The climb to bring waste down

Prakritii first took shape in 2011 when Vaibhav Jaiswal and Amardeep Bardhan decided to tackle plastic pollution. Their solution was a range of packaging products and dinnerware made with Arecanut sheaths (leaf extensions) naturally shed from Areca (Palm) trees which are now being shipped and used across the world. We speak to both of them about their journey and the sustainable space in India:

Tell us about Prakritii’s journey and what led you to start it.

Plastic, the all-pervading consumer item on Earth, is an environmental plague, sapping the life out of our oceans and land and thwarting our attempts to recycle it. Unlike paper or bamboo plates that are produced by felling millions of living trees, we decided to concentrate on Areca nut trees using only naturally fallen leaves. Thus, no harm is done to natural surroundings. Instead, this act cleans up the environment. Our kitchen wares are 100 per cent free of chemicals, lacquers, glues, bonding agents or toxic elements, and are made only using steam, heat and pressure. The highly oxygenated Areca sheaths allow fruits and raw vegetables to remain fresh for a long time, perfect for use in fast-food centres, hotels and restaurants or at home.

With 10 years in the field now, and being the first to start, what changes have you seen in the organic materials industry over the last decade?

People now are much aware about the harmful menace of plastic alternatives and have started shifting to organic material. Various industry partners across segments have also joined hands on this journey, which has led to clear changes in how we view disposables.

What role did COVID play in helping businesses as well as customers understand the vital need for fully-biodegradable products?

Covid had hit the business largely with the shutting down of the major sectors of our supplies in India and abroad. It has been widely observed that device reprocessing is frequently associated with residual contamination, which is indeed left by reprocessing agents that fail to reach difficult- to-reach parts of reusable equipment. The rising demand for disposables like Areca/ palm leaf plates, paper cups, bamboo trays and wooden cutlery are best suited in such situations. The cheap availability of disposable bamboo cutlery makes it a great option for the general public, including those who are infected with the virus.

Any future plans and or predictions for this space?

With the ban on single-use plastics and awareness in masses, this space will undergo radical change. We well understand the impact of plastic and associated products on climate change. Replacing such single-use plastic will play a vital role and this is where Prakritii comes in.