Yuhan-Kimberly and OpenImpact Achieve Milestone: Development of Biodegradable Tissue Packaging
- 관리자
- 2025.01.25
Yuhan-Kimberly Announces Successful Development of Biodegradable Tissue Containers and Soil Improvers through Its “Yuhan-Kimberly Open Impact” Program
On the 21st, Yuhan-Kimberly announced that it has successfully developed biodegradable tissue containers and soil improvers through its “Yuhan-Kimberly Open Impact” program.
Open Impact, which began in July of last year, is overseen by the Korea Agriculture Technology Promotion Agency (KATA) and operated by Yuhan-Kimberly and investment management firm MYSC. The program aims to discover startups possessing technologies related to rural life, the environment, health, safety, and hygiene, and provides them with open innovation and investment opportunities.
After a thorough review process, REVATION—offering eco-friendly product and packaging development solutions—and OBJBio—developing microbial-based plant protection products that can substitute chemical fertilizers—were ultimately selected. They both worked on an open innovation project with the Yuhan-Kimberly Seochon Research Center for about five months.
OBJBio conducted research evaluating the efficacy of mixing by-products from the diaper manufacturing process with its antifungal agents to create a soil improver and plant protectant. The research demonstrated improved fertilizer retention and enhanced moisture-holding capacity. Meanwhile, REVATION utilized material blending and process technology involving agricultural by-products to develop a biodegradable tissue case. Since it uses paper materials and allows for various design forms, it is also expected to provide interior design benefits.
A representative from the Yuhan-Kimberly Seochon Research Center who participated in the project stated, “We are pleased that collaborating with these two companies, each possessing specialized capabilities, has yielded excellent results. Building on this success, we plan to continue various programs aimed at invigorating our business.”
Lee Jung-in, Manager of the Venture Investment Support Team at KATA, commented, “We have seen many outstanding results in this first year of program operations. We will continue to do our best to help agri-food startups achieve meaningful outcomes through open innovation and to create more opportunities to collaborate with various large companies.”
Yuhan-Kimberly continues to engage in open collaboration across diverse sectors. By partnering with companies leading innovation in eco-friendly materials and products, the company operates a “Green Action Alliance” to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. It is also running the “Green Impact Project,” a new CSR model aimed at discovering and investing in social ventures and startups that can contribute to resolving social and environmental challenges.
The company is also actively advancing its hand towel recycling initiative, which involves separately collecting high-quality, hygienically used hand towels and reintegrating them into products as raw materials, thus promoting resource circulation.
Since 2022, Yuhan-Kimberly has recycled more than 270 tons of hand towels into valuable resources, which has helped replace imported recycled pulp and reduce incineration, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by about 167 tons.
Source (Korean):
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