Staramaki is a Social Cooperative Entreprise based in Kilkis, a rural region in Greece, that uses the byproduct of local wheat cultivation to create a viable, eco-friendly alternative to single use plastic straws. It provides benefits for the environment and the local agricultural economy and offers labour opportunities for vulnerable groups of people such as former unemployed-Greeks and refugees. The recent covid-19 pandemic and related socio-economic crisis highlighted the need for innovation and to address social challenges. Staramaki offered soultions for economic growth, social cohesion and local and regional development. Therefore it demonstrated that there is room for social innovation in Greece and that circular economy can become a fertile field for such innovative actions.
Watch this video and find out more about the project here.
