From Waste to Wonder: These Startups are Giving Plastic a Second Chance at Life A TERI study showed that India annually alone produced over 62 million tons (MT) of waste. The average total Plastic waste generation in Chandigarh was found to be about 30.98Kg/MT. Entrepreneur India spoke to a few innovative entrepreneurs about their ideas and how they are making an impact in the world

From a very tender age, we are taught about the 3Rs- Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse. But how often do we actually take the initiative towards following the practice? The three are the foundation for our sustainable future. With increasing temperatures, unhygienic water and air pollution, countries are doing their bit to make our planet greener. One such country is India. After the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan', the Prime Minister's Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) launched the 'Waste to Wealth Mission', to achieve a zero landfill and zero waste nation. But how much waste do we truly generate? The answer is a lot. A TERI study showed that India annually alone produced over 62 million tons (MT) of waste. The average total Plastic waste generation in Chandigarh was found to be about 30.98Kg/MT.

Sadly, you'll find discarded trash in the nooks and corners of most localities. But some startups are trying to give the waste a second chance to become a wonder. RecyclingStartups by Startup Consulting LLC states that there are at least 100 startups in the space. Entrepreneur India spoke to a few innovative entrepreneurs about their ideas and how they are making an impact in the world.

(Clockwise credit- EcoKaari, Thaely, UNIREC, Angirus, and Without by Ashaya)

Rubbish into resource

Kunjpreet Arora grew up in Udaipur where she saw the city's beautiful lakes and environment be plagued by plastic and marble waste. A civil engineer by profession having a personal connection to the issue led Arora to co-found Angirus in 2019 with Lokesh Puri Goswami. "Our mission is to create sustainable building materials from recycled waste, helping to solve environmental problems while providing durable and eco-friendly construction solutions," Arora said. Construction and demolition (C&D) waste is a significant environmental issue in many Indian municipalities. The country generates 150 MT of C&D waste annually, which constitutes 35–40 per cent of the global C&D waste. Joining the sustainable brick club are RecycleX and Zerund.

Abhishek Chhazed and Vedant Gandhi began prototyping bricks in the early part of 2020 and later launched a pilot with the Bharuch Municipal Corporation by installing REX Pavers made of plastic and construction waste. "In Eco-Concrete or REX, we are eliminating cement completely, utilizing waste like coal ash and slag in addition to alkaline binders. In simpler terms, Eco-Concrete is concrete without cement. The result? A better material in terms of performance, 80% less carbon footprint, lower use of natural resources and cost-effective when compared to traditional concrete," shared Abhishek Chhazed, Co-founder, RecycleX. The startup also offers tiles and flooring products made from recycled plastic waste, available in a wide range of colours and designs. The Indian green building material market is projected to reach USD 30 billion by 2030-2040.

The sustainable fabrics market size was valued at USD 45.8 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.2 per cent during 2023-2029, as reported by Precision Business Insights.

Working towards this, founded in 2020, EcoKaari upcycles (creative reuse) waste plastic into beautiful handcrafted fabrics using Charkha (spindle) and Handloom. "I learned how to weave fabric from plastic using a charkha and handloom. Once, I realized that fabrics from waste plastic can be converted into stylish products for consumers, I piloted the first batch of products, participated in an exhibition, and sold out on the first day! Then, I started a weaving unit in Pune to conserve the environment and enable livelihoods for people from humble backgrounds," shares Nandan Bhat, Founder, EcoKaari. It weaves plastic into a fabric on a handloom; designs and stitches into products such as bags, decor pieces, keychains, diaries, and trays. It also partnered with designer Gaurav Gupta for Lakmé Absolute Grand Finale.

Joining the sustainable fashion idea, Anish Malpani founded WITHOUT by Ashaya for recycled eyewear while Ashay Bhave launched Thaely for vegan and recycled footwear. Anish's WITHOUT by Ashaya came into the limelight when it got featured on Shark Tank India. Re-imagining waste and poverty here in India, starting with packets of chips is how Malpani describes his startup. WITHOUT by Ashaya plans to add more recycled products to its portfolio. Ashay's eureka moment for Thaely came when he witnessed the plastic waste problem firsthand through his mother's involvement in a local waste management facility. "The fabric and laces of each pair are crafted entirely from 100% recycled materials, specifically utilizing ten plastic bags and twelve plastic bottles. Furthermore, the soles are made from recycled rubber, minimizing waste and environmental impact," the startup shares. Notably, Thaely has recycled 150,000 recycled plastic bags and 170,000 recycled plastic bottles into 12,000 sneakers.

