Information on Upcycled Products

Akhirah Eco, founded by Aditi Chandel in 2021, is a pioneering sustainable lifestyle brand based in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Driven by a mission to combat plastic pollution, the brand gives discarded single-use plastic an "afterlife" by transforming it into exquisite, handcrafted luxury products. Collaborating with skilled rural artisans, primarily women, Akhirah Eco utilizes traditional handloom weaving and charkha techniques to weave discarded plastic bags and wrappers with cotton threads into durable, eco-friendly fabric. This upcycled material is then meticulously crafted into functional handbags, chic clutches, elegant home decor items, and premium stationery. Committed to zero-waste principles and ethical production, the brand empowers marginalized communities by providing fair wages and safe livelihoods. By harmonizing modern aesthetics with ancient Indian craftsmanship, Akhirah Eco redefines sustainable luxury, offering conscious consumers beautifully designed products that reduce environmental impact and champion a circular economy.

Founded in 2015 by athletes Shriyans Bhandari and Ramesh Dhami, Greensole is an innovative social enterprise based in Navi Mumbai, India. Driven by the mission to tackle massive footwear waste, the company collects discarded shoes and upcycles them into comfortable, sustainable, and vegan footwear. By refurbishing old shoes, Greensole prevents non-biodegradable waste from ending up in landfills and significantly reduces global carbon emissions. Operating a robust circular economy model, they donate refurbished slippers to underprivileged children, protecting them from foot-related diseases. They also retail their eco-friendly shoes to conscious consumers, utilizing sustainable materials like plant-based fabrics. Greensole further empowers marginalized communities by running skill centers that provide training and employment to rural women and individuals in need. Through its unique blend of environmental conservation, sustainable retail, and profound social impact, Greensole is fundamentally transforming the footwear industry for a greener, more equitable future.

Aamhi Swaach Charitable Foundation, founded in 2022 by Rosalind Pereira, is a rural solid waste management initiative operating across Raigad, Maharashtra. Established to address the growing crisis of non-biodegradable waste in coastal villages, Project Aamhi reclaims public spaces by actively collecting plastic, glass, and textile waste from beaches, roads, and mangroves. Operating as a transformative circular economy model, the foundation employs local safai-sathis and rural women artisans, creating sustainable, dignified livelihoods. Collected waste undergoes meticulous segregation, with recyclable materials routed to authorized partners and usable textiles creatively upcycled into durable market bags. By redistributing clothing and converting industrial scrap into utility products, the initiative successfully prevents massive environmental pollution. Through extensive community education on wet and dry waste segregation, Aamhi fosters a deep sense of environmental responsibility, empowering rural communities to independently maintain pristine, self-sustaining, and zero-waste neighborhoods.

EcoKaari, founded by Nandan Bhat in 2020 and headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, is a pioneering social enterprise dedicated to combating plastic pollution through heritage craftsmanship. The brand's name beautifully merges "Eco" for ecology and "Kaari" from Kaarigar (artisan), reflecting its interconnected mission. EcoKaari addresses the massive environmental hazard of single-use flexible plastics—such as wrappers and polythene bags—by upcycling them into highly durable, handwoven fabrics. Utilizing traditional Indian charkhas and handlooms, the enterprise transforms waste into premium tote bags, laptop sleeves, and home decor. Beyond its environmental impact, EcoKaari operates with a profound socio-economic mandate, actively employing and training women and youth from marginalized backgrounds to provide them with fair-wage livelihoods and financial independence. By seamlessly bridging the gap between waste management, traditional handloom weaving, and contemporary fashion, EcoKaari empowers conscious consumers to make sustainable choices while actively supporting a circular economy and grassroots artisan empowerment.

I was a Sari is an award-winning eco-ethical lifestyle brand based in Mumbai, India, that brilliantly transforms pre-loved saris and sustainably sourced materials into one-of-a-kind apparel, accessories, and housewares. The social enterprise focuses on empowering highly vulnerable women artisans, many of whom migrated from rural areas, dropped out of school before the age of fifteen, and had absolutely no prior formal work experience. Today, these incredibly talented women collaborate with top Gucci designers, dress global celebrities, and win prestigious international fashion awards. I was a Sari guarantees profound social impact by providing rigorous training, fair living wages, comprehensive health insurance, and crucial educational scholarships for their children. They meticulously monitor their impact, tracking artisan engagement and meters of fabric upcycled. Operating with a profound purpose, all commercial profits are strategically reinvested to uplift more women, strongly supported by partners like CORP, Animedh Charitable Trust, and Gucci Equilibrium.

