Hyundai Motor Company is on a mission to become more responsible in their use of resources. Their Transys department is one of the industry’s leading car interior seat makers in the world, and with unused materials, they saw an opportunity for upcycling leftover leather. Report by One 4 Leather.

Hyundai teamed up with New York-based fashion brand Zero+ Maria Cornejo to produce fashion items using leathers that are not used in the seating production. This was part of the Re:Style event, which explored creative ways to re-use materials and save the planet in style. The fashion brand they partnered with is known for using eco-friendly materials in their collections and exploring cradle-to-cradle products.

The event attracted celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Rowan Blanchard and automotive industry experts including EVP and CMO of Hyundai Motor Company Wonhong Cho and CMO of Hyundai Motor America Dean Evans. Hyundai focuses its efforts on reducing its environmental footprint and leather upholstery, using a by-product that has multiple applications (even after its life as a car interior) fits within that vision.