One of the biggest challenges that the world is facing right now is the plastic problem and the governments are trying to discontinue the use of plastic from head to toe. On the other hand there are eco-minded people who have gone a step ahead and have been making a consistent contribution by providing solutions with alternatives to plastic products. These 5 ecopreneurs are encouraging people to adopt more sustainable lifestyles with their eco-friendly & environmentally conscious products.
1. Ved Krishna, Vice-Chairman, Yash Pakka Ltd – A well-travelled entrepreneur, Ved Krishna, who loves to travel but chose to stay back and come up with innovative ways towards the elimination of single use plastics from the world. His vision is to leave the planet cleaner. Being a leader of a successful company that manufactures packaging paper & molded foodservice products from agro-residue sugarcane waste (bagasse) which is locally sourced & pulped. He has also launched an innovative range of compostable tableware products under the brand name ‘CHUK’. It has also resulted in the company winning the India Design Mark, Red Dot, and CII design awards.
2. Vaibhav Anant, Founder, Bambrew – Bambrew, a sustainable packaging start-up and a one-stop innovative solution provider in India. In his leadership capacity, he oversees the direction of Research & Development, New Product Development, Operations, Team Development, and Finance & Funding. With Vaibhav at the helm, Bambrew has reduced more than 10,000 tons of plastic by creating sustainable and feasible substitutes that are perfect natural replacement for single-use plastic. Under his guidance, the company has cemented strong tie-ups with numerous leading business entities like Amazon, Nykaa, 1MG, Puma, Chumbak, Big Basket, Myntra, Flipkart, Aditya Birla & Accessorize London and hopes to add many more partners in the future.
3. Reetesh Dhingra, Co-Founder, Wiz: Wiz is India’s leading brand for personal care and hygiene products, and Reetesh’s unparalleled FMCG expertise has worked like a cherry on the top for the brand. He, along with his team, is a firm believer in Stan Lee’s philosophy that “with great power comes great responsibility” — and the team tries to live by it. As India’s leading personal care brand, Wiz launched a different product range called, OVI (Only Vegan Ingredients) which is eco-friendly and are biodegradable derived from vegan surfactants. These are 100% chemical-free and are safe even for babies and pets. The eco-friendly range of cleaning products for the kitchen to the bathroom is cruelty-free and consists of only vegan ingredients. While this may have hit you that the plant-based products may burn your pocket, Wiz products are available in the market at a manufacturing rate so that people from all walks of life can have easy access to them.
4. UditSood and Nikita Barmecha, EcoRight: Paying close attention to being the eco-friendly, affordable, and appealing way, EcoRight is your fix for bags of every kind in the most fun designs. Along with using natural and durable fabrics for their bags, even their packaging is biodegradable. The two founders, UditSood and Nikita Barmecha are both MBA professionals who moved from corporate careers to providing environmental options through EcoRight. The company produces high-quality bags in quirky, yet thought-provoking environmental issue-related prints, even with innovative fabrics – recycled cotton and Juton (jute+cotton).
5. Mini VarkeyShibuandKochery C Shibu, Founders, MINC: It was founded by Mini VarkeyShibu and Kochery C Shibu in 2007. Mini is an alumnus of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, and calls herself passionate about eco-fashion, minimalist design, and khadi. Kochery, on the other hand, is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy with a career in the Indian Navy. He has experience in setting up design studios and has worked in the areas of operational development promotions and vendor development. The startup designs garments while only using natural fabrics, azo-free environment-friendly dyes, and closure made from natural materials like wood, coconut, etc. It also promotes khadi, and the team believes in promoting green living through eco-fashion.
