Upcycled Melon Rind Accessories

HLK makes plant-based leather goods from surplus agricultural by-products such as cactus and hanji (traditional Korean paper made from mulberry trees) as well as Korean melon rinds.

Back in 2024, the Agricultural Technology Center in North Gyeongsang Province's Chilgok County began researching a solution for melons unfit for sale going to waste. After the year's rainy season, discarded melons floated down the Nakdong River, flagging environmental concerns, and stock purchased to stabilize prices also went to waste. Then, the country began working with HLK to prototype bags, card wallets, business card holders and pen cases with what it has dubbed "the first eco-friendly leather in Korea made from Korean melon by-products."

Going forward, Chilgok County envisions expanding the application of this material to industrial applications, such as automobile interior components, to enhance the value of agricultural by-products and increase income for farmers.