By Honorary Reporter Oshini Jayamuni From Sri Lanka
Photos = RE;CODE

Re;code is a leading Korean brand for upcycled fashion that utilizes a range of discarded industrial materials like military fabrics, tents and parachutes in its designs.

Part of Kolon Industries, the brand was launched in 2012 with the slogan "This Is Not Just Fashion." 

The brand has collaborated with artists, performers and other designers around the world, with Re;code's most famous tie-up being with BTS. The seven group members on Sept. 20 wore outfits designed by the brand at the Sustainable Development Goals Moment in New York to support sustainable fashion. 

The following are excerpts from an interview with Nicole Choe, Re;code's brand marketer.

What inspired your company to pursue sustainable fashion?
The company was launched in 2012 with the purpose of reusing discarded materials and third-year inventory from more than 20 Kolon brands in fashion brand-like ways, not the simple way of incinerating waste.

What kind of materials do you use in your designs?
Re;code upcycles industrial materials from a variety of sectors, and this makes their features different.

Access to such materials such as airbags, seat covers and military equipment is easy because we get them from other Kolon affiliates. We prefer manufactured materials discarded due to oversupply or defects, and the uniqueness of these materials not only brings out the unexpected but also durability since they were industrial materials.

What do you think of Re;code's design of the suits BTS wore this month at the Sustainable Development Goals Moment?
It was truly a great honor and chance for us to promote the value and importance of sustainability more widely. We hope for more chances to share our brand's value and philosophy to promote sustainable fashion.

What was the design process for the group's suits like?
The suits BTS wore were sustainable, upcycled suits using our brand's inventory. The materials came from the men's suit stock of a Kolon fashion brand. As the group was planning to give a speech to a worldwide audience, we decided on an all-black suit to make BTS look more formal. The most important part was making customized suits that fit each member perfectly.

In addition to getting each member's measurements, we also maximized each member's individuality and tried to show their own character in the suit design. Since time was running out, we focused on creating satisfactory clothing without regret. Thanks to help from various artisans, we made the high quality suits on time as well as customized shirts using organic cotton fabric.