Sustainability All the Way
grape lab, is a sustainable design lab which does various experiments to solve environmental and social issues from a design point of view. We focus on wasted resources and vulnerable people in marginal areas of our society.
Combining recycled and wood-free papers with unique folding techniques we create unique stationery products with sustainable lifecycles.
Zero Waste
We transform wasted resources into design pieces. The scraps of our production process become cards, tags, bands and shopping bags, creating a culture of zero-waste, which is part of our goals.
Sustainable Culture
We turn upcycling into part of our culture by practicing greener habits with our community on workshops and exhibits–changing their habits and mindset to protect and prepare future generations.
Job Opportunities
We offer work opportunities to vulnerable minorities in our society–creating a collaborative platform for people with disabilities to show their talents, gain space and become financially independent.
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March | grape lab founded
March | Selected Startup for the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency Training
August | Participation at Seoul City Government’s ‘Resewoon Project’
December | Named as a ‘Social Enterprise Startup’, by the Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor
February | Exhibitor at the NY National Stationery Show, New York – USA
April | Awarded ‘Excellence Award for Business Administration’, Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency
April | Grant Winner of 2019 ‘H-On Dream Social Enterprise Start-up Audition’, Hyundai Motor Group & Chung Mong-Koo Foundation
May | Grant Winner of ‘Hana Power on Impact Support’, Hana Financial Group
May | Support for ‘Establishment of Standard Workplaces for People with Disabilities’, Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities
May | grape lab’s solo exhibition ‘slow paper’, Doosung’s in the PAPER Gallery, Seoul
May | Exhibitor at SK ‘Social Value Connect 2019’, Seoul
May | Workshop ‘Connected Roads’ at Seoul City Government’s Sewoon Plaza Project Cycling Exhibition
June | Exhibitor at the Seoul International Book Fair
July | Exhibitor at KOTRA’s ‘Eco-Friendly Life’ Event
August | Support for ‘Technology Commercialization’, Seoul Business Agency
August | Support for ‘Product Competitiveness’, SK HappyNarae
August | Selected as ‘Star Social Enterprise’, SK Innovation
September | grape lab Inc. founded in California – USA
September | Exhibition ‘great grape’, at Gwangju Design Biennale
September | Selected among ‘7 Best’ at Gwangju Design Biennale by Korea Crafts & Design Foundation
October | Received Angel Investment, Jae-Beom Lee, Former Kakao Corp. CEO, Management Advisor – USA
October | Exhibitor at Frankfurt Book Fair, Frankfurt – Germany
November | Awarded ‘Environmental Contribution Award’ by Korea Environmental Contribution Movement Headquarter
November | Launched Kickstarter Crowdfunding – Backed by more than 44 countries
December | Started Exportation to Seattle and San Jose – USA
December | Participant at ‘Whale, Tree, and Earth’, United Nations Environment Programme & Usisan joint exhibition
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March | grape lab founded
March | Selected Startup for the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency Training
August | Participation at Seoul City Government’s ‘Resewoon Project’
December | Named as a ‘Social Enterprise Startup’, by the Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor
February | Exhibitor at the NY National Stationery Show, New York – USA
April | Awarded ‘Excellence Award for Business Administration’, Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency
April | Grant Winner of 2019 ‘H-On Dream Social Enterprise Start-up Audition’, Hyundai Motor Group & Chung Mong-Koo Foundation
May | Grant Winner of ‘Hana Power on Impact Support’, Hana Financial Group
May | Support for ‘Establishment of Standard Workplaces for People with Disabilities’, Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities
May | grape lab’s solo exhibition ‘slow paper’, Doosung’s in the PAPER Gallery, Seoul
May | Exhibitor at SK ‘Social Value Connect 2019’, Seoul
May | Workshop ‘Connected Roads’ at Seoul City Government’s Sewoon Plaza Project Cycling Exhibition
June | Exhibitor at the Seoul International Book Fair
July | Exhibitor at KOTRA’s ‘Eco-Friendly Life’ Event
August | Support for ‘Technology Commercialization’, Seoul Business Agency
August | Support for ‘Product Competitiveness’, SK HappyNarae
August | Selected as ‘Star Social Enterprise’, SK Innovation
September | grape lab Inc. founded in California – USA
September | Exhibition ‘great grape’, at Gwangju Design Biennale
September | Selected among ‘7 Best’ at Gwangju Design Biennale by Korea Crafts & Design Foundation
October | Received Angel Investment, Jae-Beom Lee, Former Kakao Corp. CEO, Management Advisor – USA
October | Exhibitor at Frankfurt Book Fair, Frankfurt – Germany
November | Awarded ‘Environmental Contribution Award’ by Korea Environmental Contribution Movement Headquarter
November | Launched Kickstarter Crowdfunding – Backed by more than 44 countries
December | Started Exportation to Seattle and San Jose – USA
December | Participant at ‘Whale, Tree, and Earth’, United Nations Environment Programme & Usisan joint exhibition
About the Founder
Alice Kim
CEO & Art Director
Alice Kim was a UX designer with 10+ years of experience in the IT area and one of the initial members of Kakao, a popular mobile service in Korea. Her creation, Kakao’s emoticon service, generated high profit, over 3B dollars, for the company and for local cartoonists.
After concluding her Masters in Sustainable Design at Kingston University in the UK, she changed her path, deciding to solve world’s problems from a designer point of view. She is keen to build a sustainable circular economic system, focusing on wasted materials, upcycling, marginalized artists and minorities.
Meet the Team
