What kinds of materials and products are featured at the Seoul Upcycling Plaza exhibitions?

The displays include furniture and home accessories, fashion items, sculptures and other design objects made from materials such as automobile airbags, old clothing, plastic bags, bottle caps, sawdust, Styrofoam, cocoa shells, sea shells, aircraft life vests and automotive leather seats.

How can visitors buy products or take part in activities at the Seoul Upcycling Plaza exhibitions?

Visitors can scan QR codes at the pop-up to purchase displayed items. The plaza also offers free workshops by reservation, where participants can make notebooks from discarded promotional banners or key rings from leftover fabric.

When do the Seoul Upcycling Plaza exhibitions run, and where are they located?

“Forms of Circularity: Resource Circulation Process” is on the first floor of the Seoul Upcycling Plaza through April 17, 2027. The “Upcycling PICK: Conscious Consumption Pop-up x More Store” is in the plaza’s main lobby through April 23, 2027.

Seoul exhibitions turn discarded materials into design treasures

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Summary

Two exhibitions at the Seoul Upcycling Plaza in Seoul showcase how discarded materials can be transformed into functional art and design objects. Organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Design Foundation, the displays feature products and recycling systems from brands and artists. One exhibition runs through April 17, 2027, and a companion pop-up runs through April 23, 2027. Visitors can also join free, reservation-based workshops using discarded materials.

Key Facts

“Forms of Circularity: Resource Circulation Process” opened Nov. 2 and features eight participating brands and artists.
RE;CODE repurposes automobile airbags and deadstock clothing stored in inventory for over three years.
H22 uses high-heat compression to turn discarded plastic bags into design pieces, while Plastic Bakery makes pastry-inspired objects from bottle caps.
The “Upcycling PICK: Conscious Consumption Pop-up x More Store” features collections from More Store, Eco Party Meari, Bonecca, Aidan and Surfing Dog, with on-site QR codes for purchases.
The workshops let visitors make notebooks from discarded promotional banners or key rings from leftover fabric.

By Lee Kyung-min

Published Nov 10, 2026 3:15 pm KST

The Seoul Upcycling Plaza in Seoul, where two exhibitions showcase creative ways to give discarded materials new life and encourage sustainable consumption / Courtesy of Seoul Design Foundation

Seoul is turning discarded clothing, plastic and industrial waste into functional art and design objects, with two new exhibitions inviting visitors to rethink how everyday products are made, used and thrown away.

Organized jointly by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Design Foundation, the dual showcases are hosted on the first floor of the Seoul Upcycling Plaza. Together, they trace the journey of transforming trash into high-value goods while encouraging more environmentally conscious consumer choices.

The first exhibition, “Forms of Circularity: Resource Circulation Process,” opened Nov. 2 and runs through April 17, 2027. It highlights innovative recycling systems and commercial products developed by eight participating brands and artists.

Among the featured exhibitors is RE;CODE, a sustainable fashion brand that repurposes automobile airbags and deadstock clothing stored in inventory for over three years. Global furniture giant IKEA Gangdong is also participating, introducing its Buy Back program and in-store circular resource hub.

Other highlights demonstrate the creative breadth of sustainable materials: H22 transforms discarded plastic bags into sleek design pieces using high-heat compression, while Plastic Bakery turns discarded bottle caps into playful, pastry-inspired objects. Sculptor Jung Ji-won crafts artwork using discarded sawdust and Styrofoam; QUALY displays home accessories made from natural byproducts like cocoa shells; and Newtab-22 presents Sea Stone, a concrete alternative developed from discarded sea shells. Meanwhile, CONTINUED showcases fashion accessories crafted from upcycled aircraft life vests and automotive leather seats.

Complementing the main showcase, a second exhibition titled “Upcycling PICK: Conscious Consumption Pop-up x More Store” runs through April 23, 2027, in the plaza's main lobby.

Curated around five core sustainability themes — including remade, reusable and long-lasting products — the pop-up features curated collections from brands like More Store, Eco Party Meari, Bonecca, Aidan and Surfing Dog. Visitors can scan on-site QR codes to purchase the displayed items directly.

To further engage the community, the plaza is offering free, reservation-based DIY workshops where visitors can make notebooks from discarded promotional banners or craft key rings from leftover fabric.

“At a time when we must urgently respond to the climate crisis and resource depletion, this exhibition offers a meaningful opportunity to reconsider how we produce, consume, and discard everyday goods,” said Cha Kang-hee, president of the Seoul Design Foundation.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

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