Beyond the Bin: Rethinking Waste, Circularity, and the Cost of Doing Good

What actually happens to the clothes we can't wear anymore, and why does it often cost money to do the 'right' thing?

In this engaging and practical session, Nehal Jain shares her journey from software product manager to circular economy founder, and the lessons she’s learned from launching initiatives like After and Trishlaa that tackle textile waste head-on. She’ll bust common recycling myths, unpack why sustainable services often carry a cost, and offer a simple circular framework anyone can use to make lower-waste living easier.

Note the entry fee includes 1kg of free textile recycling at the event.

The talk will cover:

• Background on how the Nehal Jain started their sustainability journey, and how they started with Trishlaa and After

• Why there are costs associated with these services and broadly why sustainable services should have a cost associated to them to create value. 

• Share the Circular Economy framework / a mental model on how you can think about living sustainably, with easy practical examples of this.

• Focus on easy and straightforward actions that you can do that make a big difference.

Nehal Jain is a circular economy advocate, strategist, and speaker who is passionate about rethinking our relationship with waste. She founded Trishlaa, a community clothes swap initiative encouraging people to trade rather than toss, and was previously the co-founder of After, a textile recovery service helping households and businesses responsibly recycle unwearable clothing.

With a background in product strategy and deep experience across startups, sustainability ventures, and founder programs, Nehal brings a systems-thinking lens to designing for impact,  from local action to large-scale change. She’s particularly passionate about supporting early-stage initiatives that empower communities to reduce waste and extend the life of what we already have.

Nehal was named a 7News Young Achiever for her work in environmental sustainability and currently serves as a Board Observer at Climate for Change.