Gwangju Shinsegae Donates 10 Benches Made from Recycled Uniforms

Installed at the Site of "Simman Yangbyeong Mural Road"

Gwangju Shinsegae Co., Ltd. has demonstrated its commitment to the local community by donating benches made from discarded uniforms.

According to Gwangju Shinsegae on November 6, a "Renew Bench Donation Ceremony" was held near Uncheon Children's Park in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, attended by Seo-gu Mayor Kim Ikang, Gwangju Shinsegae Director of Administration Kim Youngcheon, and others.

On the 6th, the Renew Bench installed in Gamtan Village, Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju was made by upcycling old uniforms. Provided by Seo-gu, Gwangju

A total of 10 benches were installed on this day, all made from recycled uniforms.

Gwangju Shinsegae decided to turn old staff uniforms, which were set to be discarded after being replaced at 13 stores nationwide, into benches.

A total of 10,000 uniforms were collected for the bench production. After removing foreign substances and shredding the uniforms, the resulting material was spread thin, layered several times, and then compressed at high temperatures to create sturdy benches.

The company named the benches "Renew Bench (RE+NEW)" to reflect the idea that worn-out clothing has been reborn as a resting place for everyone. Uniforms that would have caused environmental pollution through landfill or incineration have been transformed into public seating for citizens thanks to Gwangju Shinsegae’s efforts.

The significance was further enhanced by the installation site, which is home to "Simman Yangbyeong Mural Road," where visitors can view an upcycled mural made from 100,000 discarded plastic bottle caps.

In addition, Gwangju Shinsegae has been practicing community love through a variety of resource circulation activities.

In August, the company upcycled used cooking oil generated from the department store’s food hall to create recycled soap, which was donated to environmental and civic organizations in the Gwangju area.

This initiative was designed to raise awareness of environmental protection by upcycling waste cooking oil, which can cause water pollution.

Last year, Gwangju Shinsegae also made children’s safety umbrellas from discarded banners and donated them to local elementary schools.

Kim Youngcheon, Director of Administration at Gwangju Shinsegae, said, "We hope our various upcycling activities will serve as an opportunity to recognize the importance of the environment," adding, "As a local corporation, we will continue to pursue activities that provide tangible benefits to the community."