Look: Dubai student turns over 50,000 plastic bags into sneakers

Look: Dubai student turns over 50,000 plastic bags into sneakers

The 23-year-old started his company in 2020

Published: Wed 10 Aug 2022, 12:28 PM Last updated: Wed 10 Aug 2022, 12:36 PM

Former Dubai student Ashay Bhave has turned more than 50,000 plastic bags into sneakers and the 23-year-old couldn’t be happier. Recently, a prominent school in the city introduced his recycled sneakers as part of its uniform, partly because it wanted his story to be inspirational to the students.

Named Thaely, which means plastic bag in Hindi, the brand is a result of Bhave’s ingenuity and sense of social responsibility. From experimenting with the material in the balcony of his Dubai home to recently being granted the golden visa, Bhave has come a long way and credits the opportunities Dubai gave him for the phenomenal success of his start up.

Environmentally-conscious upbringing

Born and raised in India, environmental responsibility is something that came naturally to Bhave. “My parents never preached about being conscious but it was part of every decision they made,” he said. “Fifteen years back, when it was still a novelty, my parents had invested in solar lights and heater because they believed that is what was best for the environment.”

However, it was the work of his mother, a counsellor at a