Recycling Fashion: Will.i.am, Coca‑Cola launch new brand

Global musical artist and producer will.i.am and The Coca‑Cola Company are collaborating with other iconic brands to inspire a global movement with the launch of EKOCYCLE™ -- a stand-alone brand initiative dedicated to helping encourage recycling behavior and sustainability among consumers through aspirational, yet attainable lifestyle products made in part from recycled material.

The EKOCYCLE brand initiative was developed to educate consumers about everyday recycling choices and empower their purchasing decisions as part of a social change movement. The initiative supports recycling by helping consumers recognize that items they consider waste today may be a part of a lifestyle product they can use tomorrow. With a dedication to supporting a more sustainable environment, the EKOCYCLE brand initiative will identify products, such as assorted plastic bottles and aluminum cans that can be repurposed into recycled content for fashionable and valuable lifestyle products. It will also encourage demand and use of recycled materials, and reinforce the importance of recycling finished products.

"With the EKOCYCLE brand, I'm on a mission to educate and inspire consumers around the globe to seek out more sustainable lifestyle choices that will ultimately play a part in the movement toward a world with zero waste," said global musical artist and producer, will.i.am. "By making products that contain recycled materials more attractive to both businesses and consumers, everyone can do their part to keep the cycle going to turn discarded waste into cool, new items. The Coca‑Cola Company shares this vision and together working with local communities worldwide we will showcase the greater value of recycling, as well as selecting products that feature recycled materials."

Beats by Dr. Dre® and New Era® are the first brand partners to join the EKOCYCLE brand initiative in its mission to inspire and educate individuals and communities to live a more sustainable lifestyle. As a part of the partnership, these collaborative efforts will produce on-trend products made partially from recycled materials. Additional EKOCYCLE brand collaborations will be announced later this year.

"The EKOCYCLE brand initiative is a platform that aligns with our vision of zero waste and our focus on sustainability," said Bea Perez, vice president and chief sustainability officer, The Coca‑Cola Company. "Together with will.i.am, we will promote recycling in a unique way with other well-known brands to create lifestyle products that consumers worldwide desire. Today's generation of young consumers represents an active force and the EKOCYCLE brand aims to be a driver in rallying their support and efforts around a global sustainability movement."

The Coca‑Cola Company will donate its portion of licensing profits from the EKOCYCLE brand initiative to support additional recycling and community improvement organizations.

The Coca‑Cola Company will make a minimum $1 million financial commitment over the next five years. This donation is in addition to, and separate from, the charitable commitments of 1 percent of operating profits made through The Coca‑Cola Foundation.

Earth911®, host of the largest recycling directory in the U.S. with more than 1.5 million ways to recycle, will provide an interactive and searchable recycling directory for consumers accessible at EKOCYCLE.com.

"Recycling is one of the easiest sustainable actions consumers can take, but without real-time access to local options, people are often left confused and frustrated," said Raquel Fagan, vice president of media for Earth911. "The EKOCYCLE brand initiative takes a forward-thinking approach and demonstrates how companies can play a role in eliminating this confusion and empowering consumers."

On August 1, the EKOCYCLE brand will premiere its first :60 television commercial that will air in the U.S. market during the telecast of the Summer Olympic Games. A full-scale marketing, advertising and online campaign will follow.

Consumers can purchase Beats by Dr. Dre® headphones beginning fall of 2012. Other EKOCYCLE products, including New Era® hats, will be available early 2013.