Meet Tejas Pugalia Winner of International Young Eco-Hero Award for Threads4Good Initiative

Tejas Pugalia, a 16-year-old environmental advocate from Maharashtra, India, has secured 3rd place in the 13-16 age category at the renowned Action for Nature (AFN) International Young Eco-Hero Award for his remarkable work with Threads4Good. Tejas will be honored with this award on August 24, 2024, alongside fellow Indian students Licypriya Kangujam from Manipur and Sahithi Radha from Hyderabad.

Threads4Good is a sustainable project that transforms textile waste into school bags, tackling environmental issues while fostering social inclusion. Tejas launched Threads4Good after learning that many rural students in India missed school during the monsoon season due to a lack of proper bags.

Since its start in June 2022, Threads4Good has created over 5,000 school bags from 8,400 discarded clothing items, saving more than 40 million liters of water and avoiding 35,000 kilograms of CO2 emissions. The initiative has also provided employment to over 80 individuals with disabilities, offering fair wages and a meaningful purpose. Threads4Good has grown to five cities in India, collaborating with 15 educational institutions and various corporations. Tejas aims to continue supplying bags to students in need while promoting sustainable practices and raising environmental awareness across the country.

"Threads4Good is more than just recycling textile waste," Tejas explains. "It's about creating a brighter future for our planet and the people living on it."

Tejas envisions Threads4Good evolving into a global movement, expanding its product range to include items like shopping bags, thus further minimizing environmental impact while supporting economic empowerment for marginalized communities.

Beryl Kay, President of Action for Nature, praises Tejas's efforts, saying, "Tejas's innovative solution to addressing both environmental and social challenges through Threads4Good is truly impressive. His vision for a sustainable and inclusive future is an inspiration to us all."