Kia Corporation has introduced a car accessory made from plastic collected from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP), marking a significant development in its partnership with The Ocean Cleanup. Since 2022, Kia has supported the non-profit organisation, which focuses on removing plastic from the oceans. The new accessory, a limited-edition trunk liner for the Kia EV3, is made from ocean plastic and will be available in selected markets alongside the model's introduction.
Charles Ryu, Executive Vice President and Head of the Global Brand & CX Division at Kia, noted that the partnership underscores both organisations' commitment to environmental responsibility and innovation. The trunk liner, which incorporates 40% recycled ocean plastic, is designed to reflect Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy, with a geometric wave pattern inspired by ocean currents. It is as durable and functional as conventional trunk liners and comes with a QR code providing details about the product's development and the partnership.
Kia and The Ocean Cleanup have been working together to turn plastic waste from the GPGP into practical products. The ocean plastic requires special handling due to its composition, which is exclusively made up of materials already in the ocean. This necessitates a Chain of Custody Standard to ensure the traceability and integrity of the materials used.
Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, expressed gratitude for Kia's support, highlighting the importance of their collaboration in giving ocean plastic a new life through sustainable products.
Kia is also integrating recycled materials into its other models, such as the EV9, which uses recycled fishnets and plastic bottles for interior components, and the EV6, which includes cloth and matting produced from recycled plastics.