Green Vietnam Festival 2026 showcases new life for agricultural byproducts and everyday waste

An annual event initiated by Tuoi Tre online newspaper in 2024, this year's Green Vietnam Festival, taking place on November 7 and 8 at Phan Dinh Phung Park in Ho Chi Minh City, features 50 booths, offering exhibitions and hands-on activities to help the public, particularly young people, learn about practical ways to adopt a greener lifestyle.

Six green pallets help save one tree

The festival has introduced visitors to the research and development capabilities of Vietnamese businesses, as they get to experience industrial products made from agricultural byproducts firsthand.

At the Thanh Thanh Cong - Bien Hoa JSC (AgriS) booth, pallets made from sugarcane bagasse and coconut fibers caught the attention of many visitors.

Among the spectators, Thomas Müller, 38, from Germany, spent considerable time examining the company's bio-based pallets.

What caught his attention was not only the use of environmentally friendly materials but also the smart design which allows multiple pallets to be nested together to save space.

For manufacturers and exporters, transportation, storage and space optimization are important considerations.

A product that can withstand heavy loads while reducing storage and transportation costs can offer a significant competitive advantage in the supply chain.

Müller noted that while recycling agricultural waste is nothing new in Germany, the logistics-optimized design of the pallets was particularly impressive.

Camille Laurent, 32, from France, was also drawn to the industrial applications of recycled materials.

She was surprised to learn that sugarcane bagasse and coconut fibers, which are often discarded after harvesting, could be turned into high-strength materials.

Pham Thi Thanh Liem, a representative at the AgriS booth, said the company's AgriS Green Pallets are made entirely from sugarcane bagasse and coconut fibers.

The industrial product line was developed after around three to four years of research and development, before being officially introduced this year.

The green pallets are part of AgriS's broader strategy to develop packaging solutions and industrial products from agricultural byproducts.

According to Liem, one of the product's goals is to change perceptions of agricultural byproducts.

With proper processing and technology, they can become inputs for value-added industrial products.

"Every six green pallets used are equivalent to saving one tree," she stressed.

In terms of functionality, the green pallets are designed to offer load-bearing capacity comparable to that of conventional wooden and plastic pallets.

Another notable feature is the recessed-foot design, which allows the pallets to be nested together when not in use.

According to the company, a single truck can carry up to 1,000 pallets.

This design saves space, reduces the number of trips required and helps optimize logistics costs.

Green Vietnam Festival brings recycling closer to everyday life

Besides offering a glimpse into how businesses are turning agricultural byproducts into industrial products, the Green Vietnam Festival 2026 also brought sustainability closer to everyday life through activities that helped visitors explore recycling and discover the second life of waste.

The interactive space hosted by the Packaging Recycling Organization Vietnam (PRO Vietnam), attracted large numbers of young visitors and families.

Interactive games made the recycling processes that usually take place behind factory doors more accessible, engaging and easier to understand.

Linh Chi, 20, from Gia Dinh Ward took part in the "Follow the Packaging Journey" challenge, in which participants put together pictures and arranged different stages to complete the process, from collection and sorting to recycling and turning materials into new products.

Through the activity, Chi realized she did not fully understand the steps packaging goes through after collection before being turned into raw materials for new products.

Tran Thanh Tam from Nhieu Loc Ward also brought her daughter to the festival over the weekend.

Through the games, she realized there was still much about waste sorting that she had yet to learn.

Previously, her family had mainly taught her daughter not to litter and to put waste in bins.

The activities at the festival helped her understand that children need more specific guidance on sorting waste.

Tam said she would teach her daughter to sort plastic bottles, aluminum cans and recyclable packaging at home, adding that children would be more proactive in environmental protection when they understood the purpose behind their actions.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre, a PRO Vietnam representative said the organization had opted for a more visual and accessible approach through games and interactive challenges, rather than conveying knowledge about the circular economy through dry, technical information.

Through these activities, visitors could gain hands-on experience while learning how to identify different materials and packaging labels, as well as basic principles for reducing waste.