[Courtesy of LF]
Vegan leather, often made of plant materials, is produced using plastic-coated fabric that has a leathery texture. Vegan leather is preferred by animal lovers and environmentally aware consumers who wish to reduce pollution generated at leather processing plants. However, polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride used in vegan leather are not biodegradable.
Hazzys said in a statement on October 5 that the company released sneakers using vegan leather made of apple skin, adding that all shoes released from 2023 will be made with eco-friendly materials. The apple skin sneakers were created through collaboration with Italian sneaker brand ID.EIGHT. Along with vegan leather made of apple skin, recycled polyester rubber, fabric and paper materials were used in the production of the insole and outsole.
South Korean apparel makers have been focusing on creating eco-friendly brands as demands for environmentally-friendly products increase. Seoul-based global apparel brand FILA announced in September 2021 that eco-friendly shoes made with recycled materials including recycled cork and biodegradable waterproof paper will be released. Some models used up to 85 percent recycled materials for synthetic leather that covers the upper part. Packaging materials such as shoe boxes and product tags used 100 percent recycled paper.
Bottled water companies are also releasing label-free polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles for easy recycling so that consumers do not have to remove labels made of a thin sheet of plastic. K-pop sensation BTS also delivered a motivational speech at the 76th United Nations General Assembly wearing "RE;CODE," a suit produced by Kolon FnC, a fashion and lifestyle wing of South Korea's fabric maker Kolon Group, using recycled fabric in September 2021.
LF, which owns apparel brands Daks, Lafuma, Maestro, and Hazzys, was founded in 2007 by Koo Bon-keul, a grandson of LG Group's late founder Koo In-hwoi, after LG International separated its fashion business.
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