social startup

Bakeys edible cutlery: the newest invention on the block

Bakeys is Peesapati’s brainchild, and manufactures eco-friendly edible cutlery like spoons and chopsticks.

“Whenever I travelled, I used to feel terribly guilty about using plastic cutlery because it created so much plastic waste. Why couldn’t we create an alternative?” asks 48-year-old Narayana Peesapati, the founder and Managing Director of Bakeys Food Private Limited. As this thought kept bugging Peesapati, he came up with a brilliant solution of replacing plastic cutlery with edible cutlery. Plastic cutlery when disposed, does not degrade completely into the soil which poses threat of adverse environmental hazards.

Bakeys is Peesapati’s brainchild, and manufactures eco-friendly edible cutlery like spoons and chopsticks. The spoons and chopsticks are made of jowar, rice and wheat flour and do not get soggy when kept in food or water for a short period of time. When soaked in water for a long time, they soften and can be easily consumed at the end of the meal. Even if they are thrown away, they take only 6-7 days to degrade and are safe for consumption by animals and rodents.

Peesapati claims that the idea of edible cutlery struck him after he saw a Gujarati man using a piece of khakra as a spoon to eat his food. Researching further, he found that plastic consisted of toxins which can seep into the food making it unfit for consumption. Previously, he was a researcher at International Crop Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, where he found that growing more crops like jowar could help in maintaining the groundwater balance which is why he chose jowar to be one of the main components of his creation.

Bakeys products have international fans as well as they receive orders from United Kingdom and the United States. Currently his aim is to spread awareness about the harmful effects of plastic cutlery which he claims is the biggest challenge as people have been using them for a long time now. They sell products directly on the website and in some organic markets as well. Currently, this innovative and eco-friendly venture is still looking to break even; however, it has gained too many fans on social media.

To know more, log on to http://www.bakeys.com/

Adbins: The social enterprise looking to make Kolkata cleaner

Adhering to the spirit of Swachh Bharat, two youngsters, Joy Pansari and Ankit Agarwal, based out of Kolkata, launched Green Clean Media Works and started installing free bins with advertisements in and outside apartments. They managed to create a revenue generating business successfully called “AD MY BIN” which is a environment friendly and economical solution to the various problems in the country.

Green Clean Media Works has been providing innovative solutions to expensive advertising and garbage strewn across the country by setting up these adbins outside complexes and in strategic locations. A simple vinyl sticker is put on the board which is attached to the dustbin. The boards for advertising are of two different sizes: 18*12 inch and 24*18 inch. One type of board on the Adbin consists of a flipper which allows both side advertisements. These type of adbins come with an in-built LED light and placed amidst events and crowded areas.

The co-founders claim that even though the concept of Adbins is relatively new in India, it is a kind of advertising which is very popular in the United States. Initially, they faced a huge issue getting advertisers to believe in their project as most brands didn’t want to get associated with dustbins or trash. However, when companies saw how well the company managed their dustbins by washing them each week, they started getting new offers.

Started with an meagre investment of INR 2 lakhs, this company earn over a lakh in a month.

Related Post: Helpmebuild: revolutionising homes

Gradually, this idea by the two graduates from Kolkata turned out to be a huge success and gained fans from different industries. With around 25 clients including Phantom Production house, United bank of India, Gupta Brothers, Mera tiffin, My service tax, Speed Medicine and Fab Grocery, they are slowly growing bigger by the day. In the future, Adbins plans on expanding to other areas in Kolkata like metro stations, colleges, schools and railway stations and also to other cities across the country.

TheCityFans: For every t-shirt sold, this start-up donates a t-shirt to a poor kid

For every t-shirt you buy, a t-shirt is donated to a poor kid. It is a one of a kind concept where the buyer is given an opportunity to hand over a t-shirt to one kid of the few million who survives extreme temperatures without any clothing.

Based out of Kota, Rajasthan, TheCityFans.com is a unique, one of a kind e-commerce website which focuses on apparel which are city and state-based. They aim to target a niche audience who aren’t shy to express their remarkable love regarding something. Available, in six cities, Mumbai, Surat, Ahmadabad, Bangalore, Delhi and Jaipur, the T-shirt designs are quirky and for the ones looking to make a statement. State oriented t-shirts from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab are very urban yet authentic. The website has also come up with customised apparel for a few colleges and schools such as IIT, Sophia and Mody.

What sets this e-commerce site from others in the motto they thrive upon- One For You, One From You. For every t-shirt you buy, a t-shirt is donated to a poor kid. It is a one of a kind concept where the buyer is given an opportunity to hand over a t-shirt to one kid of the few million who survives extreme temperatures without any clothing. The smiles on the kids’ faces are priceless on receiving something they believed was out of their reach.

TCF has also made a short video on the same hoping out to help more children with their noble and unique e-commerce model.

Check out the website: www.Thecityfans.com