Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City to Fully Launch “AI-Based Recycle Design Platform” Project

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Acting Mayor Kim Kyung-duk, together with Busan Techno Park, headed by President Kim Hyung-gyun, announced that it will fully launch the “AI-Based Recycle Design Platform” project to foster an eco-friendly design industry utilizing local waste resources and establish a sustainable resource-circulation ecosystem.

The project is being promoted as part of the Ministry of Science and ICT’s “Smart Village Distribution and Expansion Project” and will be carried out over two years from 2026 to 2027 with a total project budget of KRW 1.5 billion.

This year, as the first phase of the project, KRW 750 million will be invested to establish and pilot-operate the platform. By combining regional manufacturing industries with AI technology, the city plans to strengthen the competitiveness of the eco-friendly design industry.

The project will be led by Busan Techno Park, with the Korea Institute of Materials Convergence and other organizations jointly participating in the establishment and operation of the platform.

The “AI-Based Recycle Design Platform” is an AI-powered digital platform that supports the transformation of locally generated waste resources, such as discarded textiles, leather, and plastics, into new design materials for use in product development.

Its key functions include AI image generation based on emotional language; color, material, and finish (CMF)-based 3D modeling and automatic rendering; a recycled-material database; and a matching system connecting design companies with recycled-material manufacturers.

Through the platform, designers and companies will be able to easily search for recycled material information and generate design images suited to product concepts. The platform will also enable more efficient processes ranging from material selection to prototype production and commercialization.

In connection with the “World Design Capital Busan 2028” initiative, the city plans to actively support the digital transformation of the eco-friendly design industry by integrating AI and data technologies into major regional manufacturing sectors such as footwear, fashion, and textiles.

The city also intends to combine the region’s manufacturing base with AI-based design technologies to utilize waste resources as high-value design materials and strengthen commercialization linkages between design firms and manufacturing companies.

In particular, the city plans to systematically establish data related to recycled materials, including physical properties, colors, and processability, and utilize these as AI training data in order to further advance the platform into a Busan-style eco-friendly design platform.

In addition, the city expects that the platform will reduce both time and costs in the design development process while accelerating the development of eco-friendly products and market entry for local businesses.

Previously, the fragmented nature of recycled material information created difficulties in utilization. However, the platform will provide AI-based material search and recommendation functions, allowing users to more easily identify materials suited to their intended purposes.

The expansion of collaboration channels between design companies and manufacturers is also expected to significantly accelerate the commercialization process, from planning and design to prototype production, certification, and distribution.

Moon Jeong-ju, Director General of the Future Design Headquarters of Busan Metropolitan City, stated, “This project represents a meaningful starting point for transforming local waste resources into new design assets through the use of AI technology and for establishing a Busan-style resource-circulation design ecosystem.”

He added, “By linking Busan’s design industry with key industries such as footwear, fashion, and textiles, we will actively support the commercialization of eco-friendly design products and help Busan emerge as a leading city in the sustainable recycle design industry.”