This year Hyundai is more than just Forbes best automaker for 2021. Hyundai motors ‘Restyle 2021’ introduces 12 fashion articles designed from discarded vehicle materials, including airbags and seatbelts.
Vehicles cause more than just Co2 emissions. A lot of automotive waste ends up in landfills or fills up junkyards. Most of this waste remains unrecycled adding to the land pollution. Hyundai is using what can’t be fully recycled and reusing it to create sustainable offerings. With its three-year-old upcycling initiative, the company has joined the ranks of other sustainable brands like Kering and Stella McCartney. We look into company’s latest sustainable clothing collection.
Hyundai Motors ‘Restyle 2021’ Upcycling project
The Design And Development
The company celebrates the third annual iteration of its upcycling project by introducing a fashion line made entirely of discarded vehicle waste that would otherwise end up in landfills.
The items come in faded solid colours, green and blue, with sky blue contrast piping. Contrasting white patches and pockets give the collection a techwear feel.
The collection is designed with used or discarded automotive manufacturing materials derived from car seatbelts and airbags. Additionally, the collection features eco-friendly materials used in Hyundai’s IONIQ 5, including recycled fibers and BioPET.
While there have been many sustainability initiatives in fashion, Hyundai is one of the pioneers in non-fashion companies to utilize manufacturing waste for clothing. This proves that sustainability practices can be incorporated in any industry to create lasting global change.
Previously, the company worked with artists like E.L.V. and Alighieri for its upcycle project that featured a tote bag (made from seatbelts, repurposed foam, and carpet materials); a corset and a vest (made from recycled airbags fabric); a jumpsuit (made from leather scraps and upcycled denim); a Fuji technical vest (made from airbag materials and discarded seatbelt webbings); and jewellery made from repurposed seatbelts, foams, and car glass.
The company’s other sustainability initiatives include a partnership with OCI Co. (a chemical and green energy company) to create an environmentally-friendly battery resourcing system by reusing electric batteries.
What To Buy And Where To Buy
The pieces in the collection include long and short pants, sweatshirts, zip-up hoodies, and track jackets. The 12 fashion articles were launched in Paris, France, and Seoul, South Korea at Boontheshop and L’Eclaireur.
The items are available in limited quantities. The offline shops will sell the items from October 14 through 28, while the online shops (sivillage.com and leclaireur.com) will carry the stock for 4 weeks till November 10.
The project intends to support various sustainable causes started by Hyundai Motors in partnership with the two retailers (Boontheshop and L’Eclaireur) in light of their shared values and commitment towards sustainability.
What Does This Mean For The Fashion Industry?
In fashion, we have seen several sustainability initiatives that seek to use materials that reduce environmental damage. PANGAIA launched its own fabrics made out of fruits and veggies this year, while Ralph Lauren created its own cotton dyeing system.
By converting automotive waste into clothing material, Hyundai has become a part of the sustainability ecosystem that will only continue to thrive. However, it is unclear how the automotive waste is processed and what steps lead to the final product. Companies like CROCS offer detailed explanations on their manufacturing processes helping consumers understand how the process is cutting down the environmental impact at every stage of garment or fabric production.
Most BCorp companies introduce sustainability practices at each level of product manufacturing to ensure the complete eradication of practices that cause any form of pollution. If the sustainable materials for clothing use methods that cause water, air, or land pollution, the final product does more harm than good.
So while we applaud Hyundai Motors ‘Restyle 2021’ and other initiatives that seek to eliminate environmental concerns, we hope that the company will be more transparent about its manufacturing processes.
Watch the company’s official video for the upcycle project below.
