Mahatma Gandhi used the charkha, or spinning wheel, as a key weapon in his boycott of foreign-made goods and the promotion of indigenous clothes.
A software engineer from Pune is using the same charkha to push a similar message seven decades later. The only change is that plastic has taken the role of foreign items.
ReCharkha’s creator, Amita Deshpande, upcycles plastic waste such as wrappers and bags by spinning it into yarn on a charkha. On handlooms, the yarn is weaved into a plastic fiber.
As a way of upliftment, her social company has employed waste pickers from Pune and tribals from Dadra Nagar Haveli.
The organization claims to have recycled 7,00,000 plastic packets into goods like bags, home décor, potli, jhola, cutlery sets, storage baskets, grow pots, table mats, and more in the past year.
ReCharkha: Making a grassroots impact
Amita didn’t want to only collect waste or lecture people about the need of separating dry and moist waste. She desired for people to cease using plastic, and the only way to do this was to supply an alternative.
She was also conscious of adopting processing processes that used little or no energy, which brought charkha and looms into play.
ReCharkha’s model is straightforward. They collect waste from people and organizations participating in Pune’s plastic collecting initiatives. The waste is cleaned, washed, sanitized, and dried by about 15 personnel at the center. Every three months, it is further separated into colors and delivered to another facility in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Another 15 staff spin debris into yarn, which is subsequently woven into various items.
ReCharkha is revitalizing artistic talents
According to Amita, the objective for retaining two independent groups in different places is to achieve two aims.
“Only metropolitan regions create large amounts of plastic waste, and my idea of empowering tribals could only be realized in rural areas.” Furthermore, our hamlet was previously recognized for its handicrafts, but as the economy progressed and mass manufacturing took over, craftsmen began to go away. “ReCharkha is revitalizing artistic talents while also addressing the plastic catastrophe,” Amita explains.
Kiran, ReCharkha’s supervisor, is an interesting illustration of the concept. He’d relocated to the city in quest of work. When he learned about ReCharkha, he decided to return to his home country to work and be closer to his family.
“After failing Class 10, I began working as a waitress in a roadside kiosk. Not only did my financial situation improve once I joined the organization, but I also had more time to retake and pass my examinations. Kiran tells The Better India, “Here, I’m in charge of quality assurance, procedure, exports, and everything else.”
Amita has also employed a 26-year-old speech and hearing challenged villager, making up about 70% of the staff.