The war on single-use plastics has found a new ally – The Good Plate Company. Especially when it comes to tackling the colossal amount of rubbish generated by takeaway food outlets, events and festivals.
According to WRAP – the national waste reduction charity – the hospitality sector produces two million tonnes of waste every year.
The Good Plate Company has found a way to manufacture 100% organic, compostable tableware, including eco-friendly disposable plates, bowls and cutlery. The firm’s ambitious plans to roll out its product line has been given a boost through receiving a start up loan and mentoring from Virgin Start Up and the government Start Up Loans fund
This ethical, sustainable tableware is the brainchild of friends Hersh Thaker and Raghav Chandegra.
Company Co-Founder Hersh Thaker said: "We're pleased to have secured the funding and it acts as further validation that we have a real opportunity to grow in this market.
“Consumers and businesses are increasingly looking for an alternative choice to single-use plastics and are becoming more conscious about their waste. This loan and business support will give us a real opportunity to scale our business and allow us to continue to provide environmentally conscious and quality products and services in this market.”
Not only are items made by The Good Plate Company fully biodegradable, but their production process also uses absolutely no chemicals.
A majority of the firm’s products are made from compressed Areca Palm Leaves. Sourcing this base material is also highly sustainable, as the manufacturing process relies only on naturally fallen leaves. Once these are gathered up and washed, they are dried out then heat pressed to form tableware that’s both ‘green’ and meets food hygiene standards.
The items such as palm leaf disposable plates compost without any assistance, and even if they do get dumped somewhere, they biodegrade quickly and cleanly.
Another important benefit of buying compostable and eco-friendly tableware from The Good Plate Company is that it provides an income for farmers in Shivamogga, South India, where the base material is sourced.
The Start Up Loan received by The Good Plate Company will be used to develop further products, including custom branded tableware, and items produced using sugarcane bagasse as an alternative component.
The UK based company is currently scaling up and hopes that its efforts to tackle single-use plastics will also be a source of further job creation for farmers in Shivamogga and staff in the UK.