Community & Collaboration Form

Monica Polo is a sustainability strategist, systems thinker, and the founder of mpolo designs. She is currently completing her Master’s in Environmental Applied Science and Management (ENSCIMAN) at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), where her research focuses on healthy environments, residential sustainability, and circular design systems. Monica brings over 25 years of experience in design and project management, and her work spans sectors including education, healthcare, workplace design, and housing.

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Through mpolo designs, Monica leads collaborative projects that combine low-impact materials, regenerative systems, and public education. Her most recent endeavor, the EcoLiving Lab (Ecoapt), demonstrates her belief that sustainability must be immersive, inclusive, and built into the systems we live with every day.

Narishdath Maraj is a multidisciplinary designer, educator, and artist. He is currently the Director of Sustainability and Creative Director at mpolo designs. With over 15 years of experience in the fashion design, interior design, and education sectors, Narishdath leads projects that center on textile waste reduction, community-based sustainability, and circular economy innovation. His work is deeply informed by both industry practice and academic research, including his Bachelor of Design in Fashion Communications from TMU, and earlier studies in Fashion Design at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.

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Narishdath oversees major public-facing initiatives at mpolo designs, including the Sunnybrook Art Installation and the Mycelium Textile Waste Diversion Project. He also independently leads the development of the Upcycler App, a digital platform aimed at transforming how people and institutions engage with textile waste through local, circular solutions.