How to add value to discarded materials?
Ashay Bhave is a 24-year-old Indian entrepreneur who makes sneakers from plastic bags and bottles. The brand is called Thaely and they manufacture 15.000 pairs of shoes per week. Ashay’s start-up procures raw material from a waste management company. Plastic bags are turned into a fabric called ThaelyTex with the help of heat and pressure. The fabric is then cut into shoe patterns. Plastic bottles recycled as recycled as a fabric called rPET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), is used for lining, shoe laces, packaging and other parts.

Can a small company like this compete with global brands like Adidas, NIKE, and New Balance? See video here