On similar lines, Kapil M Bhatia's UNIREC creates clothing, workwear and uniforms made from a fabric that is derived from recycled PET plastic bottles. "At one of the B2B exhibitions that we participated in, one of our prospective customers asked us if we could make shirts and trousers from recycled plastic bottles, and that is where the entire thought process of building a brand started," he shared.

Not all are into directly recycling plastics and waste, some are working in the processing or circular economy as well. One such player is Banyan Nation. The Hyderabad-headquartered startup has a conscientious and science-driven approach to recycling plastics. "Brands are increasingly exploring recycled materials and reusable alternatives to reduce their carbon footprint and align with global sustainability agendas," shares Mani Vajipey, Co-Founder & CEO, Banyan Nation. So far, it has helped put over two billion bottles made from recycled plastics in over 20 brands across the FMCG and Lubricants industries. "The first billion bottles took us 3 years, and the next billion only took us one year," Vajipey adds.

Similarly, Re Sustainability Limited (RE), a KKR-backed company, offers comprehensive environment management services. With a presence in over 18 cities, it recycles 5,000 tons of waste daily to convert them into products such as planters, interlock pavers, fine sand, and plastic film rolls.

Demand market

Customers worldwide are increasingly becoming aware of environmental issues and actively seek products that align with their values. "Customers now consider the impact of their choices beyond mere functionality. They want products that contribute positively to the planet," shares Bhat. Vajipey concurs, "The plastic recycling industry is at an inflection point – we see a growing demand for recycled plastics in the coming years." India's Plastic Recycling Market was valued at USD 4,090.8 Million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 6,933.2 Million by 2033, at a CAGR of 5.22 per cent during 2024 – 2033, according to Custom Market Insights.

But are sustainable-recycled products harder on public pockets? "Circular plastics are more expensive than virgin plastics globally. Circular plastic prices include the cost of collection, segregation, high-quality recycling, and extensive testing for product safety. The cost of circular plastics can be reduced over time by investing in better collection infrastructure, automation, and energy-efficient machinery. However, it is unlikely with the current level of supplies of virgin plastics that circular plastics will be cheaper than virgin," shares the Banyan Nation founder.

Despite the laborious expenses involved, Arora and Angirus have found a way to make their WRICKS product relatively cheaper. "Our in-house developed green technology and efficient manufacturing processes help keep these costs low.

to non-renewable products, WRICKS® are competitively priced at INR 12-15 per unit, offering a costeffective alternative with additional benefits like higher strength and water resistance. By using recycled materials, we also reduce dependency on virgin resources, further enhancing the costeffectiveness of our products."

On investor's radar

Several Indian VCs are backing startups that are converting waste or plastic into new products. These include the likes of Circulate Capital, Venture Catalysts, Parampara Capital, Xseed Capital, Aavishkaar Capital, and Omnivore. "We are excited to back not just a great idea but also a very able and passionate team with the vision to address an issue of global concern," said Kuldeep Mirani, Co-Founder & CEO, BeyondSeed, an investor in UNIREC.

Apart from investors and VCs, corporates and their foundations are intensively backing founders playing with waste. Marico Innovation Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Marico, has backed 12 startups in its plastic waste innovator cohort. Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), in association with FCDO and EY, in collaboration with Social Alpha, announced the 'Transform Plastics Challenge'. With this, it will aim to fund five Indian start-ups up to INR 1.6 crore.

Future of Waste 2.0

The Indian plastic waste management industry is projected to present a USD 5.3B opportunity in FY25 growing at a CAGR of 17 per cent. The country is one of the first countries in the world to develop regulatory frameworks addressing plastic waste and promoting sustainability by banning certain single-use plastics and mandating EPR, notes Vajipey. A few potential areas for entrepreneurs to enter the segment include AI-based sorting, material-tomaterial innovation, route planning and optimisation software, bio-compostable plastics, data analysis and recycling waste management software, and blockchain-based epr service.