Using palm leaves, this couple is making eco-friendly tableware and cutlery

The weddings of Akash Ambani-Shloka Mehta and Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh had one thing in common in their lavish weddings - the use of eco-friendly products - especially tableware.

However, it is not only the rich and famous who are going green at their weddings. Eco-friendly weddings are now a trend in India with more people realising the adverse impact of using plastic at such events. They are now switching to recyclable products.

Also read: Mukesh Ambani opts for big fat ‘eco-friendly’ Indian wedding for son Akash

After being concerned about the use of such non-biodegradable cutleries and tableware in such occasions, Chennai-based couple Roli Bhat and T Harsh started Adaaya Farm. Their store offers tableware made from palm leaves.

Speaking to New Indian Express about the products, Roli said,

"Our products are biodegradable — so, after use, it can be composted, and used as organic manure."

The couple maintains a chain of 300 farmers who collect fallen leaves from palm trees and bring them to their factory in Bhadravati, Karnataka. Once the leaves are procured, they are conditioned with water and later moulded into different shapes using heat, without using any chemical or adhesive.   

Speaking to NDTV about the product, Roli said,

Throw a leaf on the ground and it will decompose in a couple of weeks; same is the case with our biodegradable products. At the production stage, when we are cutting out plates from leaves, we give the leftovers to the farmers to be used either as compost or to feed their cattle.

Also read: With a green wedding reception, #DeepVeer show how to kick plastic

From soup bowls to sausage trays, Adaaya Farm produces 30 to 35 different kinds of products, which are completely biodegradable. The products are priced in the range of Rs 3 to Rs 12 per piece, and they accept a minimum order of 25. An individual can buy the products form Adaaya farm’s website or on ecommerce platforms like Amazon, and the products are delivered across India.

Talking about the impact of plastics and how to replace it, Roli said to NDTV,

“Plastic is literally present everywhere. One food order brings a whole lot of plastic with it. Not just food delivery, at various local food outlets, you are served in single-use plastic plates and bowls. We can’t match the production of plastic, but we can substitute a percentage of single-use plastic tableware and cutlery. Ours is an effort towards it."

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