Waste Innovation
We prototype circular, localized solutions to handle hard-to-recycle
materials through upcycling, design, and experimentation.
UKKALO: The Upcycling Hub
About the Project
UKKALO is our circular innovation lab, where discarded materials are reimagined as tools for learning, livelihood, and local repair. We currently work with textile and paper waste, converting them into handmade paper, insulation, mattresses, ID cards, and upcycled products like the Boju Crochet Dolls.
This is not just about recycling. It is about creativity, skill, and reclaiming stories from the margins. Every product at UKKALO tells a story of transformation. It begins in a waste pile and ends in someone’s hands with care and intention. – one that starts in a waste pile and ends in someone’s hands with pride.
Why This Matters
Because recycling is a myth. What is called recycling is mostly downcycling, where materials lose quality and dignity with each step. In contrast, upcycling transforms waste into something of equal or greater value, through human hands, local craft, and imagination.
Waste workers should not be condemned to sort through trash for eight hours a day. They deserve the chance to create. UKKALO is that space. It is a hub of ideas, of dignity, of new narratives where waste is not just managed but redefined.
In the absence of large-scale recyclers in remote areas, UKKALO becomes a regional engine of circular innovation. It brings together material, memory, and makers to show that regeneration is not a dream, it is already happening – one paper sheet, one stitched scrap, one story at a time.
Gallery
Zero Waste Store
About the Project
Our Zero Waste Store curates’ circular products made at UKKALO and beyond – including handmade paper tags, cushions, menstrual kits, seed bombs, and low-waste packaging options and everyday alternatives to plastic products. Every item is made locally, designed with intention, and serves to replace a disposable.
Why This Matters
Behavioural change cannot happen without access. If people don’t have alternatives to plastic, they cannot choose differently. The store makes zero waste visible and accessible – both for individuals and businesses. It is a bridge between craft, community, and consumer.
Gallery
Rent a Cutlery: Bhaara Kutti
About the Project
We offer steel plates and glasses on rent for events, gatherings, and ceremonies — eliminating the need for single-use disposables. The cutlery is cleaned, counted, and delivered as per need, offering a seamless, low-waste option for community functions.
Why This Matters
Disposable cutlery is one of the biggest contributors to event waste. By providing a reusable system that is affordable and easy to implement, we help organizers reduce their landfill impact without compromising on convenience. This service has supported zero waste weddings, forest festivals, school programs, and NGO events alike.
Experiential Environment Education
“We engage youth, communities, and educators through immersive learning experiences rooted in zero waste values and ecological restoration.”
- UKKALO: The Upcycling Hub
- Zero Waste Store
- Bhaara Kuti: Rent a Cutlery
UKKALO: The Upcycling Hub
About the Project
UKKALO is our circular innovation lab, where discarded materials are reimagined as tools for learning, livelihood, and local repair. We currently work with textile and paper waste, converting them into handmade paper, insulation, mattresses, ID cards, and upcycled products like the Boju Crochet Dolls.
This is not just about recycling. It is about creativity, skill, and reclaiming stories from the margins. Every product at UKKALO tells a story of transformation. It begins in a waste pile and ends in someone’s hands with care and intention. – one that starts in a waste pile and ends in someone’s hands with pride.
Why This Matters
Because recycling is a myth. What is called recycling is mostly downcycling, where materials lose quality and dignity with each step. In contrast, upcycling transforms waste into something of equal or greater value, through human hands, local craft, and imagination.
Waste workers should not be condemned to sort through trash for eight hours a day. They deserve the chance to create. UKKALO is that space. It is a hub of ideas, of dignity, of new narratives where waste is not just managed but redefined.
In the absence of large-scale recyclers in remote areas, UKKALO becomes a regional engine of circular innovation. It brings together material, memory, and makers to show that regeneration is not a dream, it is already happening – one paper sheet, one stitched scrap, one story at a time.
Gallery
Zero Waste Store
About the Project
Our Zero Waste Store curates’ circular products made at UKKALO and beyond – including handmade paper tags, cushions, menstrual kits, seed bombs, and low-waste packaging options and everyday alternatives to plastic products. Every item is made locally, designed with intention, and serves to replace a disposable.
Why This Matters
Behavioural change cannot happen without access. If people don’t have alternatives to plastic, they cannot choose differently. The store makes zero waste visible and accessible – both for individuals and businesses. It is a bridge between craft, community, and consumer.
Gallery
Rent a Cutlery: Bhaara Kutti
About the Project
We offer steel plates and glasses on rent for events, gatherings, and ceremonies — eliminating the need for single-use disposables. The cutlery is cleaned, counted, and delivered as per need, offering a seamless, low-waste option for community functions.
Why This Matters
Disposable cutlery is one of the biggest contributors to event waste. By providing a reusable system that is affordable and easy to implement, we help organizers reduce their landfill impact without compromising on convenience. This service has supported zero waste weddings, forest festivals, school programs, and NGO events alike.