Waste to Skills Innovation to Jobs
PDS Recycling & Innovation Hub turns Zanzibar’s plastic, paper and used tyres into furniture, tools and everyday products, and every sale funds skills and jobs.
Transforming local waste into useful, beautiful things
Our goal is not only to protect the environment, but to equip communities with skills, encourage innovation, create jobs and generate income.
Plastic waste
Chairs, tables, benches, paving blocks and bricks
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Paper waste
Pens, straws, notebooks and other stationery
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Used tyres
Sofas, garden tools and creative innovations
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Glass & timber
Terrazzo lamps, coasters and reclaimed dhow-wood furniture
Shop this rangeTAKA NI AJIRA — WASTE IS EMPLOYMENT
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Tons of waste diverted
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Local jobs created
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Youth & artisans trained
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Recycled & upcycled
From ocean waste to high-end aesthetics
Drag the handle to compare raw collected waste in Zanzibar with the refined product made by our artisans.
Handmade in Zanzibar
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Bestsellers
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Recycled Plastic
Recycled Plastic Wall Tile Panel
Modular decorative wall panelling suitable for outdoor resort bars and modern home feature walls.
Diverts 6kg of single-use plastic per panel.
$ 95 -
Recycled Plastic
Zanzibar Ocean Terrazzo Table
Handcrafted round coffee table made from compressed recycled HDPE plastic with a terrazzo finish inspired by the…
Recycles 18kg of ocean plastic bottle caps.
$ 380 -
Upcycled Glass
Crushed Wine Glass Table Lamp
Modern minimalist lighting fixture embedded with crushed turquoise glass collected from Stone Town hotels.
Upcycles 12 hotel wine bottles into translucent resin.
$ 145 -
Reclaimed Timber
Reclaimed Dhow Wood Lounge Chair
Ergonomic accent chair constructed from retired traditional Zanzibari fishing dhows.
Restores authentic Zanzibari boat teakwood.
$ 520
How every piece creates opportunity
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01
Collect
Community members and clean-up campaigns gather plastic, paper, glass and tyres from villages and beaches.
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02
Process
Materials are sorted, shredded and pressed at the Hub into boards, blocks and raw stock.
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Craft
Trained local artisans design, mould and finish each product by hand.
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Employ
Sales fund fair wages, new training places and the next clean-up.
Who is behind the Hub
About PDS Charitable Organization
Perspective Development Skills (PDS) is a charitable organization in Zanzibar that helps the community overcome poverty by unlocking the value local people bring to economic development.
Its vision is a world of hope, tolerance and social justice where poverty has been overcome and all people live with self-respect, and to become a Center for Skills Development and Jobs Creation in Africa. The Recycling & Innovation Hub is the commercial arm that turns waste into skills, products and jobs.
- PDS Jobs Skills Center
- PDS Recycling & Innovation Hub
- PDS Charity School
- PDS Children’s Home
- PDS Humanitarian & Community Development Center
Hotels, resorts & corporate buyers
Elevate your resort’s eco-credentials with bespoke recycled furnishings
Custom furniture, sustainable signage, restaurant amenities and architectural tile panels for hotels across East Africa.
Sustainability journal
All stories
Stories from the Hub
Hello world!
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!
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How Small-Scale Recycling Industries are Transforming Zanzibar
Exploring the commercial bridge between NGO environmental clean-up and self-sustaining industrial production.
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Designing Hotel Interiors with 100% Upcycled Materials
Why leading Zanzibari resorts are choosing recycled plastic terrazzo over imported stone.
Read full articleFrequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about buying, ordering, shipping and supporting PDS in Zanzibar.
What is PDS Recycling & Innovation Hub?
We are the commercial arm of Perspective Development Skills (PDS), a charitable organization in Zanzibar. We turn plastic, paper, used tyres, glass and timber into furniture and everyday products, and every sale helps fund skills training and jobs for local people.
What products do you make from recycled materials?
Our range includes tables, chairs, stools and benches, paving blocks and bricks, paper straws and stationery, lamps, coasters and wall tile panels. Visit the shop to see what is available now, or ask us about something made to order.
Where are you based and can I visit the Hub?
We are based in Jendele, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Visitors, volunteers and buyers are welcome. Message us on WhatsApp at +255 718 226 872 or email contact@pdsrecyclinghub.org to arrange a visit.
How do I place an order?
Add products to your cart and check out online. For custom designs, hotel or bulk orders, use the Custom Design studio or the quote form, or chat with us and our team will prepare a quote.
Which payment methods do you accept?
Checkout supports mobile money (M-Pesa, Tigo Pesa, Airtel Money), bank cards through Pesapal and Flutterwave, and pay on delivery. The options you see at checkout depend on your location and order.
Do you deliver within Zanzibar and Tanzania?
Yes. Delivery options and costs for your location are shown at checkout. For large items such as furniture we confirm the delivery cost and timing with you before we dispatch.
Can you ship internationally?
Yes. Tourists, volunteers and international buyers can order, and we arrange shipping to your country. Shipping costs are shown at checkout or confirmed in your quote. Contact us for bulk or large shipments.
Can I order a custom design or a bulk order for my hotel?
Yes. Use the Custom Design studio to choose the item, recycled material, colour, size and laser-engraved logo, then send it to our workshop. Hotels, resorts and corporate buyers can also request our B2B wholesale deck.
What recycled materials do you use?
We use plastic waste, paper, used tyres, glass and reclaimed timber collected from communities, beaches and clean-up campaigns. Each product page shows how much waste it diverts.
How does buying from the Hub help the community?
Your purchase pays fair wages to trained local artisans, funds new training places and supports the next clean-up. Waste becomes skills, and skills become jobs.
How can I sponsor an artisan or make a donation?
Visit the Sponsor & Donate page. A sponsorship is a one-time gift that covers one month of an artisan’s training, tools and wage. You can also give any amount to where it is needed most, paying by mobile money, card or bank.
Can I volunteer in Zanzibar?
Yes. PDS welcomes volunteers. Use the Volunteer in Zanzibar link on this site to apply through the PDS website, or contact us and we will point you to the right programme.
