What's ''deya''?

UNI-PARAGON ENTERPRISE CO., LTD established the Taiwanese bag brand "deya," naming it after the Taiwanese pronunciation of "Bag". Featuring the unique Taiwan species - the Formosan Black Bear - as the brand's mascot, deya aspires to embark from this land, connecting native, natural, and conservation concepts, striving to become a world-renowned MIT brand. While seeking quality local materials and exquisite craftsmanship, deya also places importance on integrating a sense of texture and functionality into the touch and feel, hoping to incorporate elements of lifestyle, fashion, and personal expression into its design aesthetics.

Practicing ESG, Starting with a Bag!

deya, with a strong emphasis on environmental issues and the spirit of "Practicing ESG, Starting with a Bag!" continuously endeavors to respond to the renewable sustainability value commitment. In 2018, the brand utilized recycled PET bottles certified by international standards such as CYCLEPET, Bluesign, and REACH to create the environmentally friendly polyester yarn for the "Discovery Bear Series". In 2019, deya took a step further by using recycled ocean plastic waste, processed and spun into core yarn with exceptionally high tear resistance and durability, crafting Taiwan's first "Ocean Recycled Functional Backpack". The outer fabric is made entirely from 100% recycled ocean-friendly yarn. With innovative research and development thinking aligned with market aesthetics, deya's bag designs have received accolades such as the Gold Award at the French Invention Exhibition and the Golden Award at the Taiwan Excellence Awards. Despite selling over a hundred thousand bags annually, deya remains unsatisfied with the status quo, constantly questioning, "Is there a more environmentally sustainable possibility beyond this?"

A New Business Model

The earnest desire to care for environmental sustainability has prompted deya to collaborate with the Sustainable Materials Library (SML). They aim to explore more sustainable materials and those in line with international trends, starting from the perspective of raw materials. After thorough evaluation and discussions, SML not only proposed the use of sustainable materials but also introduced new circular thinking: why not establish a closed-loop recycling system for renewable manufacturing of bag designs from the standpoint of a circular economy?

The rigorous definition of closed-loop recycling is a production and consumption model that does not deplete any non-renewable energy resources and generates no waste. In a true closed loop, all products can be recycled, reused, or decomposed¹. While it sounds simple, achieving 100% complete recycling, reuse, or decomposition poses a significant challenge. How can this be accomplished?

Let’s Talk About Taiwan’s Renowned Recycling System

Achieving a closed-loop recycling system in Taiwan is feasible. Let's discuss the recycling system on this island nation: Taiwan has standardized the recycling process for various household and industrial waste. Taking plastic recycling as an example, common citizens can easily identify the plastic code on typical bottles and cans. For instance, PET material, to which beverage bottles belong, is labeled as Code 1, while HDPE material, as found in milk bottles, is labeled as Code 2. The purpose is to facilitate sorting based on material types when these containers enter recycling plants, enabling them to quickly undergo the recycling and remanufacturing process to become reusable materials. Containers made from a mix of different plastic materials can still undergo recycling through chemical processes. However, their physical properties and purity might be affected. Achieving the material properties of virgin materials in the recycling process not only incurs higher costs but also poses a greater environmental burden. Therefore, adopting a single-material design is a solution for post-consumer products to enter the existing recycling system and become one of the alternatives for reusable materials.

Ocean Recycled Classic Backpack

deya finds the concept of using a single material for bag designs unfamiliar. Even if the outer fabric and inner layer can use the same material, what about fasteners, zippers, and fabric labels? Designing and manufacturing products with a predominant single-material theme pose certain difficulties and uncertainties. However, deya and SML do not stop there. With sustainability at the core, they turn the questions about the unknown into the driving force for continuous communication and experimentation. By partnering with NAN YA PLASTICS CORPORATION, using GRS-certified SAYA yarns and recycled PET pellets from ocean waste, and engaging in ongoing evaluation and testing with industry chain partners, deya successfully created rPET fasteners and related accessories. With over 90% of the design featuring a single material, they produced the "Ocean Recycled Classic Backpack". The product has undergone carbon footprint certification, and the data shows that compared to backpacks made with new materials, it saves approximately 65% of energy. Each piece is estimated to reduce around 0.8 kg of CO₂e carbon footprint emissions.

Product Recycling and Reuse Service Model

To ensure the effective recycling of this backpack in the future, deya has established a product recycling and reuse service model in both physical and virtual stores. They encourage consumers to send back or directly bring in their old backpacks to the stores, in return for receiving discount coupons for purchasing new items. deya's maintenance department categorizes the recycled bags and, after repairing or cleaning some of the old backpacks, transforms them into reusable second-hand backpacks. Through charitable channels, these products are donated to rural organizations, not only extending the product's lifespan but also assisting those in need. Another portion of the old backpacks is sent to recycling facilities, where they are processed into rPET pellets through recycling. These recycled materials can then return to deya's green supply chain, becoming materials for other products.

deya, with its distinctive feature of using over 90% single-material rPET, stands out as a carbon-footprint backpack. The brand has obtained product carbon footprint certification, making it the first carbon footprint backpack in Taiwan. In addition to receiving the Taiwan MIT Smiling Mark (Mark Number 01900509-00158) and the Dun & Bradstreet ESG Sustainability Mark, deya has entered the 2024 Germany Green Product Award in the Fashion Product category (Bag Style). By participating in this international design competition focused on sustainability, deya aims to garner further recognition on the global stage, showcasing its commitment to sustainable concepts in material, product, and service design.

VOTE HERE

The global initiative platform PACE, advocating for the promotion of the circular economy, highlighted in its 2023 report that the circular economy contributes to mitigating the climate crisis and is closely tied to global sustainable development issues². deya, through its collaboration with the Sustainable Materials Library, is gradually realizing the core concept of environmental sustainability and regeneration. With a foundation in eco-friendliness, deya is constructing an easily recyclable flagship eco-brand, aiming to initiate a groundbreaking "From Bag to Bag" business model. Imagine a future where, just like recycling empty bottles and paper boxes, you can toss your old backpack into a dedicated recycling bin! In the not-so-distant future, any product made from recycled old backpacks could become an integral part of our sustainable lifestyle.

References： 

1. https://www.forgerecycling.co.uk/blog/what-is-closed-loop-recycling/  

2. https://pacecircular.org/node/580 ZEIT FÜR KLIMA, 2023/11/23