[Spring 2019] Millennials & Generation Z: Team EcoWear

Team Name: EcoWear

Team Members: Yoonseo (Esther) Chung, Lee Jeongmin (Evan)

We decided to pursue a problem that a lot of people might underestimate: the plastic waste situation. Plastic consumption is increasing at an exponential rate, and contemporary recycling methods are being overwhelmed by the sheer mass and quantity of the plastic we consume. Plastic waste is dumped in landfills or in oceans because we just have too much of it to deal with.

We thought it was important to find an innovative way to deal with the existing plastic waste itself. By doing research on various ways to recycle plastic, we found out that PET bottles can be processed to make recycled polyester, which can be used as an ingredient for fibers. We decided to use this technology to create socks with cute designs of marine animals struggling because of the plastic waste in the ocean. Our socks and our overall branding emphasizes on spreading the message of plastic waste and the harmful effects it brings to us and the environment.