Estimates as of 2015, reports that 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic have been generated on a global spectrum. What happens in terms of management of these disposed wastes? It is shocking to learn that only 9% of it gets recycled, 12% is incinerated and the remaining 79% is left to rot in open spaces or landfills. By 2050, the trends in waste production are forecasted to double; the natural environment will be burdened with 12 billion tonnes of plastic.
Mr. Roshan Ray launched Seed paper India in 2014, after an idea that promised sustainability in his mind. The company is currently India’s largest producer of eco-friendly products that has diversified its portfolio to include more than just re-plantable seed paper and stationery. National celebrations have been embraced the green-way, by Seed Paper India where plastic flags that litter the streets are replaced with organically dyed plantable paper.
Plugging in with the need of the times and the depth of India’s rich culture, its latest product sinclude, Replantable Independence Day flags and Plantable tulsi-seeded rakhi kits. Their promise is to offer products that are 100% organic, 100% eco-friendly and 100% sustainable. Every seed has a story within and now is your chance to be a part of this life-giving narrative, says Roshan.
Journey
In 2014, his team was given the contract of designing and printing out beautiful hand made invitations for a wedding. That is when he realized that most of these wedding cards were eventually thrown away. Such wastage was widespread and Roshan wanted to challenge the beliefs that normalized such practices with groundbreaking solutions that would change the game for good. Creative frustration propelled him to seek out inventive ways to reuse and recycle his existing products. He wanted to give his handmade paper a second life. This was how Seed PaperIndia came to be invented. And now it continues to live on in different forms, in varied hues and diverse textures.
Ultimately there is truth in Roshan’s words when he says, “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it”.
Read more about Independence day Heroes here
Seed Paper India
Though Seed Paper India runs an efficient online business, its back-end production processes take place in an industrial unit in Bommasandra, Bangalore. The process of creating seed paper products is a painstakingly arduous job where waste cloth cuttings are first chopped and cleaned before it is beaten to a pulp for 8 to 12 hours in the appropriate machines.
The pulp is infused with seeds and taken to a Vat lifting frame that forms the pulp into sheets. The sheets are then naturally dried for 6-7 days before being cut into customised shapes and sizes. A varsity of manual labour goes into the complete production process. Even the cards that are screen printed use only organic or edible dyes. Their niche is customization, where any of their products can be tailor-made while being completely sustainable and this includes their packaging. Whether it be their pencils, books, seed bombs, greeting cards, invitations, business cards, event bands; they can all be planted back into the soil to grow little plants or flowers. It could be seeds of basil, marigold, tulsi, tomato or chilli seeds.
Festivities are a big part of the Indian culture that ends up tampering with the ecosystem balance. The Plaster of Paris Ganesha idols only allows for oil paints that are insoluble and hazardous to
the environment. Seed Paper India conceptualized the idea of seed clay statues that can be watered to grow tiny tomato, marigold or tulsi seeds. This goes a long way in respecting the earth. Even their Holi colours are sourced by crushing dried flowers so as to not harm the skin of its users.
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Collaborations and Customers
Seed paper India believes that even if they are the 1% concerned about the reversal of environmental damage, it is enough to spark a cycle of change. Seed Paper India has collaborated with top Indian and International brands by customizing products according to their tastes and requirements. Seed Paper India is so much more than just creating green products. It's about changing the ecosystem, embracing a culture of change and breaking down traditional ideologies or systems that allow for environmental degradation. They genuinely care about giving back to the environment, they care about people in need and they care about being a voice that ultimately creates a better world.
