Get a fully funded
plastic recycling
workspace.
Sustainable Design Studio has partnered with ChangeX to fund plastic recycling projects across the UK, Ireland, Costa Rica, and four new regional grants in Wales, West London, Austria, and Sweden. Schools, social enterprises, community groups, and entrepreneurs, this grant could kickstart your recycling journey.
Deadline: 19 June 2026 · Multiple projects selected per country
United Kingdom
Fixed-amount grant
£20,000
Ireland
Fixed-amount grant
€18,000
Costa Rica
Fixed-amount grant
₡7.5M
Wales
Newport only
£3,800
London (West)
Ealing, Brent, H&F only
£3,800
Austria
Linz-Land District only
€18,000
Sweden
Dalarna County only
SEK 260,000
Who this is for
A grant designed for the people closing the loop.
Whether you are a school, social enterprise, community group, or entrepreneur, this fixed-amount grant funds the machines, moulds, and training you need to start recycling plastic locally.
Educators
Bring recycling, product design, and sustainability into your classroom or after-school club. Build a hands-on learning experience around circular economy principles.
Schools · Universities
Makers & hobbyists
Got a garage full of creativity and 3D printer scraps? Turn your passion into purpose by setting up your own recycling workspace and transforming waste into new products.
Workshops · Studios
Community organisers
Whether you run a local hub, charity, or volunteer group, this setup helps you run workshops, reduce local waste, and engage your community in a practical, powerful way.
Charities · Volunteer groups
Entrepreneurs
Launching a circular product business? Use the grant to set up production, prototype with recycled feedstock, and ship your first products.
Startups · Small business
Pick your grant
Active ChangeX grants for 2026
Fixed-amount setup grants across seven regions, with two deadlines depending on the programme. Multiple projects will be selected in each region.
Country grants
National-scale setup grants
United Kingdom
£20,000
Fixed-amount ChangeX grant
From the UK and looking to start or grow your existing project? Apply for the £20,000 grant and get started making.
- Comprehensive recycling workspace setup
- Choice of shredder, injection, and extruder machines
- Off-the-shelf and custom moulds
- Onboarding consultancy and training included
Ireland
€18,000
Fixed-amount ChangeX grant
With ChangeX in Ireland, apply for an €18,000 grant. Perfect for setting up a comprehensive recycling workspace.
- Full kit equivalent to UK workspace
- Ships from the UK with carbon neutral delivery
- Eligible for schools, charities, and start-ups
- Local case study support from past Irish recipients
Costa Rica
₡7,500,000
Fixed-amount ChangeX grant
Bring your project to life in Costa Rica with the ₡7,500,000 grant. Everything from moulds to machines, we are here to support you end to end.
- Full workspace setup, shipped to Costa Rica
- Carbon neutral international delivery
- Spanish-language onboarding support
- Connects you to the regional ChangeX community
Regional setup grants
Geographic-specific funds, new for 2026
Wales
Up to £3,800
Newport, Wales only
Based in Newport, Wales? Apply for up to £3,800 to launch a recycling workspace in your community. First come, first served once eligibility is confirmed.
- Open to individuals, schools, and non-profits
- Eligibility limited to Newport, Wales
- Funded on a first come, first served basis
London (West)
Up to £3,800
Ealing, Brent, Hammersmith & Fulham
Based in West London? Apply for up to £3,800 to set up a recycling workspace. Eligibility is restricted to three London boroughs, first come, first served.
- Open to individuals, schools, and non-profits
- Ealing, Brent, or Hammersmith & Fulham only
- Funded on a first come, first served basis
Austria
€18,000
Linz-Land District, Austria
Based in Linz-Land District? A €18,000 starter allocation to launch a recycling workspace in your community. Outreach is focused on Kronstorf, but applications are open across the wider district.
- Open to non-profits and schools
- Eligibility limited to Linz-Land District
- Funded on a first come, first served basis
- Sustainable Design Studio ships from the UK
Sweden
SEK 260,000
Dalarna County, Sweden
Based in Dalarna County? A SEK 260,000 starter allocation to launch a recycling workspace in your community. First come, first served once eligibility is confirmed.
- Open to non-profits and schools
- Eligibility limited to Dalarna County
- Funded on a first come, first served basis
- Sustainable Design Studio ships from the UK
How it works
Five steps from application to first injection.
The application is user friendly and support is available at every stage. Pick your kit first, then write up your impact, then apply. We strongly encourage talking to us before you click submit on ChangeX, the Sustainable Design Studio team has shaped dozens of winning applications and can sanity-check your scope and budget. Every funded project comes with a set amount of free consultancy and training too.
Pick your workspace setup
Start here. Use our Workspace Setups & Budgets resource to identify the machines, moulds and accessories you will buy with your grant. Picking the kit first makes the rest of the application much easier to write.
Outline your impact
Tell us what you want to achieve: students educated, plastic recycled, products made. Highlight the unique impact you want to make. Specific numbers and a clear local story make applications stand out.
Apply on ChangeX
Before you click submit, we strongly encourage getting in touch so the Sustainable Design Studio team can review your scope, sanity-check your budget and suggest small wording tweaks. We have helped shape dozens of winning applications and the call is free.
Get confirmed and funded
Successful applicants are confirmed by late summer, with grants paid shortly after so you can place your order with us.
Build, recycle, report back
Set up your workspace and report progress to ChangeX within six months. The Sustainable Design Studio team supports you the whole way.
What you can buy with the grant
A full workspace, ready to recycle.
Mix and match machines, moulds, and tooling. Every grant comfortably covers a comprehensive setup, turning waste plastic into a valuable feedstock is now more accessible than ever.
SMV2
Shredder Mini V2
Hand-powered. Produces flakes for the injection stage.
DSV2
Desktop Shredder V2
Motorised workhorse. Consistent flakes, high throughput.
IMMV2
Injection Mini V2
Compact, safe injection moulder for small parts.
AIMV2
Arbour Injection Machine V2
Higher-volume injection for production runs.
EMV2
Extruder Mini V2
Continuous extrusion for beams, sheets, and filament stock.
FEV2
Fume Extractor V2
Workshop air quality. Mandatory for safe plastic processing.
Setup grant, not an operational grant.
The grant is fixed and goes towards machines, moulds, tooling, training and consumables to set up your workspace. It does not fund staff salaries, rent, utility bills or general operating costs. With the right mix of equipment you can comfortably reach the grant value and build a proper recycling space.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Still unsure if you should apply? The Sustainable Design Studio team replies within one to two working days. Get in touch
Ready to apply?
Close the loop in your community.
Multiple projects will be selected in each country. Apply on ChangeX, outline your impact, and Sustainable Design Studio will help you build a workspace that closes the loop. Good luck.