In Kerala, India two brothers have launched a startup to commercialize tableware from rice farming waste. Rishabh and Rohan Suri were inspired to found Qudrat after Rishabh repeatedly encountered trash while surfing at popular Kovalam Beach.
“Surfing is already a difficult sport,” Rishabh told The Better India. “While practicing, often, a paper or plastic cup would hit my head and sometimes a plastic bag would get wrapped around my feet. The sea is full of it! When you go slightly outward into the sea, huge amounts of plastic lie there.
Qudrat sells plates, straws, spoons, and cups across India, US, UK, Canada and Mexico using rice bran, rice husk, and rice straw—wastes that are often burned, leading to air quality issues across India.
The tableware is also animal safe. “This material has always been used as fodder for cattle by farmers,” Rishabh added. “So we wanted to make these products animal friendly as well. For instance, if our tableware is not disposed of properly after a party and thrown on the road or in the sea, and if an animal eats it, then it should not harm them in any way.”