In the bustling commercial city of Bhiwandi, athletes Ramesh Dhami (29) and Shriyans Bhandari (30) are surrounded by huge piles of flex banners. At first glance, one might think they manufacture banners, but the reality is completely different. The duo collects discarded banners from across the country and upcycles them into schoolbags and study mats, transforming waste into dignity for underprivileged students.
The Environmental Burden of Flex Banners
Thousands of tonnes of flex banners are discarded in Mumbai daily, especially during festivals, elections, and VIP visits. These non-biodegradable banners not only deface the city during use but also pollute the environment once dumped in landfills. Political banners, once symbols of promises, are now being stitched into instruments of actual change.
Turning Trash into Tools of Change |
Turning Trash into Tools of Change |
Turning Trash into Tools of Change |
Turning Trash into Tools of Change |
From Torn Shoes to Social Impact
The journey began when Dhami’s imported running shoes tore after a few uses. While running at Priyadarshini Park, Bhandari fell in love with the idea of repairing shoes. They realised that over 35 crore pairs of shoes are discarded every year, while 1.2 billion people lack basic footwear. This led to the creation of the GreenSole Foundation, which upcycles used shoe soles into footwear for underprivileged students.
Addressing Education Needs Alongside Waste
Through outreach, the duo discovered that many students lack basic schoolbags, and some schools in tribal areas even lack desks. In 2023, the NGO partnered with a private sector bank to upcycle its discarded banners into schoolbags and study mats, hiding corporate branding. Since then, they have reached over two lakh students with kits containing upcycled mats, bags, and footwear.
Flex Banners: A Recycling Challenge
Flex banners are difficult to recycle due to their PVC content, yet thousands of tonnes are discarded yearly. By upcycling banners into educational materials, GreenSole Foundation addresses both waste management and education needs.
Process of Upcycling and Distribution
The banners are collected from corporates, weighed, and analyzed for usability before being transformed into mats and schoolbags. These kits are distributed across villages in Thane, Palghar, Gadchiroli, and states like Sikkim, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Hyderabad, and Jharkhand.
Expanding Corporate Awareness
“Awareness among corporate organisations is increasing, as they either avoid flex banners or get them upcycled. However, many banners still come from elections and festivals,” Dhami said.
Future Plans: Direct Sourcing from Mandals and Civic Bodies
The NGO is exploring sourcing banners directly from Ganpati mandals, politicians, and the BMC. After this year’s Ganeshotsav, various mandals donated banners ranging from 5kg to 80kg. Social worker Chetan Divekar, assisting GreenSole, said they are also talking to banner printers to get used banners delivered for upcycling and are planning collaborations with the civic body.