Green Salon Collective is a startup comprised of industry experts and hairdressers who are dedicated to promoting sustainability within the hairdressing industry. Their mission is to transform the way salons operate by implementing sustainable practices. Green Salon Collective ensures that almost 100% of all salon waste is collected and repurposed, benefiting not only the salons but also the environment and the community. The company provides salons with comprehensive separation kits, in-salon marketing materials, regular waste collections, and ongoing support. By equipping salons with the necessary tools and resources, Green Salon Collective facilitates the efficient separation and management of salon waste, making it easier for salons to adopt sustainable practices. They also offer guidance, ideas, and education on various sustainability matters, empowering salons to make informed decisions and continually improve their sustainability efforts. Green Salon Collective's strengths lie in their expertise and deep understanding of the hairdressing industry's unique challenges. By leveraging their industry knowledge, they develop tailored solutions that address the specific needs and requirements of salons. Their commitment to sustainability, combined with their ongoing support and educational initiatives, enables salons to make meaningful contributions to environmental conservation and community welfare. Through their innovative approach, Green Salon Collective is driving positive change within the hairdressing industry, encouraging salons to embrace sustainability as a core value. By collecting and repurposing salon waste, they minimize the environmental impact and promote a circular economy. Their comprehensive support system ensures that salons have the necessary tools and knowledge to implement sustainable practices effectively, fostering a collective movement towards a greener and more socially responsible hairdressing industry.

Hope - House of Pure Eco, founded by Raveena Kohli in 2025, is an Indian sustainable fashion brand dedicated to integrating eco-consciousness into everyday clothing choices. Based in New Delhi, the brand crafts comfortable, timeless apparel, including joggers, Cuban shirts, harem pants, and loungewear. Embracing minimalism and circular fashion, Hope utilizes premium recycled cotton and recycled yarn sourced from GRS-certified vendors, effectively repurposing pre-consumer textile waste. Every piece is ethically stitched by skilled regional artisans in facilities that prioritize local production values and minimal waste. The brand stands out with its commitment to breathability, relaxed fits, and low-waste silhouettes that flatter all body types. Dedicated to environmental care, Hope also champions a take-back program to recycle or upcycle end-of-life garments, encouraging consumers to slow down, embrace conscious living, and make thoughtful wardrobe choices that actively respect and preserve the planet’s resources.

Diakon Coir, founded by Komal Khaparde and Denzil Britto in Goa during the COVID-19 pandemic, is a pioneering sustainable enterprise dedicated to transforming coconut waste into functional, eco-friendly lifestyle products. Rooted in the philosophy of being "Sustainably Yours," the company upcycles natural coconut shells and coir to combat plastic pollution and promote a circular economy. Their diverse product catalog features handcrafted coconut shell cups, floral bowls, durable coir gardening pots, bird nests, organic cocopeat, and biodegradable scrubbers. Designed for environmentally conscious consumers, every item is completely natural, free from chemical varnishes, and finished with food-safe oils. Beyond its ecological impact, Diakon Coir operates with a profound social mandate. The enterprise actively empowers women from single-income families by providing them with fair-wage employment, skills training, and financial independence. By championing responsible consumption, Diakon Coir seamlessly bridges the gap between traditional craftsmanship and modern sustainable living.

Lucro is a company that initiates its operations by collecting post-consumer plastic waste, followed by a meticulous process of segregation, washing, and recycling to transform it into high-quality granules. These granules serve as the foundation for the manufacturing of innovative packaging materials, all made from post-consumer recyclate. What sets Lucro apart is their continuous commitment to revolutionizing the field of Material Science, particularly in the domain of upcycling plastic waste. By integrating cutting-edge technologies and techniques, Lucro aims to maximize the value extracted from discarded plastic materials, thereby reducing the environmental impact caused by plastic pollution. With a strong emphasis on sustainability, Lucro leverages its expertise in recycling to contribute to a circular economy model. By collecting and reprocessing post-consumer plastic waste, they actively reduce the amount of plastic sent to landfills or incineration, ultimately promoting a greener and more eco-friendly approach to packaging. Through their innovative practices, Lucro strives to inspire a mindset shift towards responsible consumption and waste management. Their dedication to material innovation and recycling positions them as a key player in the ongoing battle against plastic waste and a catalyst for positive change within the industry.

