Now, Starbucks Creates Eco-Friendly Products Using Plastic Cups

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Eco-friendly outdoor brand NOW is creating eco-friendly products using Starbucks plastic cups.

NOW announced on the 24th that through collaboration with Starbucks, it will conduct a campaign enabling consumers to directly participate in the entire process of waste plastic recycling (disposal-collection-reproduction) to build habits for environmental sustainability.

This collaboration was made possible because BYN Black Yak, NOW's parent company, established Korea's first PET bottle resource circulation system and possesses eco-friendly product manufacturing technology.

The campaign begins with the collection of Starbucks plastic cups used for iced beverages. Until the 26th of next month, Starbucks will collect Starbucks plastic cups and transparent water bottles (PET) from consumers who have removed the label stickers, thoroughly washed them, and removed moisture. NOW will then repurpose these into eco-friendly lifestyle products made from ‘K-rPET recycled fibers’.

These products, embodying NOW’s brand value of ‘enjoying nature as it is without harming it and returning it back,’ are scheduled to be launched at Starbucks stores in September.

During the plastic cup collection period, Starbucks will encourage consumer participation through the Instagram challenge ‘Small Habits for the Earth - #ValueTogetherThrowAwayChallenge.’

Participants who remove labels from Starbucks plastic cups (excluding lids) or transparent water bottles (PET), wash them clean, remove moisture, and place them in designated collection bins at Starbucks stores, then upload photos with the required hashtags, will be entered into a draw to win free Starbucks beverage coupons. Leaving various ideas for the products to be reborn in the comments will also enter participants into a draw to win recycled products as prizes.

A NOW representative said, “Through collaboration with Starbucks, which is closely connected to consumers’ daily environments, NOW’s message to enjoy eco-friendliness in everyday life in a fun and pleasant way will be effectively conveyed.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.