M–NUS°

Led by Vikash Kumar, an IIT graduate, and Rahul Kumar, a NIFT graduate, M–NUS° is a design firm that plays around with plastic, crafting household products, jewellery and art objects. The firm was established with the intent of changing the mainstream view of the material and its usage. They tell me, ‘the plastic that we use everyday and throw away can yield products and profit like gold, if the resource is channelized by recycling and upcycling. We want to create a product keeping in mind the aspect of sustainability, and a community which is of the people, for the people and by the people.’

They vividly recall how their grandmother carefully handcrafted products out of single use plastic, like wrappers and shopping bags, and went on to make use of them until they couldn't further be utilised. The duo adds, ‘there was a time when we used fabric bags, glass bottles, tin cans and what not. That was the time when people were believers of reuse, regenerate and recycle.’ In contemporary times, as the culture shifts to use and throw, the founders wish to bring back the old school process of reusing and upcycling, back to the mainstream. ‘In India we generate 25940 tonnes of plastic waste every day, making us the largest contributor of plastic waste in the packaging sector. More than 1/3rd of total branded plastic ends up in the landfills: milk pouches, wrappers, et cetera, majorly from households,’ asserts Rahul. 

They work with the short lived household plastic waste, to convert it into products that prevent it from further crowding the landfills. The duo’s aim is to altogether reduce the usage of virgin plastic and replace it with recycled products of a superior quality. Their approach to the global concern is rather realistic and they believe in drawing as much value from the aggressor, that is plastic, as possible. Vikash adds, ‘we believe that the world should move from the misuse to reuse of plastic. It is the wiser thing to do — for our planet, for our businesses, for our communities. We want to build a sustainable future around it.’

Their process of creation begins with collecting plastic waste from consumers, kabadiwalas and the ragpickers, and making it fit for use. The process entails washing, removing labels and segregating, based on the grade of plastic and colour. These are then shredded into small flakes, which are thoroughly cleaned again to remove left-over dirt and are dried to remove moisture. Finally, the flakes are moulded into required shapes and the products are then sanded and polished to lend a smooth finish.

While plastic pollution has always been a grave threat to the environment, the situation altered drastically due to Covid. Plastic wreaking havoc on the environment increased tenfold due to the irresponsible disposal of masks and PPE kits, amongst other things. Rahul and Vikash believe that, ‘plastic is one of the most versatile materials. It is used to build the simplest objects like spoons and toys, to the most intricate objects like parts of an airplane. It takes around 400 years to break down plastics, so why not utilize its durability rather than just letting it rot and pollute the environment. We see this situation as an opportunity, as things that constitute trash for others, are gold for us. The vast untapped potential of the durability and versatility of plastics, and the positive impact our initiative will bring to the environment and society, inspire us in the present moment.’

During these unprecedented times, the duo has expended all their efforts into research, to develop a novel technique for making better use of plastic. In the near future, they’re excited to expand their online community and launch their website. They’re positive about the change in the audience’s attitude towards making a sustainable shift in their day-to-day practices, and move back towards age-old practices like upcycling, for a better future. 

Text Unnati Saini
Date 22-06-2021