Do you want to start a startup business that makes money but at the same time wants to give something back to this planet and society? The waste management problem in India needs no mention; the mounting landfills speak volumes about the deteriorating health of our environment.
Garbage disposal is one of the major challenges that India is facing currently. While some of the garbage is biodegradable, other substances like plastic can take around 1000 years to decompose. Many people often advocate the prohibition of certain products. However, it is difficult to replace them in daily life and hence, their disposal after fulfillment is inevitable.
So if you want to start your venture, we can give you the best eco–friendly small business ideas to start. These businesses upcycle and recycle waste products to create commercially viable products.
1. Upcycled Furniture
Furniture is an integral part of every home, and this is one of the reasons why it is a great avenue for upcycling waste. To use waste materials at a great scale, one can create a variety of products like tables, chairs, cupboards, and more that are in great demand.
Starting an upcycle furniture shop is a good low-investment small business idea. It requires a small seed investment and has the potential to pick up and return great profits. Look for the cheapest sourcing options to source raw materials and have a clear idea of what it can be converted into for its maximum utility.
Pradeep Jadhav of Pune started Gigantiques Furniture to create practical models out of waste materials like used tires & barrels. After delivering 500 orders, his business is experiencing a J-curve.
2. Recycled Products
Yes, plastic has many disadvantages, but if you can think about a creative way to turn its con into pros, you can start a small business startup that will need minimum investment. Plastic offers great utility, which can be its advantage as well if used smartly.
The simplest way to use it is to start a business where plastic can be used to create reusable products. You can collect plastic bags, gift wrappers, bags of flours, and pulses from local garbage collectors. Many products can be made by weaving the plastic strips together.
Nandan Bhat, founder of Pune-based start-up Ecokaari has started one such venture. He has employed artisans under his brand, who cut the plastic into thin strips and weave them into a fabric which is then made into a wide range of products like pouches, handbags, purses, travel bags to electronic covers that are purchased by people according to their requirement.
3. Upcycle Decoration
If you have an eye for details and can think about something creative, this is another low investment small business idea. You can start refurbishing fabrics to create some amazing decorative items like lanterns, pen holders, and other utility items that can be reused again and are also eco-friendly.
Delhi-based Siddhant Kumar has begun such a venture where he utilizes denim clothing and upscales it to come up with some of the most beautiful utility items.
Being an entrepreneur means resolving customer`s problems, and today our planet is screaming for help due to pollution. By utilizing the above-mentioned ideas, you can easily start a small startup business as they need very minimum investment.
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