Nigeria - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Eco Fashion is a green tech project that plans to solve plastic pollution in underserved communities in Nigeria through our proprietary recycling technology. It simply converts plastic waste into eco-friendly fashion products and byproduct polymer flakes.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Eco Fashion is a green tech project that plans to solve plastic pollution in underserved communities in Nigeria through our proprietary recycling technology. It adopts a circular loop production model that up-cycles plastic wastes into eco-threads, which are in-turn converted into stylish eco-friendly bags and accessories. This innovative product creates sustainable fashion choices for style-conscious women while making positive environmental impact in local communities in Nigeria. Our byproduct polymer flakes also serve as raw materials for other manufacturing companies, which enhances zero-waste value chain. Our aim is to reduce carbon emission through plastic pollution in underserved communities and create eco-friendly styles for individuals in the same communities We plan to adopt a digital waste collection platform called- Trash-to-Earn, which enables unemployed youth, women and indigent students to access income and voucher for their educational needs using plastics as currency.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Plastic pollution is a major global concern, causing environmental degradation, posing threats to human health and contributing to climate change. According to a study by United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Nigeria generates over 2.5million metric tons of non-biodegradable plastic wastes every year. However, only about 9% of this waste gets recycled, while the rest end up on street corners, drainages, water bodies, landfills or open-air combustion.   Many manufacturing companies use plastic for their product packaging, of which, there is no sustainable recycling plan for post-consumption. This contributes to the increasing level of plastic waste generated in Nigeria. Also, lack of adequate waste management system forces many communities in Ibadan, Oyo State, to indiscriminately dump their plastic wastes in inappropriate palaces, thereby leading to land, air and water pollution. Hence, contributing to carbon emission and climate change.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

The major benefits our products intends to provide include : Environmental benefit: our eco fashion products intends to reduce plastic pollution in local communities in Ibadan, Oyo state. It will prevent plastic waste from ending up on landfills, street corners, and drainages, thereby reducing clogged drainages, air pollution, and the incidences of diseases such as cholera and malaria. Economic benefit: We will adopt our innovative digital waste collection platform called- Trash-to-Earn, to provide income opportunities for unemployed youths, women and indigent students using plastic wastes as currency for survival and academic fee. Also, our byproducts polymer flakes, provides cheap, locally sourced raw materials for polymer manufacturing companies, thereby reducing cost of importation of raw materials Social benefit: Our solution also addresses unemployment, poverty and lack of access to quality education for unemployed youths, women and indigent students in Oyo State respectively

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Our target beneficiaries include unemployed women who live in low-income communities in Ibadan, Oyo state. We also target indigent students (especially children of unemployed mothers) aged 12-20years in public secondary schools and higher institutions whose parents can not afford their basic academic needs; who also reside in Ibadan, Oyo state. According to Educatseries and Oyo state database, there are over 702,000 drop out students across 121 public secondary schools and institutions in Ibadan, Oyo state. We also target unemployed youths in local communities in Ibadan, aged 18-35, who will work as agents for plastic collection hubs.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2023-01-01

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

0

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

0

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

No other partner

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

https://www.ecobaamsafrica.com

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

Other: Circular economy

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

Our Trash-2-Earn digital wastes transfer platform will offer income opportunity and food vouchers for unemployed youth and women in local communities in Ibadan using plastic wastes as currency. This digital waste collection platform will be available and operated by our waste collection agents in selected underserved communities in Ibadan, so there is no barrier of lack of technology access by the targeted beneficiaries. Hence, reducing poverty in the targeted populations.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

4

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

Our recycling project will reduce the incidence of malaria, cholera and other infectious diseases that are as a result of plastic accumulation in local communities. Usually, plastic wastes are major pollutants that clogs drainages and build up of swamps which breeds mosquitoes and other microbes that infect vulnerable residents of local communities in Nigeria. This therefore promote good health and wellbeing among local communities in Nigeria

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

6

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

Through our project, indigents students in public secondary schools and institutions can save up for their tuition fee and educational need, therefore giving them access to quality education.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

5

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

Our project is gender inclusive as it plans to engage women in collection and sorting of plastic wastes from local communities thereby creating income opportunity and food vouchers for them.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

4

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

Through our Trash-2-earn digital platform, unemployed youth, women and indigent students can earn income while turning in their plastic wastes to our recycling center. The project will provide job opportunities for 10 individuals including artisans, machine operator and waste collection agents. This will boost economic growth and development in our community in Ibadan, Oyo State.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

6

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

Our project will promote green and safe environment in local communities in Oyo state, Nigeria by reducing plastic pollution on landfills, street corners and waterways.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

This project will foster responsible consumption and recovery of plastic wastes in the environment

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

Our project will reduce carbon emission and landfill accumulation because indiscriminate dumping of plastic wastes will reduce and there will be reduction in open-air burning of plastic wastes which releases toxic carbon into the air which contribute to climate change

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

4

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

1 - Strongly Disagree

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

4

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

1 - Strongly Disagree

05.08 Justification

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

Our main potential competitors are Planet3R and Ecobarter who convert plastic wastes into fashion products using manual weaving tools. This manual weaving technique limits their production and recycling capacity. What gives us potential advantage over them is our proprietary recycling machine that recycles up to 5 tons of plastic wastes per day. Another thing that makes us stand out is the infusion of detailed craftsmanship into our production. We also do not just make eco friendly fashion product, we also foster the supply chain of affordable locally sourced plastic flakes for other manufacturing companies in Nigeria, especially in our immediate community, Ibadan.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Through our Trash-2-Earn platform, women are able to gain income opportunities using plastic wastes as currency.