Code Effort, founded in 2018 by Naman Gupta and Vipul Gupta in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, is a pioneering social enterprise dedicated to combating one of the world's most overlooked environmental hazards: cigarette butt waste. Recognizing that cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate (a type of plastic) and take over a decade to decompose, the brothers developed an innovative end-to-end recycling mechanism. The company systematically collects cigarette waste through its proprietary V-Bins and a vast network of ragpickers. Every component of the cigarette butt is recycled—the residual tobacco and ash are turned into compost powder, the paper is transformed into recycled A4 sheets and mosquito repellents, and the cellulose acetate polymer is chemically cleaned and converted into safe, non-toxic stuffing for soft toys, cushions, and mattresses. By employing rural women artisans for product manufacturing and creating an alternative income stream for waste collectors, Code Effort empowers marginalized communities while offering consumers sustainable, authentically upcycled lifestyle products.

Recycle.Green is the e-commerce mission-brand of InnovateGreen Technologies Private Limited, founded in 2017 and headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.The portal curates a broad range of recycled, up-cycled and plantable products including pens, pencils and stationery made from recycled paper, notebooks, diaries, bags and apparel from recycled PET bottles, coconut-shell home-wares, and gift items crafted from e-waste and industrial by-products.Unique features include the “PayByWaste” model letting users offset purchases via waste contributions) and a “Brand Packaging Take-Back” initiative where brands return packaging for reuse or recycling. Recycle.Green also tracks an “Environmental Saving Value (ESV)” metric for each product, aiming to motivate consumers toward sustainable choices and complete end-to-end lifecycle management — “use, return, recycle.”

Outofwaste specializes in conducting waste management workshops that empower communities and organizations to creatively manage the waste they generate. Through these workshops, Outofwaste educates and inspires participants to upcycle their waste materials into functional products, fostering a culture of sustainability and resourcefulness. The company goes beyond traditional waste management approaches by offering solutions for people's home and lifestyle product needs. They utilize discarded items or scrap materials sourced from the scrap market to create innovative and unique upcycled products. By transforming waste into usable items, Outofwaste promotes a circular economy mindset, where materials are repurposed rather than discarded. In addition to their product solutions, Outofwaste emphasizes the importance of waste management education. They conduct workshops for communities and organizations, enabling them to creatively manage the waste they generate. Participants learn techniques and skills for upcycling waste materials, empowering them to make a positive impact on the environment while unleashing their creativity. Overall, Outofwaste's strengths lie in their provision of solutions for home and lifestyle products through upcycling, their waste management workshops that promote creative waste management practices, and their dedication to fostering a sustainable mindset within communities and organizations. By encouraging upcycling and providing educational opportunities, Outofwaste contributes to a more environmentally conscious and resource-efficient society.

Zero Plast Labs is a visionary social enterprise that was established with the noble goal of fostering a zero-waste world. Rooted in their mission, Zero Plast Labs strives to revolutionize the manufacturing industry by producing sustainable and cost-effective alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. Their innovative approach involves harnessing upcycled agro-waste materials to create a diverse range of eco-friendly products. With an unwavering commitment to science, sustainability, and society, Zero Plast Labs aims to combine cutting-edge scientific research with sustainable practices to bring about a positive impact on the environment. By developing inventive solutions that utilize agricultural waste as a valuable resource, they play a pivotal role in reducing the dependency on harmful plastics derived from fossil fuels. Through their endeavors, Zero Plast Labs not only addresses the global plastic waste crisis but also advocates for the integration of sustainable practices in society. By promoting the principles of circular economy and conscious consumption, they inspire individuals and businesses alike to embrace a more environmentally responsible lifestyle. With their mission-driven approach and emphasis on collaboration, Zero Plast Labs is actively contributing to a sustainable future, where waste is minimized, resources are conserved, and the harmful effects of plastic pollution are mitigated.