Hyosung TNC said Tuesday it will make eco-friendly bags using plastic bottles with its textile brand Regen in a joint project with Jeju Province Development Corp.

The textile and trading unit of Hyosung Group has signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a resource circulation system with the Ministry of Environment, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Jeju Province Development Corp. and eco-fashion brand Pleatsmama.

Jeju Island Development Corp., which makes bottled water Samdasoo, collects discarded plastic bottles in the resort island. Then, Hyosung TNC, which secured the technology to manufacture recycled fiber, uses recycled chips to make the fiber Regen Jeju. Out of the fiber, Pleatsmama makes eco-friendly bags, which will be launched on June 5.

Based on the 500-milliliter Samdasoo bottle, 16 bottles can make one eco-friendly bag, the company explained.

Hyosung TNC developed Regen, the brand of eco-friendly polyester recycled fiber, in 2008 as the first Korean company. 

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)