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DGrade, a leading company in plastic recycling and sustainable clothing production, announced the winners of the "Sustainable Café Design" competition. The competition, which targeted UAE school students to foster innovation in addressing environmental challenges, was held in collaboration with Starbucks Middle East, part of Alshaya Group.

The competition saw participation from 43 schools across the UAE, where students aged 11 to 16 competed to present innovative designs for sustainable cafés. The designs utilized various approaches, including traditional or digital illustrations and 3D models made from recycled materials. The initiative aimed to encourage creative and sustainable thinking among youth, focusing on pressing environmental challenges and promoting the concept of a circular economy.

The winners were announced during an event held at Starbucks in Al Falah Community, Abu Dhabi, attended by Emma Barber, General Manager of DGrade, Ella Clements, Director of the Simply Bottles initiative at DGrade, and Michelle Pocock, Head of Public Affairs for Starbucks Middle East and North Africa. Students from three winning schools were honoured, while five other finalists received special recognition. Certificates of appreciation were awarded to all participants.

Al Izzam Educational Partnership School won first place for its innovative café design. It features a structure built around a large tree, using glass walls for natural lighting and entirely eco-friendly materials. The design includes robots made from recycled materials to educate visitors about sustainability, along with symbolic touches like colorful parrots that add vibrancy and emphasize wildlife conservation.

Second place went to Abu Dhabi International Private School for its solar-powered café project, which was built using bamboo and recycled wood. The innovative design included water generators that extract moisture from the air, waste-to-compost devices, and green spaces, creating an eco-friendly oasis within the community.

In third place, New Academy School excelled with their "Eco Quint Solutions" project, which integrated a café, a community garden, and an eco-friendly store. The design, led by determination students, focused on fostering community interaction through sustainability workshops, displaying recycled products, and serving coffee in traditional clay cups.

Emma Barber emphasized the importance of engaging youth in environmental efforts, stating, "This competition reflects the power of young minds to envision and innovate sustainable solutions that have a significant positive impact on the environment. We are proud to support students in developing their skills and contributing to a better future for the UAE and the world."

Olena Lemyshko, Vice President of Marketing and Products at Starbucks, Alshaya Group, highlighted the importance of raising awareness about sustainability among students, adding, "We are committed to empowering young people and encouraging them to think unconventionally to find innovative solutions to the toughest challenges of our time."

This initiative is part of the Simply Bottles program, which aims to raise awareness about recycling and encourage schools and communities to adopt sustainable practices. The competition underscores the importance of enabling the next generation to contribute to building a sustainable and positive future.