TEXINTEL LIVE INTERVIEW WITH YOHAAN KUKREJA AT GREEN GRADS, YORKTON WORKSHOP - LONDON 2024
In this conversation, Cary Sherburne of What They Think, USA interviews Yohaan Kukreja at Green Grads, at Yorkton Workshop - London 2024.
Winner of the "THE EARTH AWARD 2024" Yohaan Kukreja and Ankita Khanna RAWMaterials (Renewable Agricultural Waste) “A bio-composite, which is a sustainable, circular alternative to synthetic materials, made from the rice straw otherwise burnt in huge quantities every year by farmers in India.”
The judges commended the passion that Yohaan and Ankita bring to their project, starting with a moving video that shows fields ablaze.
Key Takeaways:
Winner of the "THE EARTH AWARD 2024" Yohaan Kukreja and Ankita Khanna RAWMaterials (Renewable Agricultural Waste) “A bio-composite, which is a sustainable, circular alternative to synthetic materials, made from the rice straw otherwise burnt in huge quantities every year by farmers in India.” interviewed by Cary Sherburne of What They Think. The judges commended the passion that Yohaan and Ankita bring to their project, starting with a moving video that shows fields ablaze. They felt that RAWMaterials goes one step further than creating a material from waste; it is also a protest against deadly air pollution and soil degradation. The designers also have a credible business plan to target several industries, including footware, hotels and cars. More details: Yohaan and Ankita have perfected a bio-composite, a sustainable, circular alternative to synthetic materials, made from the rice straw otherwise burnt in huge quantities every year by farmers in India, where it causes deadly pollution. Their new material is strong and flexible and has many applications, including footwear, which the duo have already explored. They also plan single-use products for hotels and components for the automotive industry.
“Growing up in the Punjab, we saw firsthand the severe environmental and health results of rice straw burning. This annual practice, where around 21 million tons of rice straw is set ablaze, causes catastrophic air pollution and respiratory problems, plus soil degradation and economic loss. We propose agricultural waste as a resource, reshaped into biodegradable materials which address the crisis and create new opportunities for local communities.”
Yohaan: MA/MSc Innovation Design Engineering, Royal College of Art/Imperial College London, 2024 Ankita: MA Design Products, Royal College of Art, 2024 @RAWMaterials.official
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