Discarded COSMAX Researchers' Lab Coats Reborn as Works of Art

Upcycling Lab Containers and Ingredient Drums
Upcycling Partnership with Market Discovery
Environmental Management Partnerships with Clients Also Planned

Old lab coats worn by cosmetics researchers and laboratory containers have been reborn as works of art. COSMAX, a global cosmetics original development and manufacturing (ODM) company, is launching an upcycling initiative that will make use of waste materials generated at its research center.

COSMAX said on October 16 that it had signed a business agreement with Market Discovery, a social venture specializing in upcycling, to carry out related projects. The two organizations signed the agreement on October 15 at “Discovery; Circulation - Upcycle Art Fair with COSMAX,” held at Ground 333, a cultural complex in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province.

"Blooming in Chaos," a work by an upcycling artist affiliated with Market Discovery, made from waste materials from the COSMAX research institute. Provided by COSMAX.

More than 8,000 new products are developed annually at the COSMAX Research & Innovation (R&I) Center. This process generates waste materials, including laboratory containers, bulk ingredient containers, and aprons and lab coats used by researchers. The two organizations plan to turn these materials into artworks and upcycled products and use them in educational content.

At the art fair, researchers' aprons and lab coats were transformed into artworks and installation art. A free workshop was also held on making lights from discarded plastic containers and paper shopping bags.

Under the agreement, COSMAX will identify and collect waste materials suitable for upcycling and provide them to Market Discovery, which will use them to create products and artworks and run educational programs. The organizations plan to expand their activities to include resource-circulation education for schools and institutions, training upcycling artists, and exhibiting artworks. They are also considering extending resource-circulation efforts to manufacturing and office operations and pursuing environmental management partnerships with client companies.

The collaboration is part of an open innovation support program run by the Gyeonggi Social Economy Institute, in which COSMAX is participating. COSMAX has also previously carried out projects to design cosmetics packaging for people with visual impairments and produce eco-friendly containers based on cellulose.

A COSMAX official said, “Seeing lab coats and containers that have served their purpose in the research center come back to life through education and art offers the most direct illustration of the value of resource circulation.” The official added, “Starting with this collaboration, we will expand resource-circulation activities across all areas of our business and build a sustainable cosmetics ecosystem through environmental management in partnership with the local community.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.