- Collaborating with Art Impact-Project 1907 and others to release and sell recycled textile materials using “chemical recycling”
- Established an eco-friendly B2B2C system through the plastic recycling ecosystem platform, “EUUM,” targeting the 4 trillion won global recycled textile market
Following the eco-friendly container market, SK chemicals is expanding its supply of “Chemical Recycle” materials to the textile and clothing markets.
SK chemicals announced on the 27th that it has released and started selling recycled fiber fabrics developed jointly with eco-friendly social enterprises such as “Art Impact” and “Project 1907” through “EUUM” (www.e-uum.com), a plastic recycling ecosystem platform.
These fabrics, such as “100% polyester” and “span blend,” were commercialized by Art Impact, Project 1907, and other companies supplied with SK chemicals’ chemically recycled PET (CR-PET) as a raw material. Chemical recycling is breaking down waste plastics into molecular units and remaking them into raw materials, which can reduce the use of virgin plastics made from petroleum.
Art Impact is a social venture company that produces and sells eco-friendly fashion materials and products, and Project 1907 is an eco-friendly lifestyle fashion brand. The two companies plan to use the newly developed fabric for their own fashion brand products and expand marketing to meet the various needs of apparel companies needing eco-friendly fabrics.
SK chemicals led this collaboration through “EUUM,” and plans to build a sales network as “B2B2C (Business to Business, Business to Consumer)” that connects the supply chain of chemically recycled fibers and consumers in the future. The EUUM site is increasing market awareness by providing free “Textile Experience Kits” containing fashion products such as scarves made of recycled materials to visiting customers. Through this, SK chemicals plans to expand its cooperation structure with various textile and fashion companies that deal with clothing/daily supplies/camping supplies/packaging fabrics.
The global recycled polyester fiber market is expected to grow to around $3.7 billion (4.8 trillion won) in 2026, at an average annual growth rate of 4.9%, according to the “Strategy for the Promotion of the Eco-Friendly and Recycled Textile Fashion Industry” published by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade.
Kim Hyun-seok, head of SK chemicals’ New Business Development Department, said, “The stable supply chain for chemically recycled PET with a capacity of 50,000 tons was secured by acquiring the Shuye plant,” and added, “We will strive to preoccupy the sustainable fashion-oriented textile market as well as the global recycled textile market, whose use for industrial purposes is expanding.”
# Photo : Polyester fabric made from chemically recycled raw materials