Koup is an eco-friendly performance wear brand founded in the UK and now based in Taiwan, focusing on circularity in design and aiming ‘to create performance apparel without sacrificing sustainability, one step at a time.’
Before launching Koup, Chuang had ten years in the textile industry and witnessed first-hand the devastating effect of the industry on the planet – from excess waste due to the fast-fashion model to the chemicals used during textile processing. He said, “This is why we launched Koup, where we hope we can help reduce the impact the industry has on the planet. We chose the name Koup (derived from Coup) to signify the revolution we want to bring to the industry.”
The team has created the world’s first cinnamon t-shirt using a patented fibre technology that combines recycled plastic bottles and cinnamon extract. Koup also runs a ‘send-back-to-us’ recycling programme, working with garment-to-fibre recycling companies to turn textile waste back into raw materials.
Chuang added, “Our planet is in crisis after decades of running on the linear economy model, this has prompted us to think, what can we do to help? We believe products should be designed with the end of life in mind, and realising circularity in the apparel industry is crucial as it’s currently one of the most polluting industries in the world. This is why we created a t-shirt with a single material, making recycling and processing easier.”
What makes the Koup cinnamon T-shirt different?
- Natural anti-microbial properties and odour control using cinnamon extract
- Ultra-lightweight, sweat-wicking, quick-dry, cooling – all achieved without chemical additives
- Each shirt saves on average eight plastic bottles from becoming waste and is 100% recyclable
