New Delhi: “In 2016, when I and Sudarshana, one of my friends were studying fashion, we had a subject called sustainable fashion and that was an eye-opener for us. We were exposed to the ‘unsustainable fashion’ and the amount of waste produced in garments and manufacturing factories. While studying, I always used to think, fashion is one thing, what about other daily use items made of plastic?”, this one innocuous question made Veena and Sudarshana, introduce alternatives to plastic.
From the time we wake up in the morning till the time we go to bed, each and everything we use has plastic involved in it, in some or the other way. For instance, the toothbrush we use to brush our teeth, comb, to personal care products having plastic packaging to sanitary napkins. 24-year-old, Veena recalls,
In college, I always used to think about switching from plastic to sustainable alternatives, but sustainable products being luxurious and I being a student could not afford them. That is when I started doing my own personal care products at home, reduced plastic consumption and lead a zero waste lifestyle
Meet Sudarshana and Veena, the brain behind Everwards
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Even if there were affordable, sustainable products, they were neither accessible nor relatable. For instance, today, if you will ask millennials to use neem stick in place of toothbrush, they won’t. Hence, an eco-friendly alternative to plastic needs to be affordable, accessible and relatable and with this mantra, Everwards was born. Veena, co-founder, Everwards says,
What started as an idea in 2016, took the shape in 2018. We researched, introduced products, tried them on and in 2018 got an opportunity to launch a range of eco-friendly every day essentials.Today we curate products that help you kick start zero waste lifestyle by ensuring products are relatable, affordable, and sustainability becomes accessible
To The World Of Eco-friendly Alternatives To Plastic
Everwards provides an alternative to 40 plastic-based products which ranges between Rs. 49 – 700. While a pack of five read me pencils made using graphite and old newspaper costs Rs. 49, plantable pencils are valued at Rs. 69.
Single use disposable plastic and zip lock bags get replaced by upcycled bag
Toothbrush, one of those items which everyone uses, is made of bamboo. It doesn’t just have a bamboo handle, bristles are made from bamboo fiber making it 100 per cent biodegradable, Nylon and BPA (an industrial chemical used to make certain kinds of plastic) free.
Bid adieu to putting plastic in your mouth as you switch to bamboo toothbrush
Also Read: No Straws Attached: This Trio From Gurugram Is Fighting A Battle Against Single Use Plastic
Keeping three ‘R’s’ – reduce, reuse and recycle in mind, the duo repurpose used coffee to make coffee scrub, scrap fabric is turned into drawstring bags, hand clutches and other valuable items and coconut shells are converted into teacups, cutlery items, and soap dishes. Veena says,
We repurpose and upcycle to reduce our carbon footprint. We pack all our personal care products in stainless steel or glass containers which can later be reused at household level
Ditch conventional shampoo bottles and opt for powder shampoo in steel container
Menstrual cup made from BPA free medical grade silicone priced at Rs. 590, handmade paper notebook are some of the sustainable products being offered by the duo. Veena says,
The products are delivered across India and to ensure wherever our products go, they reach safely, without any plastic involved, we use old paper, recycled cardboard to pack and deliver all our products
Made of medical grade silicone, menstrual cup is recyclable
All the products are available on Everwards’s website and the dup can be contacted through social media as well.
We stepped into this industry last year only and we feel there is still a long way to go. A lot more products need an affordable, relatable and accessible sustainable alternative. Our mission and vision is to continue working in this direction and introduce a whole new range of products, signs off Veena.
NDTV – Dettol Banega Swachh India campaign lends support to the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). Helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, the campaign aims to spread awareness about hygiene and sanitation, the importance of building toilets and making India open defecation free (ODF) by October 2019, a target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he launched Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014. Over the years, the campaign has widened its scope to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and menstrual hygiene. The campaign has also focused extensively on marine pollution, clean Ganga Project and rejuvenation of Yamuna, two of India’s major river bodies.
Usha Menon
June 16, 2019 at 7:37 pm
Fantastic work by Veena and Sudarshana. How can I get in touch with them?