Dongseo University Teams Shine at the "2025 Fashion Solve-A-Thon"
Transforming Waste Plastic and Data into Fashion Innovation
Proving the Power of Practical Startup Support
The stage for youth entrepreneurship in Busan was electrified. After fierce competition, the top spot on the stage was claimed by Dongseo University.
Two teams from the Dongseo University RISE Project Group swept the top prizes at the finals of the "2025 Fashion Solve-A-Thon," winning both the Grand Prize and the Excellence Award. The moment when creative projects-turning waste plastic into fashion and transforming data into startup items-determined the winner.
This competition, hosted by Busan Metropolitan City and the Busan Textile & Fashion Industry Association in collaboration with the Busan National University Startup Support Group, was held at the Busan Fashion Biz Center on August 12, 2025. As the first stage to seek ideas for solving issues in the fashion industry and creating social value, 45 teams from across the country competed in the preliminaries, and the final 8 teams advanced to the main IR stage.
The themes were ESG response, digital transformation, and strengthening global competitiveness through AI technology. On the final stage, Dongseo University's "PLSTK" and "FTS" teams won the Grand Prize and the Excellence Award, respectively, clearly demonstrating the effectiveness of practical startup support.
"PLSTK" (team leader Sieun Lee, team members Gabin Park and Haeun Jung) proposed a project to create eco-friendly designer bags using hotel waste plastic and 3D printing. "FTS" (team leader Bongjun Choi, team members Moonsu Jang, Junho Lim, and Woojin Choi) proposed an automated clothing data labeling system based on a hierarchical detection model.
Sieun Lee, a master's and doctoral student in design at Dongseo University, said, "Collaborating with teammates from different majors to create new value has become a great asset," adding, "I will continue to pursue sustainable fashion creation in the future."
Kihyun Hwang, head of the Dongseo University RISE Project Group, emphasized, "The Fashion Solve-A-Thon is not just a contest, but a platform for developing practical entrepreneurial skills," and added, "We will expand on-site, field-oriented support linked to the local startup ecosystem."
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