Transforming Waste. Empowering Youth. Reimagining Cities.

Founded in 2008, People for Urban Progress (PUP) is a forward-thinking social enterprise and nonprofit based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our mission is rooted in a simple yet powerful idea: waste can become opportunity, and design can drive positive change.

We redefine commercial waste through creative product development and invest our time and resources into entrepreneurial and educational opportunities that support environmental sustainability, improved quality of life, and inclusive economic growth across the Indianapolis metro area.

We are committed to:

• Reclaiming and repurposing materials that would otherwise end up in landfills

• Reimagining public spaces with practical, sustainable design solutions

• Educating and empowering the next generation through hands-on STEAM learning

We believe that a truly resilient city of the future invests in people, places, and the planet—and that belief fuels everything we do.

Reclaiming Waste. Redefining Design.

At People for Urban Progress (PUP), we take a bold approach to sustainability. We don’t see waste as the end of a product’s life—we see it as the beginning of a new story.

Each year, we divert thousands of pounds of reusable materials from landfills, including:

• Amtrak leather seats

• Event banners from sports, cultural, and civic events

• Signage and textiles from motorsports and corporate campaigns

These salvaged materials are transformed into:

• Public-use infrastructure such as benches, bus stops, and shade canopies

• Fashion accessories like bags, wallets, and pouches—each hand-assembled and infused with local history

In 2024, we diverted over 4,000 pounds of waste from landfills, and we’re on track to exceed 4,500 pounds in 2025.

Our work lives at the intersection of environmental action, civic design, and social equity. Whether we’re installing a shade structure made from repurposed stadium roofing or helping a teenager sew their first product from upcycled leather, we’re building a stronger, more creative, and more inclusive Indianapolis—one project at a time.

Why It Matters

PUP exists to answer one question:
What if design could help cities thrive sustainably and equitably?

By combining innovation, education, and community collaboration, we are turning waste into worth, public space into purpose, and young people into leaders.