Development of Bag Design through a Sustainable Business Model : Focusing on Upcycled Fishing Net Products from the KOOK Brand

Along with the aging population of local fishing villages and the decrease in fishing income due to job losses, the problem of fishing net waste accumulated on the coast is becoming a discouraging factor for the environment and marine tourism. Due to the aging and declining population of fishing villages, there is a shortage of manpower to collect this waste, making it imperative to solve fundamental problems related to cost reduction for maintaining a pleasant environment and waste disposal. This issue can be partially addressed by using yarn extracted from waste nets in fishing villages to produce upcycled products. Additionally, this initiative will create jobs that can help increase the income of fishing villages, where the dominant population consists of seniors. By carrying out the commercialization process using waste nets in a social economic manner, we believe that a virtuous cycle business model can be established, leading to community problem-solving and job creation, along with effective design development through the process of recognizing and resolving various issues in the local community. If a business model such as “KOOK” is established and specialized products suitable for regional characteristics are developed, a social contribution business model can be created alongside effective design development while addressing various challenges faced by the local community.