A cup of coffee ☕to start the day!
Many of us get to enjoy it at our house, in the office, or those in a hurry get a takeaway. Personally, I adore these little innovations (takeaway cups). They made our lives and coffee easier in ways we can’t describe. But what if these are helping our planet also?
Surprised?
The Mend Packaging makes such cups from coffee residue. WHAT? 😱
Relax, this is just one of their many innovative sustainable solutions. Founded in 2020 by Rishika Reddy and Rhea Kothari, this bootstrapped Mumbai-based startup is a pioneer in sustainable and biodegradable packaging solutions from mushrooms, tomatoes, coffee waste, and banana peels.
What Inspired Them?
The journey began a couple of years back when we were isolated in our house. Sahi pakde hain, it was the pandemic and lockdown era.
Rhea and Rishika’s growing concern for the ever-increasing waste during the pandemic. Everyone was relying on home deliveries, and there was a huge waste disposal of packaging waste.
This is when their attention was attracted towards sustainable packaging.
Rhea partnered with Rishika, and the investor Prianka Jhaveri, and set out on a mission to find easily decomposable but durable materials.
The Staring Days
Since the founders were starting from scratch, they had to spend months experimenting and researching various eco-friendly materials.
The duo was working with the goal to create packaging that is effective yet environmentally friendly. Natural fibers, agricultural waste, and fungi-based materials turned out to be what they were looking for—they can decompose naturally within weeks.
Voila!
The company uses banana peels, tomatoes, and coffee waste majorly, which reduces industrial by-products that, today or tomorrow, contribute to landfill waste leading to pollution.
Apart from these, one of the coolest additions is to use mycelium, which is like the roots of mushrooms. It is called nature’s plastic because it’s really light, strong, and can totally decompose.
What Sets The Mend Packaging Apart
It is not just a manufacturer of sustainable packaging materials.
It provides full-fledged services in packaging: consulting, branding, designing, and manufacturing. Thus, it helps businesses to easily transform to eco-friendly options at their own accord.
With its eye-catching and durable products, the company is getting attention from small businesses and eco-friendly brands aiming to reduce their carbon footprint.
Through consulting, the company enables clients to understand if they are using too much packaging for their products. The approach: finding the right materials while saving resources. The company is constantly researching and developing ways to use different eco-friendly materials in making strong packaging.
The Intelligent Approach
People buy what pleases their eyes. Well, at least, 70% of people do so.
Keeping this in mind, The Mend Packaging carefully designs the appearance of its packaging materials.
Its products are the myth breaker because eco-friendly packages are often expected to look the same: brown and dull.
However, The Mend Packaging challenges this by using vibrant colors and diverse textures to deliver a distinctive and functional aesthetic.
The dedicated team of just 10—including technical experts from IIT and experienced packaging professionals—works diligently to offer comprehensive and customized solutions to cater to the different needs of their clients.
Working Its Way Through
The Mend Packaging has successfully partnered with over 280 vendors, maintaining regular collaboration with 50 of them. Moreover, it establishes a robust supply network throughout Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Delhi.
Presently, the startup has more than 70 product categories. Staying true to their mission, the duo has replaced over 500,000 non-recyclable shipping boxes and over 80,000 non-recyclable plastic bags.
Interestingly, their clients’ list includes reputable brands like Juicy Chemistry, Honest Milk Co., No Nasties, Daughter Earth, and many more from different industries: cosmetics, jewelry, food, and hospitality.
Challenges and Solutions
Building a business is equal to chewing iron grams and setting up one in the sustainability sector doubles that difficulty.
A major challenge faced by the founders was skepticism from clients and they had to prove that their products are not just for the show. But, they are also durable and commercially viable.
However, despite the rude comments and all, the duo remained steadfast in their mission and within 3 months they got their 1st client: Plier Designs.
It was a confidence booster for them and proved that businesses are interested in shifting towards sustainability. And if they provide the right solution at the right prices, the world is theirs to rule.
Moving Ahead and Making the Change
The company has achieved an impressive 2x year-on-year growth rate. Moreover, it has successfully generated steady profits along with significantly increasing its influence.
Rhea and Rishika are not just doing super cool stuff for the environment, but they’re also breaking down barriers. These two ladies are sharing their knowledge and experience with others through webinars and sessions. There they talk about all topics related to entrepreneurship and sustainability.
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, the company aims to broaden its product range by adding locally sourced biodegradable materials. Moreover, they are dedicatedly making their solutions more accessible for small businesses, thus ensuring sustainability becomes a viable choice for everyone.
What are you waiting for? Go place the packaging order for your business @The Mend Packaging
