How 2 Gurugram Teens Diverted 250 Kilos of Plastic Waste Into Everyday Products

“We used to sit around waiting for some stitching work to come. Weeks would pass, and there would be nothing. My students would ask if they should look for work elsewhere, and at home, I often had to borrow money to buy food. It was difficult to sustain as there was no stability,” says Neelam, a sewing instructor at Sahaj Shakti Foundation, an organisation that provides vocational training and livelihood support to women from low-income backgrounds.

Just over a year ago, her routine at the Sahaj Shakti Foundation in Gurugram was marked by frustration and uncertainty. 

As a sewing instructor, she dedicated her time to teaching young women basic embroidery and hand-stitching skills, hoping to empower them with a means to earn a livelihood. However, work was scarce and opportunities few. The lack of steady work weighed heavily on her, and the women she guided often found themselves waiting days for even a small stitching job.

Today, the scene is different. Neelam and nearly 50 women from the Sahaj Shakti Foundation are engaged in creating a wide range of products, including laptop sleeves, tote bags, wallets, folders, and more. 

What makes this improvement worth noticing is the material they work with, which is discarded PVC (polyvinyl chloride) flex banners. These banners, once strung up across streets advertising everything from school functions and political rallies to festive melas, were typically thrown away after brief use. 

They would often end up clogging drains or littering empty plots, contributing to the city’s growing plastic waste problem.

How two teenagers took the lead

This change began with two teenagers from Gurugram, Samvit Govindani, aged 16, and Shaurya Sharma, 17. Both are students at Delhi Public School International (DPS), Gurugram, and they are the founders of ‘Project ReFlex’, an initiative aiming to repurpose discarded banners into practical and stylish everyday products.

“We could not ignore it anymore,” Shaurya tells The Better India. “We saw these banners everywhere, wrapped around trees, fluttering on fences, and piled in empty plots. Hardly anyone was doing anything substantial about it.”

Samvit adds, “They are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is a kind of plastic that does not degrade. And we realised no one was even talking about it. It was not on people’s radar.”

Their concern was rooted in what they had learnt at school about environmental challenges and sustainable development goals. Motivated by these lessons, they wanted to make a difference locally. 

“In school, we were encouraged to think like changemakers,” adds Samvit. “We learnt about the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and climate action. This felt like a way to do something right here, in our city.”

In May 2024, during the summer break, the boys launched Project ReFlex with this vision. Starting a project like this while juggling school demands was not easy. “We did not know how to make products ourselves,” Shaurya admits. “We had the idea, the designs, but we lacked the skills.”

Winning trust and building partnerships

To bridge this gap, the boys reached out to multiple NGOs, hoping to collaborate with women who already had stitching expertise, and with a desire to provide livelihood opportunities to women from lower-income communities. 

“Most NGOs did not believe us at first,” says Shaurya. “We were just two teenagers talking about making bags from discarded flex banners, and they did not sound convinced.” Leaving behind the initial scepticism, they eventually partnered with three NGOs and currently work closely with Sahaj Shakti Foundation. 

But the boys’ determination shone through. They paid for the first batch of stitching from their own pocket money. “We knew we were asking for a lot of trust, so we wanted to show we were committed. When we saw the first batch of products come together, it felt real, and it was not just an idea anymore. We were building something that could help people,” explains Samvit.

The partnership grew stronger over the months. Today, over 50 women, many previously unemployed or dependent on sporadic stitching work, produce Project ReFlex products regularly. 

The shift has provided them with income and restored a sense of dignity and pride. “When a woman earns even a little from her skills, everything changes. She walks taller, she eats better, and there is more respect for her at home. It is not just stitching, it is also dignity,” Neelam adds.

Working with flex banners is not very smooth. The material is thick, slippery, and nothing like regular fabric. However, the women adapted quickly, learning to handle each challenge with precision. 

“They have learnt to work with tough materials. Flex banners do not behave like cloth, but they picked it up too fast,” Samvit says.

From waste to well-made: The process behind the products

The process behind Project ReFlex is carefully structured. Samvit and Shaurya begin by contacting event organisers, printing shops, advertising agencies, and schools to collect used flex banners. 

“We prefer to collect them before they are mixed with wet waste,” explains Shaurya. “That way, they are cleaner and easier to sanitise.”

Once collected, the banners are taken home, washed thoroughly by hand using soap and water, disinfected if necessary, and dried properly. 

