Old Hyundai car parts recycled for Selfridges fashion range
Hyundai has teamed up with several high-end fashion designers to upcycle the discarded materials from the automotive manufacturing and scrapping process – including seat belts and airbags – for a new Selfridges fashion range.
The sustainable garments include jumpsuits made from upcycled denim and leather scraps, and a corset made of recycled airbag fabric.
There is also a Fuji Technical Vest created from discarded seatbelt webbings and airbag materials while a work vest with pockets was also made from the same product.
And with any outfit comes the accessories – which include a collection of necklaces, chokers and bracelets created using repurposed seatbelts, car glass and foam materials, as well as gold, silver, bronze, and freshwater pearls.
The fashion items have been made as part of Re:Style 2020 – an initiative which stems from the recognition that although most car materials, such as iron and nonferrous metals, are recycled as part of the vehicle scrapping process, there are still some such as leather, glass and airbags that end up in landfill.
The fashion collection has been created with renowned fashion brands Alighieri, E.L.V. DENIM, Public School, pushBUTTON, Richard Quinn and Rosie Assoulin.
Each one is joining in Hyundai’s goal to collaborate across industries to drive innovation in sustainable design and lifestyle.
The unusual products will be sold exclusively at London’s Selfridges pop-up store and the Selfridges online store.
Says Wonhong Cho, Executive Vice President of Hyundai Motor Company:
“At Hyundai Motor, we understand that ethical consumption and caring for the environment are increasingly important considerations of our customers in the post-COVID-19 world.
“Through Re:Style 2020 we want to offer another way Hyundai Motor can help customers enjoy the sustainable lifestyle they aspire to.
“By demonstrating that discarded resources can be reimagined into valuable products, Hyundai Motor encourages more industries to see waste as a recreative opportunity and to work collaboratively toward an environmentally accountable and economically efficient future.”
The event has been aligned with ‘Project Earth’, a symbolically sustainable campaign operated by Selfridges. Sales from the event will raise funds for the British Fashion Council’s Institute of Positive Fashion, which supports global designers and the fashion industry to become more sustainable.
Under its ‘Strategy 2025’, Hyundai aims to be the world’s third-largest automaker of eco-friendly vehicles by 2025, offering battery electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).
It has also just announced the launch of IONIQ: a new electric-vehicle brand with dedicated EV models scheduled to be introduced from 2021.
FULL LIST OF ITEMS:
Alighieri: a stunning collection of necklaces, chokers, bracelets and other items created with repurposed seatbelts, car glass and foam materials, as well as gold, silver, bronze and freshwater pearls
E.L.V. DENIM: a jumpsuit created using upcycled denim and leather scraps from the car manufacturing process
PUBLIC SCHOOL: a Fuji Technical Vest created out of discarded seatbelt webbings and airbag materials
pushBUTTON: a work vest with pockets using airbag materials that keeps the airbag’s original details
Richard Quinn: a corset made of recycled airbag fabrics with a blue and white floral pattern
Rosie Assoulin: a tote bag made of seatbelt webbings, carpet fabrics and foam repurposed from discarded automotive materials
