Ms. Viengvilay Phimmasone, co-founder and director of Patihoub, stands with three employees and USASCP Program Manager Ms. Helen Santiago Fink, at the Patihoub factory. The walls enclosing the factory are made of Patihoub’s primary product, recycled plastic boards.

USASCP Program Manager, Helen Santiago Fink, visited Patihoub, a plastics recycling company, in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. Patihoub is one of the six recipients of the 2022 Business Innovation Fund, which was awarded to businesses from ASEAN member states with innovative, carbon neutral solutions to urban challenges. Patihoub takes low-value plastics, and converts them into household products, furniture, and building materials.

Patihoub has witnessed immense growth as a recipient of the Business Innovation Fund. With USASCP’s support, Patihoub was able to complete their factory and purchase equipment vital to their operations. The production facility has been fully enclosed, including a bathroom and kitchen area, with construction boards made from their recycled plastic materials. They plan to construct an additional wash area for collected recycled materials and storage. Patihoub co-founder, Viengvilay Phimmasone, is committed to strengthening the company’s operational capacities and ensure the quality control of its primary product, a construction board made of recycled materials, prior to expanding to other products and markets.

Patihoub workers shred and sort plastic by color. Every product made has a unique design.

While in Luang Prabang, USASCP met with partner hotels, schools, and temples to learn more about Patihoub’s plastics collections process. The initial 10 local stakeholders partnered with Patihoub for plastics collection has now expanded to approximately 40 local stakeholders. Stakeholders work with Patihoub provide separated recycled materials, including metal cans, cardboard, and plastics. Patihoub sells the metal and paper for revenue, and uses the plastics for its operations.

Looking ahead, the Patihoub team plans to visit their franchisers, ReForm, in Dong Nai Vietnam in May for a study tour to strategize ways to improve their product and procedure. Patihoub is also consulting with Dr. Clyde Erikur Hull of the USASCP Circular Entrepreneurship program executed by RIT, to identify a mentor to assist with market research and product design. We hope Patihoub’s rapid growth over the past two years is an indicator of its future success!

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