[Courtesy of Hyundai Motor]
Upcycling is the act of creating new values for discarded products. For example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles are upcycled to be made into clothing. In 2019, Hyundai upcycled leftover leather through collaboration with Zero+Maria Cornejo, an American eco-friendly fashion brand, to release products through the Re:Style event held in 2019. The company also upcycled leftover materials collected during the automotive manufacturing process in 2020. The collected materials were used in the production of various items such as jewelry, jumpsuits and clothing.
Hyundai said in a statement on October 14 that the company launched "Re:Style 2021" to release 12 types of fashion items. Materials such as discarded car airbags and bio PET, environmentally-friendly bio-components extracted from sugar cane and corn were used. The collection was launched through a collaboration with two global fashion select shops -- L'Eclaireur and Boontheshop. The two shops started selling upcycled products at offline shops in Seoul and Paris on October 14. Actress Bae Doo-na and actor Koo Kyo-hwan promoted Re:Style 2021 products via Hyundai's YouTube channel.
“We are stepping up our collaborations steadily with various industries around the world to usher in a sustainable future. The Re:Style 2021 is one of them, and we hope this project serves as a focal point for young consumers worldwide to understand the impact of manufacturing leftover materials on our shared environment and how we can creatively and practically reutilize them,” Hyundai's global chief marketing officer Thomas Schemera was quoted as saying.
Recycled materials are widely used by various South Korean industries. K-pop wonder BTS gained public attention in September 2021 when members delivered an inspirational speech at the United Nations General Assembly, wearing a suit made with recycled fabric produced by Kolon FnC, a fashion and lifestyle wing of South Korea's fabric maker Kolon Group. 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.
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