“We take hygiene very seriously,” Samvit explains. “People often ask, ‘Isn’t this made from trash?’ And we are honest. We tell them yes, but it is clean, sanitised, and carefully selected trash.”

The boys then inspect each banner, cutting away faded or torn sections, and prepare designs for different products, taking care to measure and account for the thickness and durability of the material. 

These plans are handed to the tailors at Sahaj Shakti, who turn the material into finished products ready for sale.

Studying by day, saving the planet by night

Managing Project ReFlex alongside their school studies is a demanding balancing act for the teenagers. 

“Weekdays are for schoolwork,” Samvit shares. “We mostly plan, design, and coordinate via calls or video chats in the evenings.” On weekends and holidays, they dedicate themselves to collection drives, delivering materials to the NGO, and participating in local sales events. 

“We meet at each other’s homes to brainstorm over coffee,” adds Shaurya. “Sometimes we wake up early or stay up late just to get things done. It is exhausting at times, but it is worth it.”

During festivals, the boys set up stalls at community melas and exhibitions, interacting directly with customers and gathering feedback. “Tote bags are a big hit,” Shaurya notes. “We also create smaller items like wallets and bracelets when we have lighter GSM banners.”

The initiative’s impact reaches beyond environmental benefits, touching the lives of many women involved. Neelam observes how the women’s skills have sharpened because working with banners demands accuracy. 

“Flex banners don’t forgive mistakes. You cannot just redo a stitch. It has made us sharper, more precise, and it feels good to know our work is helping the planet too,” she says.

Several of the younger women who initially stitched only for practice now contribute to the production line. For Neelam and the women, this initiative is as much about empowerment as it is about sustainability.

Public reception of the products has been encouraging, although it took time to overcome initial scepticism. “People looked at us like we were selling trash,” Samvit recalls. “So we began explaining our process openly. Slowly, their perception changed.”

Designing for impact: From plain to popular

Design improvements played a key role in winning customers. 

“Our first batch did not sell much. People thought it looked boring or too plain. That is when we realised, we had to think like designers, not just environmentalists,” Shaurya explains. 

They started incorporating bold typography and colours from the banners into the product designs, adding embellishments to make them visually appealing.

Gaining the trust of NGOs was initially a challenge, too. “They were worried we would not be able to pay them for their hard work,” he adds. “But once they saw how committed we were, even using our savings, they gave us a chance.”

The project has collected over 430 banners and diverted more than 250 kilograms of plastic waste from landfills since its inception, producing over 260 upcycled products in the process. This steady output is proof of the dedication of everyone involved.

The wider community has also taken notice. Manisha Sharma, 43, from Gurugram, first discovered Project ReFlex products at a school fair. 

“I like that they are waterproof and seem quite tough and durable,” she says. “The quality is excellent overall, and the thoughtful details improve the look of the products. If the prices stay affordable, I would be very likely to recommend them to others.”

Karthik Hariharan, a 32-year-old teacher from Gurugram, encountered the initiative at a Karigar Mela. He expressed admiration for the concept. 

“It is a smart and genuine idea. Banners have become such a common part of daily life, they are often ignored, and no one thinks about what happens to them after use. Most banners are made for single use and end up in landfills with no second life. Repurposing them into something useful gives them value again,” he says.

He adds, “The quality is impressive. I appreciate that the design fits the needs of a daily shopper. I know I can confidently use these bags instead of polythene ones, as it is good for me and the environment. They are durable, sustainable, and also quite trendy. After all, saving the environment never goes out of style.”

Karthik also notes that pricing is appropriate, but hopes that with greater support, the products can become even more accessible. “With increased funding and stronger brand visibility, these products have the potential to reach and benefit a larger audience,” he explains.

Growing a movement beyond Gurugram

Looking ahead, Samvit and Shaurya are eager to expand their initiative beyond Gurugram, reaching across Delhi-NCR to collect more banners, involve more students and volunteers, and partner with additional NGOs to provide more women with employment opportunities.

“This is just the beginning,” says Samvit. “If we can do this with school, imagine what we can do when we have more time, more hands, and more awareness.”

For Neelam and the other tailors she collaborates with, they never imagined their craft could bring such a change. “I feel proud. We are not just stitching fabric; we are contributing to a better future. Every product we make carries meaning, and it is helping the environment too,” says Neelam

Project ReFlex is a movement driven by the vision and grit of two teenagers who reimagined waste, turning it into a symbol of hope and innovation.

All pictures courtesy Project ReFlex