For three years, the Korean company has been collaborating with the Healthy Seas foundation to recover abandoned fishing nets. Econyl is born from recycling, a yarn that is used to create interior elements
There is no car manufacturer that is not paying attention to sustainability in the creation of its models. Each has its own strategy and Hyundai’s also focuses on the sea, which suffers very serious damage from plastic and the remains of fishing materials. The second aspect is still underestimated, despite a United Nations report estimating that every year more than 580 million kg (one tenth of marine waste) of fishing gear are dumped into the ocean. Hence the collaboration of the Korean company with the Healthy Seas foundation which concerns three aspects: the recovery of abandoned fishing nets, known as “ghost nets”, thanks to the work of volunteer divers; organizing educational programs in schools to teach children about the importance of keeping the oceans clean; collaboration with fishermen and local communities. Hyundai’s commitment to Healthy Seas began in 2021, recovering 76 tons of debris from the seabed in Ithaca, and season after season is leading to valid results.
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Working with a network of partners, Healthy Seas helps recycle plastic waste into new materials, to support a circular economy system. Reclaimed fishing nets and other nylon waste become Econyl, a yarn that is used to make new products. With this material, Hyundai builds part of the car interiors: a first step has been made with Ioniq 5, which can be ordered with Econyl mats. Subsequently, the seat covers were made from the same fabric for both the Ioniq 5 and the Ioniq 6. Other recovered materials are sent to local recycling facilities. In 2024, Hyundai and Healthy Seas completed a marine clean-up operation in the Gulf of Ambracia, the latest act in a year-long initiative to remove waste from Greek coastal waters. Called “Operation Ghost Farms – Reclaiming Waters”, the project saw the two partners collect more than 170 tonnes of waste that was in the sea.
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