SHOWCASE
"This Finishing Material Was Made from Waste?" 5 Upcycling Brands to Watch Now
Discarded clothes, broken ceramics, and glass shards are reborn as finishing materials that define spatial aesthetics. Here are the stories of five upcycling material brands.
Upcycled Interior Materials
From Waste to Spatial Materials: Five Upcycling Brands
Black panels wrapping a cafe counter, yellow tiles covering a pillar, and grey blocks attached to an office wall. At first glance, they look no different from standard finishing materials, but all were made from waste. Looking back, upcycled products have existed in the past. However, most remained in the realm of small accessories, like bags or cushions made from scrap fabric.
Interior finishing materials, which must fill entire walls and cover whole floors, face a different reality. Used where spatial occupants touch and step, they must meet strict standards—requiring a certain level of strength and uniform production in color and size without variance. Recently, however, materials meeting—and even far exceeding—these demanding conditions have been emerging one after another.
At the 2026 Spatial Design Fair held at COEX from August 5 to 8, five companies are participating with materials that passed through this metaphorical eye of a needle. Their raw materials range from discarded clothing and construction waste to broken ceramics, glass, aluminum, and teak offcuts from furniture factories. A wide array of products will be showcased, including wall finishes, flooring, cafe counters, tabletops, and lighting. While sharing the common ground of utilizing waste as raw material, each of these five brands employs a distinct approach to crafting spatial materials.
01
BRAND 01
Wall finish made from discarded clothing
Resource Circular Finishing Materials | WOOUPS
Behind the counter and along the landscape wall at Patagonia's Shinsegae Gangnam branch, all finishing materials originated from discarded garments. WOOUPS hardens a mixture of garment industry by-products and recycled aggregates, underpinned by its proprietary process that pulverizes textiles into powder. Its three resulting product lines—Fa.Brick, Fa.Block, and Fa.Nel—feature visible blue and green fiber fragments embedded directly in their surfaces. Leaving the raw material visible became the material's signature pattern.
WOOUPS aims to replace natural aggregates in concrete blocks, which face unstable supply. Consequently, its applications span broadly across wall finishes, counters, tabletops, and exhibition fixtures. Colors, patterns, and specifications are custom-made according to project requirements. WOOUPS materials have already been installed in over twenty spaces, including four MUJI stores, the National Aviation Museum of Korea, POSCO model homes, and the Kia Gwangmyeong Lounge. Product samples are also displayed in material libraries like Younhyun Trading and CONC, where architects and designers can tactilely evaluate the physical samples and compare colors.
WOOUPS aims to replace natural aggregates in concrete blocks, which face unstable supply. Consequently, its applications span broadly across wall finishes, counters, tabletops, and exhibition fixtures. Colors, patterns, and specifications are custom-made according to project requirements. WOOUPS materials have already been installed in over twenty spaces, including four MUJI stores, the National Aviation Museum of Korea, POSCO model homes, and the Kia Gwangmyeong Lounge. Product samples are also displayed in material libraries like Younhyun Trading and CONC, where architects and designers can tactilely evaluate the physical samples and compare colors.
WOOUPS · Hyeon-oh Woo · Textile Waste Building Finishes
Transforming discarded textiles into structural and aesthetic spatial finishes.
Visit WOOUPS Website →
02
BRAND 02
Sourcing materials unavailable locally
Imported Upcycled Finishing Materials | WHALE BRICK
WHALE BRICK is a joint venture established between a fund backed by OCI Group's UNID BT Plus and the furniture platform I Am Here. Founded to source and import upcycled materials unavailable in the domestic market, it currently imports upcycled plastic panels from LE PAVÉ in France, natural mineral panels from Turkey, and upcycled glass from BROKIS GLASS in the Czech Republic. Because all three are globally proven materials, they arrive complete with physical property data and certifications, streamlining the specification process for architects and interior designers. Materials imported by WHALE BRICK have been installed across residential, office, hotel, and retail projects, including the Raemian Banpo 3rd District Trinione commercial complex.
At this exhibition, WHALE BRICK introduces new offerings from Czech brand BROKIS GLASS for the first time. Made from glass shards originating from the Janštejn Glassworks, operating since 1809, the fragments produced when artisans blow glass lamps become the material's distinctive surface pattern. Meanwhile, LE PAVÉ panels are crafted entirely from post-consumer waste plastics collected in France. Workable like wood for countertops and wall cladding, they come in ten colors across three product lines. The entire podium setup for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and 16,000 stadium seats were constructed using this material.
At this exhibition, WHALE BRICK introduces new offerings from Czech brand BROKIS GLASS for the first time. Made from glass shards originating from the Janštejn Glassworks, operating since 1809, the fragments produced when artisans blow glass lamps become the material's distinctive surface pattern. Meanwhile, LE PAVÉ panels are crafted entirely from post-consumer waste plastics collected in France. Workable like wood for countertops and wall cladding, they come in ten colors across three product lines. The entire podium setup for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and 16,000 stadium seats were constructed using this material.
WHALE BRICK · Hyewon Jeong · Upcycled Finishing Material Import & Distribution
Bridging global sustainable material innovations with local spatial design.
Visit WHALE BRICK Website →
03
BRAND 03
Fired or unfired sustainability
Circular Tiles | loqa
loqa's tiles are manufactured from industrial waste generated by ceramic and glass factories. Two curing methods are utilized: the fired version contains over 80% waste material, while the unfired method incorporates fly ash to achieve over 85% waste content. Both methods consume virtually no water during production, significantly lowering environmental impact. According to internal test metrics, relative to standard tiles benchmarked at 100, loqa's fired tiles score 111 and unfired tiles score 106 in strength. The brand has dispelled the misconception that incorporating high proportions of waste weakens structural integrity.
