Young entrepreneur from Wexford wins European award for upcycling project

Alice Murphy from Enniscorthy won the European Young Upcycler Award for her business idea 'Milking It.' The awards were part of the Upcyclart project, funded by the European Union, focusing on transforming waste materials into value and business ideas to reduce environmental impact.

Alice's idea repurposes milk filters from the dairy industry, which are single-use items leading to significant waste from Ireland's dairy farms. She developed uses for these filters as filler for products like calf blankets and insulation. Additionally, she incorporated repurposed tent material in her calf jacket design, giving new life to another commonly wasted material in Ireland.

After presenting her idea in Estonia, Alice received an upcycled trophy and €2000 in support to further develop her business. The idea was nurtured during upcycling design camps in Enniscorthy led by Lynn Haughton, an upcycling designer and entrepreneur. Lynn expressed pride in the Irish participants' strong solutions to waste streams.

Other Irish delegates included Laura Kennedy from Kilkenny, Tatenda Gamanya from Enniscorthy, and Alanis McGrath from Waterford. The project was a collaboration with Arteteka, a Dublin-based social enterprise promoting social change through art and creativity.

This experience provided valuable skills, new perspectives, and lasting memories for all involved, fostering connections and innovation across Europe.

According to the source: The Irish Independent.