Recycling as an educational mission and business in Bulgaria

Two young people realized early on their mission to give a second chance - they transform waste into value, giving it a new meaning in the home and in the urban environment. Daniela Kostova and Vladislav Kostov created a start-up for the production of furniture and interior elements from recycled plastic in their hometown of Silistra. Even as children, the brother and sister were interested in the topic of environmental protection and want to make the planet a cleaner and greener place through a personal contribution.

After high school, Vladislav realized that the waste problem was the path to follow and began educating himself through various online sources. When Daniela returned from Germany with a degree in architecture, she proposed starting a business together. The two focused on utilizing plastic bottle caps, building their own machinery, including a press, to achieve this. He handled the technical aspects, while she managed design and communications.

"We produce panels from the recycled plastic," Daniela Kostova says. "From these we create various interior elements, such as small tables, chairs, lighting fixtures, or really anything we can think of, as the possibilities for use are endless. We’ve received some fascinating inquiries from clients, including a request to design bench backrests - a project we realized in collaboration with street artist Aleksi. The material’s durability and recyclability are of utmost importance. When elements made from recycled plastic are introduced into public spaces, people will say: 'So it does get recycled after all!' There is a widespread myth that all waste ends up in the same truck and no one knows what happens to it."

The business model is built entirely on circular economy principles. "We generate zero waste," Daniela says. By utilizing waste donated by a local depot that is nearing capacity, and employing innovative 3D printing technology, the entrepreneurs create products that are entirely eco-friendly.

In addition to production, Daniela and Vladislav devote time to educational activities. For example, few people know that there are many different types of plastics and each of them must be disposed of separately.

"Educating the people is crucial because they have the desire to recycle but aren't aware of all the nuances," Daniela Kostova says. "They assume that simply tossing an item into a recycling bin ensures it gets recycled, but the reality is far more complex. That is why education is so important. It is something we have prioritized since the workshop was first established. We regularly visit schools and universities to give presentations on recycling, as our goal isn't merely to create products from recycled plastic, but to change people's way of thinking."

The young entrepreneurs will continue to demonstrate that recycled plastic is a new "noble“ material and to present their production process as a form of modern craftsmanship. They believe that change begins with how we perceive the resources around us, especially when the material can be transformed into a bold, colorful, and valuable element of contemporary interior design. Yet, their cause goes beyond achievements, evolving into a global dream: to find themselves out of work one day because the problem they are currently addressing has been solved. They hope to live to see the day when humanity has fully overcome the issue and plastic pollution has become a thing of the past.

Text: Diana Tsankova (Based on an interview by Alexandra Ilieva from BNR’s Radio Sofia)