Amorepacific installs upcycled bench for World Setting Day
The Amorepacific Bank was developed together with TerraCycle and Radio-B
To celebrate World Environment Day (June 5) Amorepacific, a South Korean cosmetics company and multiple winner of the World Branding Awardshas announced its plan to install an upcycling bank made from recycled cosmetic bottles in public facilities for citizens. The bank is a co-creation with the environmental startup TerraCycle and environmental design startup Radio B.
For the manufacture of the bank, Amorepacific developed a terrazzo for the first time in the industry by mixing cosmetic plastic bottle powder with ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). The bank's design underscores the importance of recycling with 1,400 empty bottles used for manufacturing.
The project also contains some unique ideas to promote distance in everyday life to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In the middle of the bench there is a pot with plants and the 1 meter mark so that people can maintain social distance when sitting.
Howard Lee, Executive Director of Amorepacific Communication, said: “This upcycling banking project shows how we can extend the life cycle of products. It makes sense that together we send a positive message to overcome social problems. Amorepacific prides itself as a global corporate citizen in finding sustainable and innovative ways to contribute to society. "
The terrazzo made from recycled cosmetic bottles is used in Amorepacific stores and in the “GREENCYCLE” campaign, a corporate social responsibility activity dedicated to recycling and upcycling.
The company plans to reduce the use of plastic to 700 tons by 2022. To support this, the company is switching to colorless PET to increase the use of recyclable packaging. In June 2019, Amorepacific signed a cooperation agreement with TerraCycle for recycling used bottles.
Their goal was to collect 100 tons of used plastic cosmetic bottles each year and strive for a 100% recycling rate. The company plans to continue its commitment to the environment by increasingly using PCR plastic (post-consumer recycling) and continuously researching environmentally friendly packaging.
