Grassroots Innovation Database [GRID] | Rimagined - upcycling waste into home products

Rimagined Upcycling Waste Into Home Products

Category: Livelihoods

About the Practice

Problem Statement:

India produces 1,00,000 metric tonnes of solid waste on a daily basis, and this amount is higher than the combined solid waste generated by many other countries. While one can argue that the demographic and area-population ratio perspectives are skewed and debatable while comparing such statistics, it is high time that we admit that the country has failed to manage the insurmountable waste generated by an increasingly burgeoning population, and is in the throes of a crisis. Urban India today produces nearly 48 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually. Only 9% of recyclable waste actually gets recycled the world over. Add to this the fast depleting natural resources which have also resulted in pushing many species to the verge of extinction.

Detail:

"Rimagined is an entrepreneurial venture founded by Bengaluru resident Shailaja Rangarajan in 2016, which not only provides super cool and interesting upcycled products in diverse categories such as furniture, jewelry, clothes, and home décor but also employs women from underprivileged sections of the society to offer them a dignified source of livelihood. With 15 years of experience as a business consultant in the IT sector, Shailaja’s tryst with waste management began when the local resident’s association began actively practicing waste segregation and in-house composting. She quit her job and in April 2016, she placed Rimagined on an online marketplace with 10 vendors and 60 products. To gain a greater reach and better visibility, she also put up stalls with these products at local events hosted in Bengaluru. With a production unit comprising a group of women artisans from a low-income background, Rimagined now envisioned to provide them sustainable livelihoods through upcycling. From suave bags fashioned from tetra paks, denim and other textile wastes to fancy tea coasters made using motherboards and vinyl records, Rimagined’s range of upcycled products is indeed a revelation for even the most cynics. The best part is that these are not too expensive when compared to other upcycled products in the market, thus giving an opportunity to people from all walks of life to consider purchasing upcycled products and become conscious and responsible consumers. Also, each product that you see on Rimagined’s website has an assigned score based on the decomposition rate of its content materials and its contribution to overall waste".

About the Innovator

Knowledge Provider / Innovator: Shailaja Rangarajan
Address: 8/1, 5th Main Rd, Jayamahal Extension, Jayamahal, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560006
City: Bengaluru
State: Karnataka
PIN Code 560006

Email: contactus@rimagined.com
Contact No:
Website: https://www.rimagined.com/