Shillong: Seilydor Sohkhia and Bankitlang Nongbri are transforming Meghalaya’s plastic crisis into a business. Their start-up, Eco-Ri, recycles discarded materials into sheets that function as plywood alternatives. These two-foot by two-foot sheets become benches, tables, and café accessories. The operation sits within the Design and Innovation Centre on the NEHU campus.
The duo launched the venture during the COVID-19 pandemic to fight regional pollution. They drew inspiration from the Netherlands group Precious Plastic. Sohkhia explained their motivation: “We wanted to do something for the environment after seeing the impact plastic waste was having on our surroundings.”
Growth followed early experiments with self-designed equipment. Eco-Ri won a 50,000 rupee prize in the Chief Minister’s E-Championship Challenge, funding an OTG oven. Later, a 5 lakh rupee investment from PRIME Meghalaya allowed them to buy three machines. They now operate under a five-year agreement with NEHU.
The current team of four also manages student interns from St Edmund’s College, St Anthony’s College, and Shillong College. They collect segregated waste from hostels and shops. Output remains limited. They only produce two sheets daily. This prevents them from filling bulk orders from Nagaland or Mumbai. DIC Director S. Majaw backs their push for better local waste management. The centre has trained women from 16 Mawlai localities in collection methods to boost the supply chain.
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