8 in 10 Runners Consider Sustainability When Making Purchasing Decisions: From K-Pop Runs to Charity Races, Hyosung TNC's Recycled Textile Brand regen™ Becomes Official Race Apparel

Hyosung TNC supplies regen™ for official race apparel at KakaoBank's Save Race 2026 following SM Entertainment's SMTOWN RUN CLUB 26, supporting brand partners from yarn development to finished products.

SEOUL, South Korea, Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight in ten runners say a brand's commitment to sustainability has some influence on their purchasing decisions, according to a runner survey conducted by U.S. running publication Runstyle in partnership with consumer research platform MESH01. Hyosung TNC, a global textile materials company, is helping brands respond quickly to this demand by providing support from yarn development through product development. Most recently, the company participated as an official partner in Save Race 2026, a 10km charity run held on November 7 in Yeouido, Seoul, supplying official running apparel made with its recycled textile brand, regen™.

Running event organizers are increasingly choosing regen™. SM Entertainment, a leading K-pop entertainment company, previously incorporated regen™ ASKIN, a functional recycled yarn, into the official race shirts for SMTOWN RUN CLUB 26. Meanwhile, Save Race 2026, co-organized by KakaoBank and the Korean Committee for UNICEF, featured regen™ across its official running kit, from shirts and windbreakers to bags and running belts. At the charity run, where all participation fees support children affected by the climate crisis, wearing apparel made from discarded resources added another layer of meaning to participants' involvement. At the event, Hyosung TNC operated a booth themed "Even Discarded Materials Can Run Again," showcasing how discarded materials are transformed through production processes into recycled yarn and finished products, while offering programs that allowed participants to take part directly in resource collection.

A participant in Save Race 2026 said, "After running 10km in a shirt made with recycled materials, I found it lightweight and comfortable to move in. This experience has made me want to pay closer attention to the materials used in my running apparel, including recycled yarns like regen™, when making future purchases." A preference for recycled materials was also reflected in a survey conducted by Hyosung TNC at its on-site booth during the event, where 77.5% of respondents said they would choose running apparel made with recycled yarn if the price were the same.

regen™ is Hyosung TNC's recycled textile brand, made from discarded resources such as PET bottles, fishing nets and manufacturing byproducts. Its product portfolio includes recycled polyester, nylon and spandex yarns supplied to global sportswear and fashion brands. As the developer and manufacturer of regen™, Hyosung TNC supports brand partners from yarn development through product development, helping them bring finished products made with regen™ to market more quickly. The official race apparel demonstrates how functional performance and recycled materials can be incorporated into product development through a deep understanding of textile materials. Building on its experience at running events, Hyosung TNC plans to further expand the applications of regen™ across sportswear, athleisure and other apparel and fashion products in collaboration with global sports and fashion brands and event organizers.

"Runners were able to see for themselves, simply by wearing the apparel, that even discarded materials can run again," said Chang Hwang Lee, CEO of Hyosung TNC. "Since great running apparel starts with the yarn, we aim to be the closest partner to brands throughout the journey from yarn development to finished products, helping them move forward with recycled materials."

Source: Runstyle, "Trend Insight / Consumer Survey (MESH01), " Fall 2024.

https://www.formula4media.com/new-articles/running-consumer-survey-trend-insight

About Hyosung TNC

Hyosung TNC is a sustainable textile solutions provider delivering continuous innovation to the global textile industry. As one of the world's leading spandex manufacturers, the company offers a broad range of stretch textile solutions through its CREORA® and regen™ brands, backed by differentiated technology and quality.

Hyosung TNC is also expanding the transition toward more sustainable materials through bio-based spandex using sugarcane-derived feedstock and an integrated bio-based value chain. In addition, the company supplies high-performance nylon and polyester solutions designed to combine functionality with sustainability.

Working with global customers and partners, Hyosung TNC continues to develop innovative material solutions for the evolving needs of the textile and fashion industries.

SOURCE Hyosung TNC