Meet The Savvy Brands Helping You To Go Plastic-Free In Style | Verve Magazine
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Luxury & Brands
July 02, 2018

Meet The Savvy Brands Helping You To Go Plastic-Free In Style

Text by Megha Jha

In light of the recent ban on the use of plastic in Maharashtra, it’s the perfect time to get to know these Indian brands who are offering eco-friendly alternatives

Our society is built on the foundation of disposability and this has become an intimate part of our daily lives. While it is no surprise that we turn to plastic for the tiniest of our needs, it is important that we don’t forget that it still needs to remain a disposable part of our life.

The roads and animals around us, even the vast expanse of ocean for that matter, have started choking up waste. We’ve turned a blind eye to this issue and allowed our surroundings to drown in piles of garbage over the years. As the state has penalised single-use plastic, it is time we do our bit and turn our lives around. While going completely zero-waste is something that still needs to be worked out logistically in India, the fact that we can rebuild our foundations on minimalism still rings true. Here are some Indian brands offering affordable and chic ways to go plastic free.

Shunya

With an aim to ensure that they live a green and conscientious life and help others do the same, Mumbai-born-and-brought-up sibling duo Yash and Sachi founded Shunya. Their brand promotes absolute zero waste and zero footprints and most of their products are recyclable and organic. They sell bowls and plates created using sugarcane fibre, wheat straw fibre, birch wood and Areca leaves. You can also find toothbrushes, bamboo straws, tote bags, postcards and gorgeous journals here.

What’s banned: Disposable straws

Eco-Friendly Alternatives: Shunya’s bamboo straws

Where to find them: Shunya

One Wheel Drive

One Wheel Drive is the local potter’s homegrown brand which creates handmade stoneware ceramics, home decor pieces and even gorgeous tableware. Started by Anshu Dorairaj in a studio at Grant Road, this brand sells rustic pots, cups and plates, which are 100 per cent lead-free stoneware ceramics. Sustainable and good in every sense for the environment, these products also come at affordable prices.

What’s banned: Plastic cutlery

Eco-Friendly Alternatives: Ceramic and lead-free bowls and cups

Where to find them: One Wheel Drive

Boondh

Boondh is an enterprise run by Bharti Kannan and Sonal Jain which manufactures menstrual cups made out of silicone that can be cleaned and used for years. It believes that sustainability should not be limited to only the household aspects of life but should also extend to more intimate aspects such as menstrual hygiene. As it is a reusable cup, it is a one-time cost and has far less of a carbon footprint than a product like a disposable pad or a tampon, thus, providing a healthy and sustainable solution to healthcare and hygiene woes and minimising waste production on a large scale.

What’s banned: Plastic waste and disposables

Eco-Friendly Alternatives: Silicone menstrual cups

Where to find them: Boondh

Eco Tokri

Who says that plastic and chemicals cannot be taken away from skincare products? Eco Tokri’s DIY box gives you the option of making your own soaps, body butters, lip balms, face masks and hair treatments at home. They provide carrier and essential oils, beeswax, candelilla wax and soap bases. They also have a ‘Should we make it for you?’, section which is handy for those who aren’t inclined to make their own products.

What’s banned: Plastic packaging

Eco-Friendly Alternatives: Natural DIY skincare products that can be stored in glass containers

Where to find them: Eco Tokri

Juru

Juru is a conscious fitness products brand that makes yoga mats out of eco-friendly materials. They work with small and medium-scale manufacturers to design yoga paraphernalia that is free of harmful toxins. While there are chances you may slip on a PVC mat, a mat made out of cork is much more effective when you’re sweating it out. They retail out of Seventh Sense at Malabar Hill, Mumbai and you can also buy them online.

What’s banned: Non-biodegradable plastics such as PVC

Eco-Friendly Alternatives: Ecologically disposable mats

Where to find them: Juru

Bare Necessities

Bare Necessities is a zero waste personal care and homecare brand that uses only organic, local and ethically sourced ingredients. Their products are non-toxic, non-GMO and come in recyclable packaging. Started by Banglore-based Sahar Mansoor, the brand is a completely women-run enterprise with products ranging from wooden cutlery to peppermint paste. As an added bonus, they even sell a zero waste starter kit!

What’s banned: Plastic bodies below 50 microns

Eco-Friendly Alternatives: Compostable bamboo toothbrush

Where to find them: Bare Necessities

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