Houston – Four Houston students are proving that one person’s trash can become another person’s everyday essential.
Incoming seniors Emmanuel Wieczorek, Ananya Menon, Antonio Psyllos and Haasini Yatagiri of The Village School created Next Use a student-run business that transforms donated plastic grocery bags into handcrafted tote bags and pouches.
Inspired by the growing problem of plastic pollution, the team has collected more than 3,500 plastic bags from the community. They layer and heat-press the bags into a durable material before sewing them into reusable products.
Their innovative business recently earned national recognition at Junior Achievement’s Future Bound National Competition, where they received the Johnson & Johnson STEM Innovation Award.
The students say their mission goes beyond making bags. They hope to expand plastic bag collection sites, continue growing their business and eventually donate 10% of their profits to environmental causes that protect marine life.
As Plastic Free July shines a spotlight on reducing single-use plastics, the founders of Next Use hope their business inspires others to see how small changes can make a big impact.
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