In a world first Kia has developed a car accessory made from plastic extracted from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP).
Kia will offer a limited-edition luggage liner with the all-new Kia EV3 that is made from 40 per cent ocean plastic retrieved by The Ocean Cleanup organisation.
The exclusive accessory will be available for EV3 in selected markets and available to order in line with the model’s market introduction.
Kia is a supporter of the non-profit organisation, which is dedicated to developing and scaling technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic.
As part of the company’s ongoing sustainability goals, Kia has proactively integrated recycled plastics and other eco-friendly materials in its latest models.
This includes its all-electric flagship SUV – the EV9 – which incorporates recycled fishnets for flooring and recycled plastic bottles for seat fabrics, and the EV6, which uses cloth and matting produced from recycled plastics.
Made with 40 per cent recycled ocean plastic, the high-quality luggage liner is just as durable, protective and functional as a conventional liner.
Each liner also features a QR code, which provides customers with detailed information about the product’s development and the partnership, as well as The Ocean Cleanup logo.
Since the beginning of their seven-year partnership, Kia and The Ocean Cleanup have worked tirelessly to find innovative ways to transform plastic waste from the GPGP into durable, practical products.
Due to the unique qualities of the ocean plastic catch, the first phase involves sorting, recycling, and processing the plastic to meet Kia’s strict quality standards.
Unlike ocean-bound plastic, the Ocean Cleanup’s catch is exclusively composed of materials that were already in the ocean, making it more challenging to recycle.
This means that the plastic must undergo a Chain of Custody Standard to verify its traceability and material integrity.
The Great Pacific garbage patch is a floating patch of marine debris in the central North Pacific Ocean.
The collection of plastic and floating trash originates from the Pacific Rim, including countries in Asia, North America, and South America.
Researchers from The Ocean Cleanup project claim that the patch covers 1.6 million square kilometres and that it consists of 45,000–129,000 tonnes of plastic (2018).
Its goal is to remove half of the plastic pollution by 2027 using floating barriers anchored to the seabed.
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