing for more late-night reading without affecting your sleep quality.

Complete with weeks of battery life† and 16GB of storage, the Kobo Clara 2E holds entire libraries of eBooks and Kobo Audiobooks, and is the latest device to feature Bluetooth® wireless technology, offering readers the flexibility to read or listen to the latest stories. Kobo’s custom-designed and protective SleepCovers are also made from recycled materials, now available in Black, Deep Ocean Blue, Coral Reef Orange, and Sea Glass Green.

“Kobo Clara 2E is about living our values: providing a better reading experience while also taking an important step toward sustainability,” said Michael Tamblyn, CEO, Rakuten Kobo. “We believe that each small, thoughtful, and intentionally placed act can make a meaningful impact. So, we’re starting by incorporating recycled materials into the device, accessories and packaging to complement our booklovers’ favourite features, like waterproofing and Bluetooth® wireless technology so they can listen to their favourite audiobooks.”

The launch of Kobo Clara 2E follows Kobo’s commitment to offset 100 per cent of the carbon emissions associated with direct shipments of its Kobo eReaders. Revenue from the 2021 offsets is currently directed to the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project, which supports First Nation communities and helps protect British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, one of the largest temperate rainforests in the world. Proceeds from the offsets help to improve forest and marine management practices through Indigenous-led stewardship efforts, while also investing in the local community Youth, Elder and Guardian Watchmen programs. More details on Kobo’s carbon offset initiatives can be found here.

Available at www.kobo.com and select retailers, Kobo Clara 2E will retail for $159.99 CAD/$129.99 USD. Pre-orders are available now and the devices will be available in stores and online beginning September 22 in Canada, the US, the UK, Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland, Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia.

†Dependent on individual usage.

Get to know Kobo Clara 2E

Turning the page on single-use plastic

The Kobo Clara 2E exterior is made with more than 85 per cent recycled plastic—including 10 per cent ocean-bound plastic—abandoned plastic waste that is on its way to our oceans. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency1, recycling 10 plastic bottles saves enough energy to power a laptop for more than 25 hours. And it’s not just with our device that we’re making progress. Our newest packaging is magnet-free, made with FSC-certified recycled paper and printed with soy ink—one of the most eco-conscious and renewable printing processes currently available.

1 https://www.epa.gov/recycle/fr...

Splish splash you can read in the bath

Kobo Clara 2E is our first fully waterproof 6” eReader with up to 60 minutes water resistance in up to two metres of water. Adding the pocket-friendly size to our waterproof lineup along with 7” Kobo Libra 2 and 8” Kobo Sage means it’s always ready for unexpected spills, rainforest backpack treks, travels to the beach, or a worry-free reading experience soaking in the tub.

Listen up

Can’t decide whether you want to read or be read to? With Kobo Clara 2E’s Bluetooth® wireless technology you can listen to Kobo Audiobooks†† so you can continue to enjoy your favourite stories on your terms.

††Kobo Audiobooks are only available in select countries. Bluetooth® wireless headphones or speaker are required.

Bring your whole library anywhere

With a world of books in the palm of your hand, booklovers can always find something new to read with Kobo. Our built-in Kobo Store allows readers to move swiftly to the next installment of a series or discover new stories to explore. With 16GB of storage, booklovers can bring up to 12,000 eBooks or 75 Kobo Audiobooks with them wherever they go*. Cost-conscious readers also have built-in local library borrowing via OverDrive**, where eBooks can be borrowed for free with a library card, pending on local library availability. Booklovers can also access Pocket to save and read online articles or subscribe to Kobo Plus for an all-you-can-read subscription at one low monthly fee.

*1GB = 1 billion bytes. Assumes an approximate size of about 1.3 MB per eBook. Some storage space utilized by software

**OverDrive integration is available on all of Kobo’s current eReaders in Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Read and recycle with the latest eco-conscious SleepCover

As the newest evolution of our beloved SleepCovers, the Kobo Clara 2E SleepCover is the perfect eco-conscious partner for your eReader. With a back case made with 97 per cent recycled plastic, including 10 per cent ocean-bound plastic, and an inner microfibre lining made with 40 per cent plastic bottle recycled fibre, this SleepCover helps rescue plastic that would otherwise become landfill and ocean waste while also protecting your eReader’s HD screen. It has a built-in stand that lets you read hands-free and can automatically wake your eReader and put it to sleep. Kobo Clara 2E's SleepCover comes in three colours: Coral Reef Orange, Sea Glass Green, and Black.

For those looking to match the exterior of the Kobo Clara 2E, the Kobo Basic SleepCover is made with recycled polyester and an inner microfibre lining made with 40 per cent recycled plastic water bottles—all in the perfect shade of Deep Ocean Blue. Simply close the cover to put your eReader to sleep and open it to wake it up.

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About Rakuten Kobo Inc.

Rakuten Kobo Inc. is the world’s digital bookseller created by and for booklovers. Owned by Tokyo-based Rakuten Group, Inc. and headquartered in Toronto, Rakuten Kobo’s millions of worldwide users can read anytime, anywhere, and on any device. With a mission to make reading lives better for all, Rakuten Kobo connects readers to stories using thoughtful and personalized curation of eBooks and audiobooks, and the best dedicated eReaders and apps for reading. With the singular focus of making reading lives the best they can be, Kobo’s open platform allows people to fit reading into more moments in their busy lives.

To learn more about Rakuten Kobo, visit www.kobo.com.

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