The desire for green living "sprouted" from a failure

Tears and sleepless nights

Pham Thi Ngoc Diem was born in 2001 and graduated from the Chemical Engineering Technology Department of the University of Science (Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City). In 2021, when the trend of green living and sustainable consumption spread, she and her colleagues at a company specializing in the production of recycled products experimented with recycling coffee grounds, one of the common waste products, to create environmentally friendly products.

The initial idea was promising: coffee grounds were easy to collect, readily available, and had a rich cultural value. However, after 5 months, the result was a product that did not decompose, although it still contained coffee grounds.

"At that time, we decided to stop doing business to focus on research from the beginning. The important thing is not only beautiful products, but also protecting the environment and ensuring production safety for employees," Ngoc Diem recalls.

Three years later, at the end of 2024, when leaving Ho Chi Minh City to return to her hometown in Dak Lak , Ngoc Diem suddenly came up with a new solution. In the middle of the coffee forest near Chu Yang Sin National Park, she saw many problems of this industry: The massive planting of coffee led to unsustainable output, the amount of emissions from the care, roasting, and disposal of grounds further weakened the environment.

At that moment, Diem decided to do something not only for herself but also for her homeland. She combined bagasse, potato starch and coffee grounds in a new formula to create a material with wood-like properties, friendly to the environment. That coincidence became a turning point in Diem's green startup journey.

I want to highlight the value of coffee: not only as a drink but also as a source of raw materials for a new industry. If recycled well, we do not need to cut down trees to make wooden furniture. Coffee grounds, sugarcane bagasse, things that are considered to be discarded, can become inputs to create new materials.

Pham Thi Ngoc Diem

When she first started testing in Dak Lak, difficulties piled up. There was no equipment, no lab, and Diem was working in Ho Chi Minh City, so traveling back to her hometown to carry out the new project was a big challenge.

Luckily for her, the company supported her in purchasing the equipment, and her colleagues shared with her so that Diem could conduct the test at home. But the obstacles did not stop there. When the product was brought out for customers to try, the feedback was not positive as the product was easily broken, water-permeable, and had slight mold…

"I remember there were nights when we had to work all night to send out new samples on time. But those times helped me see more clearly where the mistakes were so I could adjust each step. In the end, the product achieved durability, water resistance and aesthetics to be released to the market.

The desire for green living

Products made from coffee grounds

Starting a business is never easy. You may stumble, sometimes no one believes in you, but if what you do is right and useful, believe that it is worth pursuing," Ngoc Diem said.

For the forest, for a new life

From this new material, Ngoc Diem and her team have created a series of environmentally friendly products such as: coasters, trays, plant pots, mini tables and chairs, pet statues... All can be made in a variety of colors while still maintaining a natural feel.

For local people, Ngoc Diem’s project opens up job opportunities for many workers, from collecting raw materials to manufacturing products. Especially in Krong Bong, where many young workers have not yet oriented their careers, this green startup model is both familiar and easy to implement.

Ngoc Diem is not stopping at the household scale, she is gradually expanding, connecting with interior design companies, wood furniture manufacturers to provide alternative materials. The plan to open factories in Dak Lak and Ho Chi Minh City has been nurtured, at the same time aiming to register trademarks, international quality standards and access export markets.

"There is still much work to do, but I believe that if we maintain our goals and always consider environmental protection as the foundation, we will make steady progress," Ngoc Diem said.

Besides product development, this Nung girl also actively participates in propaganda activities, instructing recycling at schools and in the community, spreading the spirit of green living to the young generation in the highlands.

For Ngoc Diem, pride does not come from revenue or titles, but from the moment she sees products made from her hometown's coffee grounds being used and appreciated by others.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/khat-vong-song-xanh-nay-mam-tu-mot-that-bai-20250723185030788.htm