Over the past year, OpenSource Circular (OSC) has had the privilege of working with RHI Tents – South Africa’s leading stretch tent supplier – who have already supplied us with more than a tonne of waste stretch tent material. Instead of being destined for landfill, this material is now given a second life as high-quality, durable, upcycled products that carry purpose, innovation, and story.
For both RHI Tents & OpenSource Circular, this initiative is more than an idea – it represents a strong and ongoing commitment to reducing ecological impact and embedding sustainable waste management practices into the very core of business operations. By ensuring that offcuts, surplus, and retired tents are diverted from waste streams, RHI Tents & OpenSource Circular are closing the loop on materials that once posed a disposal challenge and turning them into valuable resources for circular innovation.
Circular manufacturing is only possible when businesses adopt a mindset that waste is not a problem, but an opportunity. The leadership in this space has shown that environmental responsibility and commercial success are not mutually exclusive, but rather, mutually reinforcing.
“When Mike (OSC Co-Founder) first approached us, we immediately recognised the potential because responsible waste management has always been a priority at RHI,” explains Rodney Ilderton, Founder and CEO of RHI Tents. “For us, sustainability isn’t just about talking – it’s about taking action. Upcycling our waste into authentic circular products is a natural extension of the way we already think about our business, and it’s an exciting way to scale the positive environmental impact we can make.”
This symbiotic partnership – where one company’s waste becomes another’s raw material – demonstrates the power of circular thinking in action. It’s proof that through collaboration, transparency, and shared environmental values, sustainable solutions can be both viable and scalable.
We’re proud to call RHI Tents a partner in this journey and look forward to continuing to transform their waste into products that tell a powerful story of responsibility, innovation, and circular possibility