A group of engineering college students on a trek witnessed how badly plastic pollution has ruined the natural beauty. Two of the students decided to change things for good and as soon as they completed graduation, Sonal and Vaibhav started econscious. A startup aimed at recycling plastic waste with their value-based technology and develop long-lasting and durable items.
| Startup Name | econscious® |
| Founders | Sonal Shukla and Vaibhav Verma |
| Industry | Environmental Services (B2B) |
| Company Classification | Private Limited Company |
| Headquarters/based-in | Delhi, India |
| Idea | To produce useful and high-quality products from recycled plastic waste. |
| Revenue | Rs 1 crore since its commencement. |
| Date of Commencement | 2020 |
| Investors | Climate Collective and Startup Nexus |
The Problem: Why Does This Matter?
In March 2020, (yes, before the pandemic hit), Sonal, Vaibhav, along with their batch mates from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kurukshetra, went to Parashar Lake in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. You got it right, for a winter trek as their last year of masters degree was about to complete.
The students noticed the beauty of the mountains but there were some unwelcomed attractions also: Heaps of Plastic Waste.
This disturbed them and made them realize the urgency to address this problem. This sudden realization was not the result of 1 visit but prior to that Vaibhav has shared his interest to preserve the environment with his classmate. And this trek, proved to be a Eureka moment, as he got the vision. about his next step after completing his environmental engineering degree.
The Solution: econscious
In September 2020, after graduation, Sonal and Vaibhav finally started econscious with their value-based recycling technology. According to this Delhi-based startup, they have recycled around 3,50,000 kgs of plastic waste and produced functional recycled plastic products: dustbins, park benches, planters, and eco-friendly gift items.
The startup collects waste from informal waste workers, NGOs, housing societies, and colleges, along with different locations.
The value-based recycling technology makes their method unique than the traditional method. As per the startup, they create high-quality and practical products.
HOW?
In traditional recycling, lot of energy is used in breaking down plastic into small pellets. But with econscious technology, they skip this pellet making step and uses plastic flakes. This saves energy at large.
Apart from the present products in the catalogue, the duo welcomes new ideas and customisation requests from our clients.
Business Model: How Do They Make Money?
The startup generates revenue through the sale of their products. Other than basic consumers, their customers include government authorities, NGOs, and corporate authorities.
Since the commencement of the startup, they have generated a revenue of more than Rs 1 crore.
Moreover, the startup has partnered with big brands like P&G, Bisleri (Bottle for Change), Green Dream Foundation, HCL Foundation, Nestlé, The American Center, and many more.
These collaborations have helped the startup in validating their business and increase their operations.
Challenges/Struggles: What Roadblocks Are They Facing?
The early months were challenging yet exciting as there were still post-lockdown restrictions. Also, they researched and developed prototypes to find the ideal product that could recycle plastic waste and make useful products. The duo had to develop the initial product while navigating the restrictions.
Challenge: To source raw materials, develop prototypes, and gain customer feedback.
Solutions: They connected with NGOs, local government authorities, and corporate foundations; in response, the startup was supported by the authorities.
Also, they developed an eco-board (8 mm to 18 mm thick) from the plastic waste which could be used for multiple applications. Also, it was the ideal to demonstrate the practical application of their device.
Challenge: Securing investments as investors prioritize financial returns, but the startup was focussing on creating environmental and social impact.
Solution: They secured a few grants from private organizations but still they need more funds to operate effectively.
Challenge: To reach wider audience and with suitable products because an eco-board may not come in handy for all type of customers.
Solution: To reach more customers, econscious developed eco-friendly gifting items like coasters and planters. Not only did they become famous but also spread awareness about the importance of recycling.
Challenge: What more to produce with large amounts of recycled plastic?
Solution: After experimenting numerous times, the team found that they can produce dustbins and benches for public spaces.
Future Vision: What’s Next?
Primarily, the econscious aims to scale their operations to handle large volumes of plastic waste, increase their operations, investing in advanced recycling technology and infrastructure. Also, the founders want to expand their operations to various places (national and international). Moreover, they are planning to develop products with longer life cycles, thus, reducing the likelihood of them ending up in landfills.
Key Takeaways: Why Should Users Care?
From Sonal and Vaibhav, we should learn to be careful towards our environment. We should also put in our efforts in reducing plastic pollution and spread awareness to reduce it as a whole.
