SA Polymer Technology

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SA Plastics Pact Reuse

Contest for innovative reusable packaging solutions THE South African Plastics Pact in partnership with the MAVA Foundation recently held a contest for innovative reusable packaging solutions. Congratulations to the winners, in first place, Waterpod by I-Drop; in second place, Sonke Retail; and in third place, Green Tap. “The I-Drop Waterpod team are absolutely thrilled to win the inaugural SA Plastics Pact Reuse Innovation Challenge. This is particularly special given the amazing solutions presented by all the competitors, all of whom are a proud showcase of South African innovation in sustainability and new approaches to a more circular plastics economy,” says Kate Thiers, CEO of Waterpod by I-Drop. Waterpod plans to build and grow the company’s reach to shop-owners looking for a convenient and simple way of selling purified water refills for a sustainable alternative to bottled water in single-use plastics. The first runner up in the challenge was Sonke Retail. ‘Sonke’ is a Zulu word meaning ‘All of Us’. Sonke is an The I-Drop Waterpod team are absolutely thrilled to win the inaugural SA Plastics Pact Reuse Innovation Challenge

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African start-up which was founded to give all people economic incentive to make environmentally friendly choices. Sonke designs, manufactures and manages automated refill stations for fast-moving consumer goods (dishwashing liquid, fabric softener, etc). “Sonke designs, manufactures and manages automated refill stations that encourage shoppers to bring their own packaging – for a discount. Sonke refill machines are fully automated, ‘smart’, compact and can dispense up to three liquids,” explains Eben De Jongh, founder of Sonke Retail. Reacting to the announcement, the second runner up, Green Tap’s founder Carmen Francke said: “We are very grateful for the opportunity and generosity we have received which will definitely assist our brand growth going forward. We are excited and would like to take some time to put a plan in place as to how we will be spending our winnings but we can say that we will be looking at a community initiative, a marketing campaign, and a new product line.” Second place went to Sonke Retail that designs, manufactures and manages automated refill stations that encourage shoppers to bring their own packaging – for a discount

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2021/10/05 11:38


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