Earlier this month, Pune-based social enterprise EcoKaari, which upcycles plastic waste into handcrafted lifestyle products, received the Kamala Rising Star Award from the Kamala Ankibai Ghamandiram Gowani Trust. The recognition was given for its work “to humanise fashion and drive the circular economy by upcycling plastic waste and creating sustainable livelihoods for artisans.”
Founded by Nandan Bhat in 2020, EcoKaari has steadily grown into a model of environmentally conscious enterprise- one that brings together sustainability, innovation, and social impact. Since its inception, the organisation has upcycled over 60 lakh pieces of plastic waste, created 100 livelihoods, and saved 2,800 tons of carbon emissions annually.
When the world was retreating indoors during the pandemic, Bhat was quietly building something that would not just conserve the environment but transform lives. On October 2, 2020 fittingly Gandhi Jayanti — EcoKaari officially began its journey. A former sales and marketing professional turned social entrepreneur, Bhat started with just a few artisans and a modest goal: to give both waste plastic and people from humble backgrounds a new purpose.
At its heart, EcoKaari is a social enterprise with a dual mission- to conserve the environment by upcycling non-recyclable plastic and to enable sustainable livelihoods for women and youth. The name combines Eco for ecology and Kaari from kaarigar, meaning artisan, reflecting the initiative’s balance between sustainability and craftsmanship.
From a Sales Desk to Sustainability
Before founding EcoKaari, Bhat spent over 15 years in the corporate world, working in telecom and electronics, followed by a stint as a CSR consultant. During his travels across Maharashtra, he noticed something troubling — hills and trekking trails littered with plastic that nobody bothered to pick up.
“Hard plastics like bottles get collected because they fetch money. But the soft plastics — biscuit wrappers, bags, chips packets — have no value. Their weight-to-volume ratio makes them commercially unviable,” he explains.
That observation stayed with him. When he came across a weaving initiative using waste plastic in Kutch, Gujarat, Bhat trained himself in the technique for three months — not as a consultant, but as a learner. He then returned to Pune and trained a few local families to begin the experiment that would grow into EcoKaari.
The Process: Turning Trash into Fabric
EcoKaari’s process is refreshingly low-tech and deeply sustainable. The enterprise doesn’t collect waste on its own; instead, it collaborates with existing waste collectors, food manufacturing companies, and even households across India that send in their cleaned plastic.
Once the plastic reaches the Pune unit, it is washed, sanitized, and sun-dried — no chemicals, no machines. The team then sorts the material by color and thickness, cuts it into long strips, rolls it onto a charkha, and weaves it on a handloom into fabric.
Every product — be it a tote bag, laptop sleeve, or pouch — is handmade using these woven sheets of plastic. Even the smallest offcuts are sent to another Pune-based organization for pyrolysis, ensuring that nothing goes to waste.
“The entire process is manual until the sewing stage,” Bhat says. “There’s no electricity or chemical use. It’s just human effort and creativity.”
Building Livelihoods, Stitch by Stitch
EcoKaari began with just two artisans during the pandemic. Today, it employs 27 artisans in Pune, and has trained 75 in Karnataka and 50 in Kolkata, in collaboration with local NGOs and CSR foundations. The organization’s model is simple but powerful: provide training, steady income, and dignity of work to women and youth from underprivileged backgrounds.
The early days were not without challenges. Many artisans were house helps or students when they joined during COVID-19. As lockdowns eased, several women faced the familiar dilemma of balancing work and childcare. To help them continue, EcoKaari provided laptops and internet access so their children could attend online school from the workspace. It also offered flexibility for those pursuing higher studies.
“It’s not rocket science,” Bhat says modestly. “If you understand the people you work with and support them, the work takes care of itself.”
Impact in Numbers
| Year | Plastic Upcycled (Lakhs) | Livelihoods Created | Carbon Emissions Saved (Tons/Year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | 2.3 | 15 | 110 |
| 2021–22 | 16.3 | 25 | 779 |
| 2022–23 | 51 | 75 | 2,400 |
| 2023–24 | 60 | 100 | 2,800 |
In just four years, EcoKaari has increased its upcycling capacity over 25 times and expanded its reach to multiple states across India. The organization has remained profitable since its first year, relying on corporate gifting orders, handicraft exhibitions, exports to Europe, and sales through its website, www.ecokaari.org.
Recognition and the Road Ahead
EcoKaari’s innovative model has earned national recognition. In 2023, it was selected among the top 30 startups in India’s waste management sector by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, receiving a ₹20 lakh grant. In August 2024, the initiative was mentioned in the Prime Minister’s “Mann Ki Baat” broadcast.
Now, the Kamala Rising Star Award adds another feather to its cap — recognising not just its environmental innovation but also its mission to create livelihoods through sustainable craftsmanship.
The goal now is to scale. Over the next few years, Bhat aims to set up 100 training units across India, empowering over 5,000 artisans and upcycling exponentially more plastic. But he knows that supply is only half the equation. “We can train thousands, but it’s demand that sustains livelihoods,” he says. “We now want to focus on creating awareness and expanding the market for sustainable products.”
Changing Mindsets, One Bag at a Time
For Bhat, the larger challenge lies in awareness. “In India, the problem isn’t plastic alone — it’s behavior,” he says. “The same people who litter here behave differently abroad. It’s about valuing our surroundings.”
His words echo the philosophy EcoKaari embodies: change doesn’t always require massive technology or corporate might. Sometimes, it’s about one person picking up an overlooked idea and weaving it — patiently and persistently — into something of worth.
EcoKaari’s story is proof that sustainability and empathy can coexist beautifully — where every bag sold tells a story of plastic saved, livelihoods built, and possibilities renewed.