The WoW Project by EcoKaari – Weaving Livelihoods from Waste

In a world increasingly burdened by single-use plastic and rising unemployment, EcoKaari’s WoW Project – Weaving Our Way offers a solution that is both environmentally restorative and socially empowering. This one-of-a-kind initiative upcycles waste plastic into beautiful, handwoven fabrics using traditional Indian Charkha and Handloom techniques, while creating meaningful livelihood opportunities for women and youth from underserved communities.

🌱 What is the WoW Project?

The WoW Project is EcoKaari’s flagship livelihood initiative, where donated clean plastic waste—such as wrappers, courier packaging, and single-use bags—is first cleaned, sanitised, and cut into strips. These strips are then woven into handcrafted fabric on traditional looms. The entire process is done without electricity, highlighting our commitment to a low-carbon, sustainable production cycle.

But the WoW Project goes beyond environmental conservation. It is about skill development, dignified employment, and preserving cultural craftsmanship. Many of our artisans are women who have never left their homes for work. Today, they proudly contribute to their household income and are seen as changemakers in their communities.

♻️ The Waste-to-Wealth (WoW) CSR Opportunity

EcoKaari’s WoW Project (Waste to Wealth) is an end-to-end solution tailored for corporate partners. Under this initiative, companies can donate their pre-consumer plastic waste, which EcoKaari upcycles into handcrafted products. These items—such as laptop sleeves, bottle totes, and pouches—can then be purchased at corporate rates to be given as gifts to clients, employees, and stakeholders.

This enables brands to actively participate in the circular economy, turning waste into something beautiful and functional, while also improving their ESG credentials and visibility among eco-conscious consumers and investors.

Through this initiative, companies also help create dignified livelihoods for women and youth from underprivileged backgrounds. The entire upcycling process uses no electricity, heat, or chemicals—ensuring a low-carbon footprint and preserving India’s handloom heritage.

Benefits to Companies

• Fulfils CSR and sustainability mandates
• Enhances PR and marketing campaigns
• Promotes brand values of environmental and social consciousness
• Enables traceable, measurable impact

Who Has Joined the WoW Movement

We’ve successfully collaborated with organisations such as Nestlé, ITC Limited, Britannia, Bridgestone, Fortune Oil, Go Zero, UniCharm and more, proving that this model works at scale and across industries.

Environmental & Social Impact

• Over 10 tonnes of plastic diverted from landfills and oceans
• 100+ artisans trained in weaving and stitching
• 100% handwoven, non-electric process preserving India’s craft heritage
• Mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Baat podcast (Aug 2024)

How You Can Be Part of the WoW Movement

Whether you’re a conscious citizen or a brand looking to create a positive impact, the WoW Project offers many ways to engage:

1. 1. Donate Plastic Waste: Your organisation sends pre- and post-consumer waste plastic.
   2. EcoKaari Upcycles It: We transform waste into beautiful, sustainable products using traditional methods such as the Charkha (spindle) and Handloom.
   3. Give Back: The company can purchase these products at corporate rates for gifting purposes (and donate under CSR), thereby supporting a circular economy.

Let’s weave dignity, sustainability, and circularity together.