Agro-waste based recycle economy : Chi 100

Why did you started this business?

Chi 100 is based in Taiwan and started in Sep, 2017. We want to improve the sustainability situation for our planet, mother earth.  “There is no plan B for the future, because we don’t have a planet B.” In the recent years climate changes seriously which got effects on different kinds of industries. Our Ocean pollutions reached a very high peak which is drastically damaging the balance of the ecological system. We want to use sustainable agro-based material, including organic waste from farms and distilleries to develop recycled products that are friendly to the environment. We hope that the product could be decomposed spontaneously and in this way, we could protect the environment and solve the waste problem for producers at the same time.

Where does your agriculture waste come from?  What’s your technology to make recycled utensils?

Sugarcane fibers come from a sugar factory that belongs to TaiSugar company, and we receive coffee waste from chain coffee stores. The other botanical fibers come from farmers and agriculture producers. There are no trees being cut involved in our business. We use solar energy and a well-designed greenhouse to save electricity in processing.

Why would people use your utensils?

Our material can replace most of the plastic product materials as most plastic products g-have a single use : from disposable fork to utensils and even garden chair or desk. We designed the material and make it more suitable using circular economy process. Manufacturers don’t have to purchase new equipments anymore as we give objects a new life spectrum.

How do you describe Chi as a good circular economy case?

We collect agri-waste from farmers, chain beverage stores and food factory and transform them into recycled product. We fully use the resource and no waste left. We also reasonably attribute profits to all cooperatives, transfer the technology to manufactures, help our partners be more profitable. Basically our products create a win-win situation for the whole production chain.

What means ecology to you? Which change do you want to be in the society?

We respect nature, protect nature and we want to keep living in nature.

Human are not aware of the cost of their convenient lifestyle. Plastic is easy, but pollutes the ocean and the planet a lot. We want to promote the concept of an overall use of every material with zero waste, instead of keep manufacturing new items that are not biodegradable.

What is your market strategy for different countries?

We would like to share our knowledge, to improve countries with similar conditions. We can use different agro-waste in different sites around the world and make them into recycled products. Our product won’t produce any micro plastic orbs, no plastic pollution. So we are more than happy if we encourage any country with this technology. They should just adopt our technology. We are willing to share our knowledge to implement local recycle economies everywhere.

Do you already have cooperative partners with agriculture waste in Europe?

No. We look forward to have cooperation in Europe.

Interviewed by Mokki Hsiao