Kia makes waves with ocean plastics

Kia Corporation has developed the first car accessory using plastic taken from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The material was recovered by The Ocean Cleanup project.

Made with 40% recycled ocean plastic, the trunk liner is said  to be as durable, protective and functional as a conventional part. The exclusive accessory will be available for the EV3 model in selected markets.

Kia has supported the non-profit organisation, which has been dedicated to developing and scaling technologies to remove plastic from the world’s oceans since 2022. The partnership is helping the South Korean carmaker increase the use of sustainable materials.

Kia has incorporated recycled fishnets for flooring and recycled plastic bottles for seat fabrics. This includes its all-electric flagship EV9 SUV as well as the EV6, which also uses cloth and matting produced from recycled plastic.

Proud of progress

‘We are proud to see tangible progress made toward creating a circular resource system for ocean plastic,  says eco Charles Ryu. ‘We will continue to manufacture useful and beneficial products for our customers using ocean plastic retrieved and provided by The Ocean Cleanup.’

Rye adds that the carmaker aims to increase the amount of recycled plastics in vehicles by 20% by 2030.

‘Together with our partner Kia, we have provided proof that recycled plastic can be used sustainably. I hope that we can inspire others to do the same,’ says Boyan Slat, founder of The Ocean Cleanup.