Jugaad - Recycle and Reuse

The spirit of recycle and reuse has always been part of the Indian ethos, with the simple idea of Jugaad. 

The colloquial Hindi word Jugaad implies an innovative fix, an improvisation of an otherwise standard system to both utilize given resources as well as reduce waste. The spirit of enterprise in all communities that exist 'to survive', that is, those that live with necessities and not comforts or luxuries, in India is overwhelmingly creative and exuberant. The jugaad character appears often in films, finding the the attainment of the impossible "no problem". 

Modern companies have begun to adopt this word as a vernacular, as a cultural characteristic of out-of-the-box thinking that maximizes resources. Below is a photo essay on the Jugaad of Rugs by Raj, and the innovation that the workers bring to their process of carpet weaving.

A simple piece of steel nailed together to scrape against the rug and remove its stray fibres.

A plastic container used to hold glue and a broom stick being used to apply the glue

An eraser made from leftover resin

A brick in which glue, made from flour and water, is stored

Scissors made from scrap metal

A toe and the rhythm of the leg is used to knot yarn

A broom made of tree branches

Leftover bits of pipes and washers that will get recycled and made into anything.