Category: Africa

• SOLE REBELS

  

  This company creates shoes using upcycled tires and uses traditional artisan techniques to create comfortable shoes while providing fair wages and empowering local communities.

  Vandana Balakrishnan

  December 17, 2025

  Africa, ethiopia, fashion, shoes, upcycling

  circular shoes, ethiopia, sustainable fashion, sustainable shoes, tire upcycling, upcycling

• BOTTLETOP

  

  This company creates upscale bags made from sustainable and zero waste materials like upcycled aluminum ringpulls, among others.

  Vandana Balakrishnan

  January 18, 2024

  Africa, consumer product, Europe, humanium metal, leather, luxury fashion, social enterprise/b corp, uganda, UK, upcycling

  acai berry seeds, aluminum pulls, humanium metal, luxury fashion, social enterprise, zero deforestation leather

• MOMO PENCIL

  

  This company produces high-quality pencils made from recycled newspapers.

  Vandana Balakrishnan

  January 18, 2024

  Africa, consumer product, kenya, newspaper, social enterprise/b corp, upcycling

• RUGSAL TRADING

  

  This company works to encourage Sierra Leone’s citizens to switch from using wood-based charcoal caused by deforestation to a substitute made from coconut scraps.

  Vandana Balakrishnan

  January 17, 2024

  Africa, charcoal, coconut waste, energy, food waste, sierra leone, upcycling

  coconut