Tech vs. Trees: Fiat features industry-first auto interior incorporating recycled carton materials, Starbucks Korea unveils 'slow mailbox' for upcycled milk carton postcards, Florida airport installs book vending machine to promote state's authors

July 3, 2025 (Industry Intelligence Inc.) –

A roundup of recent trends pitting technology against the printed word: 

Trees: Fiat features industry-first auto interior incorporating recycled carton materials

In recent years, innovators have experimented with sustainable materials like lignin and biocomposites to create eco-friendlier cars. Stellantis may have upped the ante with an industry first—using recycled materials of used beverage cartons to produce its Fiat Grande Panda. Each Grande Panda incorporates a blend of polymers and aluminum salvaged from 140 Tetra Pak cartons into interior parts like the dashboard, central console and door panels, according to a Tetra Pak release on June 24. Lapo Compound produced the polymer-aluminum blend, partnering with Fiat to meet its aesthetic and sustainability goals such as removing redundant components and cutting polluting materials. The Grande Panda’s availability across most European markets also demonstrates the polymer-aluminum material's viability for large-scale automotive use. Lapo Compound sees wider potential in the material and is conducting trials for other uses such as outdoor furniture and factory flooring.

Trees: Starbucks Korea unveils ‘slow mailbox’ for upcycled milk carton postcards

In an age of instant communication, Starbucks Korea has unveiled a “slow mailbox,” which allows customers to send a message that won’t reach their destination until a year later. Launched at a Jeju Sehwa Drive-Thru store, the mailbox is designed specifically for postcards made with recycled paper comprising 30% upcycled milk cartons sourced from 58 Daejeon-area Starbucks stores. The store’s manager Kim Sook-jin notes the project’s dual impact of offering a meaningful mail experience while promoting sustainability and community engagement, Korea Bizwire reported June 8. 

Trees: Florida airport installs book vending machine to promote state’s authors

Summer travel and beach reads come together at Florida’s Gainesville Alachua County Regional Airport. A book vending machine from local bookstore The Lynx was recently installed at the airport, spotlighting Florida authors like Ernest Hemingway, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Judy Blume and Karen Russell. Since its June installation, the machine has already generated sales and enjoys exposure to the airport’s 500,000 annual visitors. The Lynx’s co-founders Lauren Groff and Clay Kallman hope the vending machine will enhance travelers’ experience as they take flight with a book, The Gainesville Sun reported June 27.