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Meet the Eco-minded Entrepreneurs Who Are Making Money and Saving the Planet at the Same Time These five entrepreneurs from different fields are not just seeing but even going green

By Priyadarshini Patwa

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

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It would take a considerable oblivious person to not recognize the climate change crisis which seems closer than ever. And while most of us scramble to try to save what we have left of the planet and it's once abundant resources, there are sets of people who understand the importance of seeing green.

While seeing is one thing, there are entrepreneurs who have gone a step ahead and have been making a consistent contribution. Taking change into their own hands, these business minds have started companies to provide eco-friendly alternatives to their communities, driving consistent change for years and making money at the same time.

Mini Varkey Shibu & Kochery C Shibu - MINC

With fast fashion becoming a fad, timeless garments are long forgotten. But, this Bangalore-based company has created a space for gifted weavers, natural dyers and organic cotton farmers with MINC, producing eco-friendly clothing.

Started by Mini Varkey Shibu and Kochery C Shibu in 2007, the label's creations are not only sustainable but also long-lasting, high in quality and style. An alumnus of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, Mini is passionate about minimalist design and khadi, a sense she brings to the brand as well. Co-founder Kochery comes from a defense background of the Indian Navy and uses his expertise in organisations and operations systems.

The brand's practice of slow fashion is to design garments that are meant to last, produced with fair wages and lower carbon footprints. The clothes are made up of natural fabrics and azo-free environment-friendly dyes. With a close eye in promoting greener living through eco-fashion, MINC was listed by India Today as a greenovator in 2013.

Pallavi and Prachi - Chalk and Chuckles

A pioneer in the field of educationally focused toys, Chalk and Chuckles is a four-year-old company producing fun and instructional board games. The company was started by siblings, Pallavi Agarwal and Prachi Agarwal, who define themselves as creative play professionals.

Pallavi's background in finance and Prachi's experience in educational psychology provided a firm base to Chalk and Chuckles' games which focus on children's physical and cognitive skills. Each game has been conceptualized as a developmental and educational tool to help children learn valuable skills through free play.

Conscious about the planet, the brand stays eco-friendly through their toys, which are handcrafted in low formaldehyde MDF (Class1), printed with soy-based ink, have phthalate-free lamination on recycled paper, with non-toxic and lead-free paints. Their products are tested to international safety standards and are completely free of batteries and chargers.

Mansukhbhai Prajapati – Mitti Cool

Small-town Mansukhbhai Prajapati is working towards a mission to connect humanity irrevocably with clay and soil through Mitti Cool. Hailing from Wankaner, Gujarat, Prajapati started the company which with a vision to preserve traditional culture by producing clay products and pots that lead to a healthy, natural life.

The bran strives to highlight the benefits of clay tastier and nutritious food and also better health. The company also abides by and supports various government schemes and campaigns like Clean India, Make in India, Rural Employment Scheme. The offerings include earthen tawas (pan) to cookers, and even refrigerators to incense sticks, all as eco-friendly as ever.

Deepshikha Deshmukh – Love Organically

Organic is a new trend in the beauty industry. And believe it or not, this the skincare industry is moving back to its roots. While we already know many brands and entrepreneurs in this sector, mompreneur and film producer, Deepshikha Deshmukh's Love Organically is yet another company to take a look at. The brand is into producing100% natural and chemical-free skincare products. Launched in 2017, the brand came into existence when Deshmukh's son developed a rash from using a commercial moisturizer. To overcome the toxic she decided to invent a brand that brings the best of nature.

Staying true the fundaments of going green the ingredients are sourced from farms across the country and adopting plant-based practices. This practice not only helps the people on the ground level but helps in making of products that are free of parabens, propylene, phthalates, sulfates, GMOs, and dyes and are instead infused with nutrients, with flower extracts, essential oils, and aromatic botanicals. They also restraints from testing their products on animals.

Preethi and Srini - Krya Sustainable Goodies

Founded by two IIM graduates Preethi and Srini in 2010, Krya manufactures all-natural, organic detergent powder, cleansers, hair and skincare products. Originally, city people, they sensed the drawback of urban living to be the challenge of sustainable living. With a business solution to this, Krya produces goods that address the issue of sustainable city living in a way that doesn't alter the lifestyle of the consumer.

What's different about their dishwashing powder and laundry detergent? It uses four certified organic ingredients - soapberry, neem, zeodary and lemongrass essential oil and the detergent is also 100% plant-based, vegan, and organic.

The company has not invested much in their marketing strategy and has gain popularity by word of mouth and picked by the environmentally conscious.

Udit Sood and Nikita Barmecha - EcoRight

Paying close attention to being eco-friendly, affordable and appealing way, EcoRight is your fix for bags of every kind in the most fun designs. Along with using natural and durable fabrics for their bags, even their packaging is biodegradable.

The two founders, Udit Sood and Nikita Barmecha are both MBA professionals who moved from corporate careers to providing environmental options through EcoRight. The company produces high-quality bags in quirky, yet thought-provoking environmental issue-related prints, even with innovative fabrics – recycled cotton and Juton (jute+cotton). Their manufacturing facilities are ethically, socially, legally and environmentally audited as per the SEDEX 4 pillar standards.

Priyadarshini Patwa

Former Features Editor, Entrepreneur India

Priyadarshini Patwa is the Former Features Editors of Entrepreneur India and hosted an Instagram show every Friday named ‘Lighten Up’, about people from different walks of life and talk about their work and beyond. She handled the lifestyle, features, technology, entertainment segments and was also responsible for the Digital Covers. Previously she has worked with MensXP, a Times of India entity and Deccan Chronicle. 

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