Nissan’s Honor the King’s Legacy Project helps local communities create revenue through upcycling trash
KMITL freshmen students show ingenuity by designing and teaching the Pak Nam Pran community how to produce saleable products
Bangkok, Thailand (May 7, 2019) – The Pak Nam Pran community is poised to have a new sustainable revenue stream, generated through selling products made from upcycled waste items collected in their neighborhood under Nissan’s Honor the King’s Legacy Project.
The project saw more than 60 freshmen students from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) – working with the community - develop and present an impressive portfolio of sellable products made from upcycled local waste.
“Nissan is so proud of the incredible passion, creativity and hard work that the students put into upcycling trash into saleable items that are practical, beautiful, unique, and definitely very marketable,” said Peter Galli, the vice president of communications for Nissan in Thailand. “Project-based learning like this lets students tackle real-world challenges and shows them how they can make a real difference in the world as well as a good living from their chosen profession.”
Product prototypes included a biodegradable plant pot made from bioplastic and organic materials like coconut shell shavings and dried pine leaves; a free-form vase made from discarded glass bottles and woven PE rope or string; an eco macramé bag made from woven PE rope or string and leather; "re-pran", the name given to the shoes by its student inventors that is made from upcycled waste and PE rope; a Cochell handbag made from coconut shells and rope or fishnets; and a decorative lamp inspired by jellyfish and made from discarded fishing nets.
Project leader and consultant, Prof. Jarupatcha Achavasmit, a lecturer at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang’s Faculty of Architecture, said the students had to consider multiple factors when tackling the many real-world challenges posed by the project.
“They had to evaluate the waste items and materials found in the community so as two achieve two goals: create saleable products while reducing waste. As a result, they produced many exciting and innovative prototype products and then taught the local community members how to make them,” she said.
Most items used to create the upcycled product prototypes were collected from within the Pak Nam Pran community, including fishing nets, glass bottles, plastic bags, and organic materials like pine leaves and coconut shells.
KMITL students were energized by this unique learning experience that gave them hands-on design experience through developing upcycled products while helping create additional revenue opportunities for the community.
Wannaanong Temwattanangkul, a KMITL student, was motivated by the hands-on nature of the project. “I learned so much from this program, ranging from how to identify and sort waste to upcycle, to the many techniques used to create the prototypes. There were many challenges along the way but, thanks to Prof. Jarupatcha, we managed to find the right solutions. This was such a valuable lesson that I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to learn anywhere else.”
Pimploy Sabchareon, another KMITL student, agreed. “This project taught me to put the needs of others before my own. I am so honored to follow the King’s legacy and his sufficiency economy. I’m also very happy that I could help people in these local communities by creating something that is easy to reproduce and that they can sell to generate extra income. I am very grateful for this opportunity.”
The Pak Nam Pran community members were impressed with Nissan’s initiative and the creativity of the students. “I am astonished how these students repurposed discarded waste. They clearly put a lot of thought and effort into building these products, said Somdej Nakdee, president of the Mangrove Forest and Environment Conservation Group Baan Klong Kao. “It is refreshing to see so many young and talented students dedicated to helping others. I am sure they will help many in our community generate additional income.”
Prof. Jarupatcha agreed, thanking Nissan Thailand for the opportunity to participate in this second year program under the Honor the King’s Legacy project, which let students interact with the community and learn teamwork for the benefits of others. “It also teaches them the hidden value of discarded materials. I am sure that after this project the students will be able to put what they’ve learned to great use.”
For Nissan, the project was about three things: community, collaboration and conservation, said Galli. “The hope is that this small-scale program can serve as an inspiration for other communities across Thailand to create local projects that help reduce waste while creating new and sustainable income opportunities for them.”
If you would like to stay updated on this project, please ‘Like’ the “Honor the King’s Legacy” Facebook page.
About Nissan Motor (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Nissan was established in Japan since 1933 with the commitment to create Innovation that Excites for customer satisfaction. Nissan wants to improve quality of life for people in society by pursuing a goal of zero emission vehicles and zero fatalities on the road with “Nissan Intelligent Mobility”. The company plans to introduce autonomous drive vehicles across regions for safety and more enjoyable driving experience. Nissan started business in Thailand since 1952. Currently, the Nissan Group of Companies in Thailand has subsidiaries five companies, including two of the production bases, over than 180 showrooms and service centers nationwide network. Vehicle range cover all segments includes 10 models spanning the entry level Eco-Car, SUV, Premium Sedans and Pickup Trucks.
About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, INFINITI and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2017, the company sold 5.77 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.9 trillion yen. On April 1, 2017, the company embarked on Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, a six-year plan targeting a 30% increase in annualized revenues to 16.5 trillion yen by the end of fiscal 2022, along with cumulative free cash flow of 2.5 trillion yen. As part of Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, the company plans to extend its leadership in electric vehicles, symbolized by the world's best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan’s global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, the Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999 and acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance sold 10.76 million vehicles combined in calendar year 2018.
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