Surface treatments are equally versatile, ranging from glazed gloss finishes to tactile, rough textures resembling stone or tree bark, as well as concave and convex relief profiles. Beyond flat tiles, loqa produces brick-thickness formats applied to walls, floors, counter tops, custom furniture, column wraps, and stair cladding. Named after the Thai word for Earth, loqa makes its second appearance in Korea following its participation in the Spatial Design Fair's Thailand Pavilion last year.
Surface treatments are equally versatile, ranging from glazed gloss finishes to tactile, rough textures resembling stone or tree bark, as well as concave and convex relief profiles. Beyond flat tiles, loqa produces brick-thickness formats applied to walls, floors, counter tops, custom furniture, column wraps, and stair cladding. Named after the Thai word for Earth, loqa makes its second appearance in Korea following its participation in the Spatial Design Fair's Thailand Pavilion last year.
loqa · Earth Mart · Industrial Waste Tiles & Bricks
Proving that high-waste content enhances durability rather than compromising it.
Visit loqa Website →
04
BRAND 04
Do not discard when broken
Aluminum Furniture | RES
RES stools contain zero screws and use no adhesives, relying entirely on interlocking modular assembly. If one section suffers damage, that specific part can be replaced individually, significantly delaying the moment of disposal and repurchase. A lifestyle of repairing rather than replacing: RES approaches environmental care by minimizing waste at every stage.
Aluminum was chosen specifically for its rust-free durability suited for both indoor and outdoor environments, as well as its infinitely recyclable property. After prolonged use and repair, it can be melted down and repurposed completely. Built upon a family legacy of metal craftsmanship spanning over 70 years, the brand seamlessly integrates technical expertise into its product design. Stools folded from thin aluminum sheets and flower-shaped trays earned recognition at Thailand's DEmark and Taiwan's Golden Pin Design Awards last year.
Aluminum was chosen specifically for its rust-free durability suited for both indoor and outdoor environments, as well as its infinitely recyclable property. After prolonged use and repair, it can be melted down and repurposed completely. Built upon a family legacy of metal craftsmanship spanning over 70 years, the brand seamlessly integrates technical expertise into its product design. Stools folded from thin aluminum sheets and flower-shaped trays earned recognition at Thailand's DEmark and Taiwan's Golden Pin Design Awards last year.
RES · Kunakit Furniture Industry · Aluminum Furniture & Objects
Modular, repairable metal design designed for endless circular lifecycles.
Visit RES Website →
05
BRAND 05
Bespoke designs crafted from offcuts
Solid Wood Flooring | DEESAWAT
Wood offcuts remaining after furniture crafting vary wildly in size and color, presenting challenging conditions for flooring materials that typically demand uniform plank production. DEESAWAT, a teak furniture manufacturer since 1972, turned this constraint into an advantage by adopting pattern units composed of varying sizes and tones rather than forcing offcuts into identical dimensions. Variations between dark and light wood species form intrinsic geometric patterns, yielding distinct floor designs.
Consequently, DEESAWAT's flooring is fundamentally bespoke. Color, pattern, and layout are tailored specifically to each space, ensuring no two installations are identical. Beyond flooring, wood rings leftover from hole-punching processes are stacked vertically to create lighting fixtures. Operating a 30,000-square-meter facility with approximately 200 skilled artisans, the company adheres to a long-standing principle of zero material waste and has participated in the Thai government's waste-based design initiative (DEWA & DEWI) since 2013.
Consequently, DEESAWAT's flooring is fundamentally bespoke. Color, pattern, and layout are tailored specifically to each space, ensuring no two installations are identical. Beyond flooring, wood rings leftover from hole-punching processes are stacked vertically to create lighting fixtures. Operating a 30,000-square-meter facility with approximately 200 skilled artisans, the company adheres to a long-standing principle of zero material waste and has participated in the Thai government's waste-based design initiative (DEWA & DEWI) since 2013.
DEESAWAT · Deesawat Industries · Teak Residue Flooring & Lighting
Transforming irregular wood scraps into tailored, geometric spatial surfaces.
Visit DEESAWAT Website →
Closing Thoughts
Unconcealed Authenticity as Spatial Character
Fabric scraps from clothing production become subtle color accents on grey walls; broken ceramics turn into rich tile colors; glass fragments transform into tactile wall textures.
-
Embracing Raw Origins
Rather than forcibly concealing their past forms, these five brands celebrate material origins, turning raw traits into distinct spatial character.
-
Individual Expression as Beauty
Their stories offer a meaningful reflection: revealing unique identity without pretense is inherently beautiful in design and in life.
KOREA BUILD 2026
Experience more information and insights firsthand on-site!
Recommended Content
View All chevron_right
SHOWCASE
Editor
Seojin Park, Saeun Jung
Courtesy
Hyundai Livart, Younglim, Sugatsune
There are those who have never used them, but no one uses them just once.
Five magical interior details that feel more natural the more you use them. The subtle differences in built-ins, furniture, and doors that smooth out your daily repeated movements.
SHOWCASE
Editor
Seojin Park, Saeun Jung
Courtesy
Haning, Shinmyung Flooring, Younglim, Aju Stone & Tile, Carrara
Considering Natural Materials for Your Interior?
Five essential questions to ask before you decide. Wood deepens in color, and stone reacts to water—five ways to embrace these changes as inherent character rather than defects. By Seojin Park, Saeun Jung
SHOWCASE
Editor
Seojin Park, Saeun Jung
Courtesy
Kujung Flooring, Hyundai Livart, Slabfit
Why Does My Home Still Look Cluttered After Cleaning?
How to spot the hidden "lines." Lack of visual order is often a matter of lines, not color — four ways to erase the seams.
