From Student Competition to Store Shelves: Caneko Turns Sugarcane Bagasse into Cat Litter 

BANGKOK, Thailand — September 2026 — Caneko, a biodegradable cat litter developed by high-school students from Saharajrungsarit School in Nakhon Phanom Province, has moved from a student prototype into commercial production and retail.

The project emerged through the EnviroTech Innovation Competition 2025–2026, led by International School Bangkok student Poon Punjarungroj. After Caneko was selected as one of five winning innovations, Poon continued working with the original student inventors to solve the problems that appeared after the product itself had been developed.

Caneko has since entered the Bangkok market, made its retail debut at the Baan Lae Suan Fair, expanded into pet retail, and sale volume is heading toward 1,000 units.

Building Beyond the Competition

Poon created EnviroTech around a problem he had noticed in student innovation competitions: promising projects often received awards but received little support afterward.

EnviroTech was designed to continue beyond final judging. Participating teams received mentoring from professors, entrepreneurs and industry professionals, while five winning innovations received financial support to continue development. EnviroTech allocated approximately US$12,700 across five selected projects, with the Caneko team receiving THB 30,000 in initial prototype funding.

The competition also partnered with Dek-D, a major Thai youth media platform, to reach students across Thailand.

After the winners were selected, Poon continued following their progress.

“I wanted to see what actually happened after the competition,” Poon said. “Giving a team funding was only useful if they could keep building.”

A Student Invention from Nakhon Phanom

Caneko was originally developed by students from Saharajrungsarit School in Si Songkhram District, Nakhon Phanom Province.
The litter is made primarily from sugarcane bagasse, natural ash and zinc oxide. Bagasse is the fibrous material left after sugarcane processing, giving the team a locally available agricultural by-product that could be converted into a consumer product.

In the students’ testing, the bagasse-based litter remained usable for up to four weeks, while the bentonite litter used for comparison became too wet after approximately two weeks. The team also tested odor control and moisture absorption.

For Poon, the project had a personal connection. He had experienced recurring respiratory attacks during Bangkok’s pollution seasons, and his doctors had linked those attacks partly to smoke from bagasse burning. Of EnviroTech’s five winning projects, Caneko immediately caught his attention.

When Poon visited the team in Nakhon Phanom, he found that the next problem was production.

The students were making the litter in a small kitchen with a pelletizing machine and much of the work being done by hand. Raw materials had to be collected locally and sun-dried before production. Without industrial drying equipment, another batch often depended on the weather.

From Kitchen Production to real sales

Poon subsequently joined the project to work on business development, while the Saharajrungsarit students remained the original inventors.  Poon then worked with the team on Caneko’s commercial positioning, focusing on odor control and the use of agricultural waste.

The next challenge was convincing cat owners to switch from products they already knew.

At the product’s retail launch, the team introduced trial-sized bags so customers could test Caneko before purchasing a full package. Caneko subsequently entered  pet retails to expand its distribution.

Following its initial launch at the Baan Lae Suan Fair on 31 July–1 August 2026, Caneko continued gaining customers. The product has now sale volume is heading toward 1,000 units.

What Comes After a Winning Idea

For Poon, Caneko has become an early test of what EnviroTech was designed to accomplish.

EnviroTech did not invent Caneko. Its role was to identify a promising student innovation, provide funding and mentoring, and then continue helping when the team encountered problems outside the laboratory.

“I keep thinking about how easily this project could have ended in that kitchen in Nakhon Phanom,” Poon said. “There must be other good ideas sitting in kitchens like that one. I want to find them and help get them to market.”

Caneko’s next phase will focus on increasing manufacturing capacity, completing relevant product testing and certifications, and expanding distribution through pet retailers and online channels.

Poon also plans to continue working with promising EnviroTech teams after competition judging, applying what he has learned from Caneko about manufacturing, customer testing and market entry.

About EnviroTech Innovation Competition

EnviroTech, led by International School Bangkok student Poon Punjarungroj, is a student environmental innovation program designed to help young inventors develop practical solutions and continue building them beyond the competition stage.

The program combines mentorship, judging, prototype funding and continued support for selected projects.

For more information, visit www.envirotech.eco.