South Korean Leather Company Recognized by BMW for Sustainability
Global automaker BMW has sent a love call to a domestic startup that has developed an innovative resource-recycling material. ATKO Planning is the first company in the world to make sustainable recycled leather threads from waste leather.
According to the related industry on the 26th, six domestic startups including ATKO Planning will participate in the 'BMW Open Innovation Pitching Day @ Munich' to be held on June 29 in Munich, Germany. These are the companies that passed the final screening by the BMW head office jury among 10 companies that showed innovative technologies in a contest held last month by BMW Startup Garage Korea together with Korea Venture Investment and KOTRA.
ATKO Planning has been in the spotlight since Pitching Day. This is because ATKO Planning was the only company specializing in materials among participating companies. The BMW Headquarters' selection of ATKO Planning in the final evaluation is a stepping stone for ESG (environmental, social, and governance) management in mind.
It is reported that there is a high interest in ATKO Planning's innovative technology that can semi-permanently recycle leather, which will become waste after scrapping a car. ATKO Planning is scheduled to hold a meeting with the person in charge of the interior design department at BMW headquarters on Pitching Day in Germany.
The advantage of ATKO Planning's recycled leather thread is that it can be recycled like glass bottles as well as recycled leather. When producing and disposing of leather products (landfill/incineration), carbon emissions and environmental pollution are serious, and it is difficult to recycle due to various chemical treatments.
However, leather products made from ATKO Planning's recycled leather thread can be recycled back into leather thread. This is a sustainable virtuous cycle structure. It is for this reason that global apparel and sporting goods companies such as PVH, Nike, and Adidas previously selected ATKO Planning as their official vendor. "ESG is rapidly spreading in the automobile industry as well, because it is an industry that uses a lot of leather with serious carbon emissions," an ATKO Planning official said. will go," he said.
Meanwhile, BMW Startup Garage Korea has been discovering domestic startups that can help the BMW Group innovate through Pitching Day since 2018. The six Korean startups selected this year will visit the BMW Research and Innovation Center in Munich, Germany, and hold a company briefing session and booth exhibition. In addition, we will discuss whether to proceed with PoC (demonstration) for technology introduction with relevant business departments within the BMW Group.
Startup Pitching Day held by BMW in Korea in 2020 (Photo courtesy of KOTRA)
Source: Kim Yoo-kyung from MT News (May 26, 2022)
https://news.mt.co.kr/mtview.php?no=2022052514244087597
More Korean Innovation News
A Korean Marriage Story
Korean brides are sometimes proposed to after all the preparations for the wedding are done. Unlike the typical Western norms of marriage proposals, a proposal in Korea is more like a celebration of their union. Discover more about Korean proposals here!
Jwipo, Your New Jerky Obsession
Learn how to make Jwipo, a salty and savory fish jerky beloved all over Korea. Read more here!
Try these old-fashioned Korean snacks this Lunar New Year
These traditional Korean snacks are a certified hit this Lunar New Year with their sweet and savory offerings. If you find yourself in Korea or see an international market with these tasty treats, be sure to try them out. Read more about these snacks here!
Korean Sci-fi film ‘Jung_E’ tops Netflix charts
Netflix original film ‘Jung_E’ captures the attention of viewers worldwide. Set in a dystopian future, director Yeon Sang-ho's new film is a certified hit in the vain of similar Korean sci-fi films. Learn more about the film here!
To Binge or not to Binge?
Streaming companies like Disney+ are keying into the viewing habits of customers with their new suite of shows available to stream. These shows will be batched out in waves so viewers can enjoy them as they please while still allowing for anticipation for future releases. Read more here!
Revenge: K-drama exposes school violence
K-drama, The Glory, shows the omnipresent problem that is school bullying. The success of the show has led many fans internationally to begin campaigns to uncover the abuse and end it. Discover more about the movement here!
Woodstock to spread peace and love in Korea
For the first time, legendary music festival Woodstock will be in Korea. While the lineup has not been fully revealed, about 30 performances are expected to occur. Read more about the festival here!
The Little Cellist: 11-year-old prodigy takes First Prize
At the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Russia, 11-year old Korean cellist Kim Jung-a won first prize. There were a total of 128 contestants from 14 countries who participated in the piano, violin, and cello categories this year. Discover more about their achievement here!
BTS reclaims Billboard: And other popular K-pop music
Billboard 200 has a number of K-pop groups topping the charts, but the surprise hit is BTS reentering with a song from 2017. Read more about their unstoppable success and the latest K-pop groups with highly anticipated releases here!
