Aarohana EcoSocial Developments

Upcycled-handwoven products from waste plastic by tribal women
2019 SEED Low Carbon Awards; IKI BMU
Waste Management
Pune
India

Aarohana EcoSocial Developments upcycled waste plastic using traditional handlooms to weave it and make upcycled-handwoven products. The process is sustainable and used manual labour from tribal women to enable livelihood opportunities for them. The products were sold in India and all around the world, online and offline.

Aarohana EcoSocial Developments closed businesses mid of 2020. Both former directors continue to operate eco-inclusive enterprises: 

Amita Deshpande, ReCharkha EcoSocial: https://www.recharkha.org/

Nandan Bhat, EcoKaari - Humanising Fashion: https://ecokaari.org/

Eco-Inclusive Impacts
Aarohana EcoSocial Developments diverted difficult-to-recycle and non-biodegradable plastic bags and multi-layered wrappers from the waste stream to stop them from going into oceans.
  • Providing skills development and training to rural and marginalised women and communities
  • Focusing on uplifting women in the community and providing employment to women who can use their skills to increase income


  • Recycling over 31,000 plastic bags monthly, aiming at recycling 40,000 kgs of waste yearly
  • Saving plastic from entering the waste stream and infiltrating land and water sources
  • Using a traditional manual process to cut down on power consumption and chemicals
  • Creating employment for rural and marginalised communities, with 27 full time employees and 4 part-time employees
  • Bringing value added income into rural communities



Partners

Aarohana EcoSocial Developments collected difficult-to-recycle waste plastic bags and multi-layered wrappers and used traditional handlooms to weave waste to make up-cycled-handwoven products such as handbags and accessories. The process provided employment and training to rural tribal and marginalised urban women.

Poornam Ecovision Foundation is an NGO that provides waste plastic bags and wrappers as inputs for Aarohana EcoSocial Developments.

Coopita Asia promotes Asian crafts in Singapore and is helping to promote the handwoven products in the Singapore and Indonesian market