Presenting at EcoDesign Conference 2025, Japan

The P2G Team were honored to present the Plastic to Ghar (P2G) Project learning at the 14th International Symposium on Environmentally Conscious Design and Inverse Manufacturing (EcoDesign2025), held at Waseda University, Tokyo, from 12–15 November 2025. EcoDesign2025 concluded successfully, bringing together leading experts, practitioners, and researchers from around the world to explore cutting-edge trends, innovations, and solutions in the Circular Economy. This year’s symposium hosted 293 presentations and 465 participants, making it a vibrant platform for knowledge exchange. All speakers delivered their sessions in person, creating an engaging environment that encouraged dynamic discussions and meaningful networking. 

The conference showcased research on how integrated design, technology, policy, and social systems can accelerate sustainable transformation. We look forward to applying these learnings and leveraging the new connections made at the conference to enhance our future initiatives in Nepal.

It was Palistha’s first experience presenting at an international conference, and it proved to be a significant opportunity to showcase a project from Nepal. She reflected that the conference offered extensive learning, with speakers sharing perspectives and ideas that she had never previously considered.

As the Technical Lead, Pallab expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the conference. The experience offered him valuable exposure to global approaches in the circular economy, from thoughtful design processes to innovative fabrication practices. He hopes that attendees gained meaningful insights into the grassroots challenges and practical solutions emerging from rural communities in countries like Nepal, as shared through the paper and presentation by Curie and Palistha. On a personal note, having previously spent three years working in Japan, the conference also felt like a nostalgic homecoming, evoking old memories and the joy of experiencing familiar food once again.

Curie, as the project leader, was very pleased to be presenting the aspects of the P2G lessons and learning at this prestigious event. All the more, being able to present with Palistha and Pallab, the two core members of the Nepal team, was a great pleasure!

As part of the conference, we presented our two research papers.

“Distributed Manufacturing Systems for Recycling: Local Circular Economy Potentials of Appropriate Tech Solutions in Nepal.” 2025, by Palistha Manandhar, Curie Park, Pallab Shrestha, Shashank Dewan, Padmakshi Rana, explored innovative models for plastic waste management rooted in community-led environmental solutions. It highlighted how the integration of appropriate technology can enhance local recycling systems and improve waste management solutions in Nepal. The study also demonstrated how these approaches lead to sustainable manufacturing practices using plastic waste as a resource. Insights were drawn from both urban and rural contexts across Nepal, showcasing diverse applications and learnings from the field. The presentation offered a valuable opportunity to showcase Nepal’s grassroots innovations and field-level learnings on an international platform, while also expanding our networks with global researchers, development practitioners, and organizations working in similar domains. This engagement opened pathways for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and potential partnerships that can further strengthen our initiatives. 

The second one “Circular Plastic Entrepreneurship Typology in the Global South” is 2025, by Curie Park,Thibault Roudier, Pallab Shrestha, Simon Ford, Steve Evans, presents the typology of Circular Plastic Entrepreneurs (CPEs) in the Global South to explore diverse approaches to plastic circularity. Drawing on participatory action research, the study identifies 16 distinct business models across three tiers of waste handling and conversion, trading, and service provision.

The conference highlighted a strong shift toward sustainability-centered design and circular manufacturing practices, emphasising how design thinking, technological innovation, and life cycle approaches can drive long-term environmental impact. Key themes spanned the full product journey from life cycle design, sustainable manufacturing, and end-of-life management to green supply chains and sustainability assessment. Keynote speakers from Apple Inc., Keidanren and Denso shared the latest  insights on the large-scale implementation of circular economy practices in their industries, highlighting how their companies integrate sustainability into manufacturing by maximising the use of recyclable materials in product design and production.

Several studies highlighted how design thinking can be integrated with circular economy principles and sustainability to develop practical, user-centered products with an added focus on circularity. Researches showcased the use of sustainable production indicators in simple products such as footwear and wall panels, as well as emerging innovations in eco-friendly packaging solutions. Presentations also explored the development of portable technologies including water management systems, LED lighting, and heating systems designed for disaster-prone regions, along with plant-based filtration methods. Some research on sustainable consumption and production examined consumer behaviour and their understanding of sustainability, emphasising social dimensions such as behavior change, local manufacturing, and sustainable infrastructure that underscore the need for holistic solutions.