Ocean Love no plastic no waste
WORKSHOP
Turning Plastic Waste into Lasting Value
Plastic upcycling transforms waste into opportunity. By repurposing discarded plastic into high-quality, durable products, upcycling reduces pollution, cuts carbon emissions, and minimizes reliance on virgin materials. Every upcycled product keeps plastic out of landfills and oceans while conserving valuable natural resources. Plastic upcycling is a key driver of the circular economy, keeping materials in use longer and redefining how we think about waste.
How to start a Plastic Upcycle Workshop?
The start of our journey was the inspiration from Presious Plastic https://www.preciousplastic.com/ an open-source platform project about plastic upcycling for small communities. They share all their knowledge, research, and development outcomes online. You learn how to set up plastic waste collection, which machines are suitable, what products you can make, and even business tools to help you create a successful business approach.
We chose to set up a school awareness project on plastic pollution and solutions to turn plastic waste into valuable products. The Ocean Love NO Plastic NO Waste workshop is an educational platform and a small production workshop. The students experience the process of plastic upcycling hands-on. We design all our products ourselves and produce them with our small team of volunteers and interns. The proceeds from sales go directly back into the Ocean Love No Plastic No Waste program to fund the workspace and school activities we provide.
The Plastic Upcycle Machines
The machinery we choose is suitable for small community workshops and educational purposes. Our supplier, Plastic Preneur https://www.plasticpreneur.com/ developed simple machinery, CE certified, and educational proof. They can be set up and operated without extensive training, but you do need technical skills.
We produce small batches of innovative products for garden and household use (e.g., flowerpots, bowls, keychains) and outdoor furniture (e.g.garden bench, stool, school bench).
Molds to create unique products
We use moulds to reshape heated, shredded waste plastic into new items via injection or extruder moulding.
Our partners in upcycling
We couldn’t have set up the Ocean Love NO Plastic NO Waste workshop without the collaboration with ABWREC-Antigua and Barbuda Waste Recycling Cooperation, which provides us with waste plastic. We are very grateful for the financial support of the SGP GEF Small Grant Programme, Ambassade de France Auprès des États de la Caraibe Orientale de la Barbade et de L’oeco en Résidence a Sainte-Lucie, ECAB and the Sandals Foundation to be able to set up and run the Ocean Love NO Plastic NO Waste workshop.
Choosing upcycled materials isn’t just an environmental decision; it’s a smart business move. Together, we can reduce waste, create impact, and build a more sustainable future.
