CONTINUE, Bags and Wallets Made from Car Waste... "Turning Uselessness into Usefulness"

BTS RM Used and Spread by Word of Mouth
CEO Choi Ihyeon: "Quality Is the Most Important"

Choi Ihyun, CEO of More Than (operator of CONTINUE).

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chunhan] "CONTINUE is a company that turns uselessness into usefulness."

Choi Ihyun, CEO of More Than, stated in an interview with Asia Economy on the 13th, "We contribute to reducing landfill waste and carbon dioxide emissions by upcycling discarded materials such as automotive safety products and waste nets into fashion products." CONTINUE is a brand that transforms automotive waste into accessories like bags and wallets. CEO Choi studied corporate social responsibility during his studies in the UK, and his master's thesis focused on the sustainable social responsibility of Korean automobile companies, showing his strong interest in solving environmental issues.

CEO Choi emphasized that quality is the most important factor for value-driven consumption brands. He explained, "The product should be made in such a way that customers cannot tell it was made through upcycling to be consistently loved. No matter how good the motivation is, if the usability of the finished product is poor or the design is unattractive, customers cannot be satisfied." CONTINUE operates its production process environmentally friendly by installing rainwater collection, wastewater filtration facilities, and solar panels at its factory in Paju.

CONTINUE has gained great popularity due to its excellent quality and sincerity toward environmental protection. In particular, the use of its products by BTS's RM has sparked word-of-mouth among the younger generation. The main sales channel is its own mall (D2C) built on the global e-commerce platform Cafe24, with sales last year increasing by 168% compared to the previous year and the number of subscribers to the mall increasing by 120%. CEO Choi revealed, "In the early days of the startup, I personally visited scrap yards nationwide to secure materials, but as the brand became known, various automobile companies such as Hyundai, Kia, Audi, Volvo, and Porsche have been providing waste materials."

CEO Choi emphasized, "The ultimate goal is to become a company that sets the standards for upcycling and environmental protection," adding, "We want to increase our client base by providing the materials we use to brands interested in environmental issues."

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