MADAGASCAR: How a young Madagascan start-up managed to win

May 2021

The young Madagascan start-up supported by Rubis Mécénat has succeeded in making work jackets from plastic recycling. Vests worn by VITOGAZ Madagascan employees.

Production of fleece work jackets with Polyfloss wool, products from plastic recycling, for VITOGAZ Madagascan employees is a win for the young people of NDAO HANAVAO and VITOGAZ Madagascar.

As the southern winter approaches, the VITOGAZ Madagascan teams have just received their new work clothing: a fleece jacket with polyfloss wool, produced by R’ART PLAST, a start-up created by young people in integration at the NDAO HANAVAO innovation laboratory (“let’s innovate” in Madagascar). NDAO HANAVAO is an innovation and creation laboratory for social design, initiated by RUBIS MECENAT, with the involvement of VITOGAZ Madagascar. Created in 2018, this laboratory welcomes young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in Antananarivo, through a social integration programme, with training in personal development, language, entrepreneurship and design, in conjunction with local and international designers. The purpose of the laboratory is to promote the manufacture of wool from recycling of plastic waste using a unique process: POLYFLOSS.

Since 2020, young people, at the end of their vocational training, have created a company to produce and market their products: this is how R’ART PLAST was born. The young company continues to research design, combining traditional and modern techniques, offering a variety of innovative and useful products. This is how she supplied the wool used to fleece the work jackets ordered by VITOGAZ Madagascar.

For VITOGAZ Madagascar, this initiative strengthens the desire to promote its societal actions both in terms of environmental protection and socially through Ndao Hanavao. Each employee is thus made aware of and mobilised on the values of society.