Debongo wins Circular Economy Award

Gurgaon (Haryana) [India], August 14: In a major recognition of its commitment to promote environmental sustainability, India’s VKC’s brand Debongo has been named the winner of the ACE 2025 award in the Start-up category. The award has been given for its flagship product, GoPlanetD by Debongo, which is the world’s first fully sustainable and circular footwear.

The ACE Award, organised by International Council for Circular Economy (ICCE), recognises and honours organisations that show “true innovation for creative solutions, and the demonstration of waste reduction, elimination, Reducing GHG emissions, energy management and Net zero.”

During the ceremony, Sri VKC Razak, Managing Director of India’s VKC, Mr. Abhijith KP, Senior Manager of Product and Development, and Mr. Nandukishor B, Lead of New Projects and Innovations, received the ACE Award 2025 from Shri Gopal Krishna Agarwal, Member, Board of Governors, IICA, and Ms. Shalini Goyal Bhalla, Managing Director, International Council for Circular Economy.

According to the ICCE, the current global economy “predominantly follows a linear model, which is characterised by a resource-intensive process of extraction, production, consumption, and disposal”. This, it says, is unsustainable in the long-run. As opposed to the linear economy model, a circular economy is one where “materials never become waste and nature is regenerated through processes like maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling and composting.”  Currently, just 7.2% of the world’s economy is circular, indicating a huge potential for companies willing to invest in sustainable manufacturing practices.

Citing Debongo Global for its “vision for reducing environmental impact through circular innovation and product repurposing”, the award noted the company’s minimum use of virgin materials whilst simultaneously maximising reuse, repurposing and resource efficiency truly “exemplifies leadership for sustainability” and demonstrates an “agile approach in resource optimisation and system change.” It further added that Debongo’s efforts at reducing the carbon footprint in the manufacturing sector makes it an ideal role model and “sets an inspiring example for new businesses in the circular space.”

Debongo Global’s flagship product, GoPlanetD by Debongo is the world’s first fully sustainable and circular footwear brand that aims to substantially cut down the waste generated due to worn out and discarded footwear by recycling the shoe upper. This is a global innovation towards an environmentally sustainable future, where even used footwear is part of a larger eco-friendly vision.

Receiving the award, Mr. V K C Razak, Managing Director, India’s VKC, said, “The ACE 2025 Award by the ICCE in the Start-up category is a recognition of the collective efforts of the team at Debongo to create a truly world-class sustainable footwear brand and reaffirms our commitment to developing and manufacturing products that are in sync with our ‘green’ conscience.”

He added that the award was also a recognition of India as a powerhouse of innovative and creative solutions in the manufacturing sector, especially in the FMCG industry.

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