Landfills are one of the causes of climate change as they generate and release biogas into the atmosphere. Plus, many of the items that are thrown away contain toxic substances. Over time, these toxins leach into our soil and groundwater and become environmental hazards for years.
Fortunately, a lot of companies and individuals are trying to find a solution to the waste problem. This has resulted in a movement that looks to craft beautiful and functional products from discarded waste.
From sneakers to incense sticks, here are 3 Indian companies that are turning trash into really cool products.
1. Phool
Phool saw this as an opportunity and became India's first solution to the temple waste problem. They upcycle the temple waste flowers into 100% organic, charcoal-free, and incense sticks, cones, and fragrances using organic vermicompost methods.
Phool is not just creating sustainable products but is also employing women from marginalised communities, mostly Dalit, providing them with a better livelihood. According to their website, they currently employ 73 women as full-time employees and have recycled 11,060 tons of flowers.
Unlike conventional incense sticks that use synthetic fragrance and charcoal, Phool products are completely organic and dipped in natural essential oils that range from vetiver and eucalyptus to the classic rose and nargis.
All their incense sticks and cones are handcrafted by women flowercyclers. What I also love about the brand is its beautiful artistic packaging - minimal yet striking featuring illustration, pleasing bright colors and a touch of gold. Every box comes with a card inside with the picture of the worker who handcrafted the incense stick.
2. Ikssha
The sustainable stationery brand Ikksha makes luxury stationery using completely natural and eco-friendly materials.Banana is undoubtedly the most popular fruit in the world. But did you know that after harvesting the world's most popular fruit, farmers have to cut the banana tree to allow a new plant to grow? These plants are generally thrown into waste. Fortunately, some smart people decided to turn these banana leaves and stems into paper.
Indian stationery brand Ikksha turns these upcycled papers into beautiful journals - from cover to paper. Banana fibre is handwoven by weavers in South India and then dyed using natural colors. These fibers are then used to produce handmade papers.
Each Ikksha diary and journal are packaged in recycled cardboard boxes printed with Soy ink, making the entire book 70% bio-degradable. In fact, they are shipped in 100% plastic-free packaging too.
To make your journaling experience memorable, each book comes with a chic-looking seed pencil and seed hang tags. Once the pencil shrinks, you can plant it and see it bloom into a beautiful plant. How cool is that?
3. Thaely
Each pair of Thaely's Y2K Pro sneakers are made using 10 plastic bags and 12 plastic bottles. The sneaker uses ThaelyTex for the majority of its construction. The other materials used for the sneaker are rPET which is a fabric made out of recycled plastic bottles. The rPET fabric is used for the shoelaces, lining and toe. The soles used for the Y2K pro are also made from recycled rubber.
Sneakers are one of the hardest product to recycle because it uses multiple materials in the construction and most of it is usually plastic. But in the case of Thaely sneakers, the whole shoe can be deconstructed and recycled.
The company goes the extra mile and ensures that even its packaging is eco-friendly. Instead of dust bags, they pack their sneakers in rPET tote that doubles as a shopping bag for the user. The box is also plantable; made from recycled paper, dyed with waste coffee grounds, and has basil seeds embedded in it.
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