Hyderabad: After finding success in Telangana, the company ‘Vistaraku,’ which makes sustainable biodegradable products, is planning to expand its production to Andhra Pradesh (AP). Most of their workforce consists of women working in their Siddipet unit. They aim to collect more leaves from northern parts of AP near Vizag, where Palash leaves are plentiful, and start new production units there.
The eco-friendly company, based in Timmareddypalle near Siddipet, only uses biodegradable materials and food-grade gum as adhesive to fix two layers of their innovative Vistaraku plates. They primarily use a heart-shaped leaf called Addaku, found mostly in the northeastern parts like Adilabad. This leaf is known as Siali in Hindi and also called Maloo Creeper in the wild. However, the Palash leaf (also known as Moduga or “flame of the forest”) is rare in Telangana but abundant in forests near Araku, Vizag, and Lambasingi areas in AP. Products made from Moduga are highly demanded and considered premium due to their longer shelf life.
“Collecting these leaves poses a big challenge, but we are working on overcoming it. We aim to collaborate with the AP government and local individuals. Once leaf collection is streamlined, we will start a production unit. This will not only generate employment but also provide affordable and eco-friendly products made from Palash leaves,” said Tanmay Vippulancha, the CEO of Vistaraku.
Recently, Vistaraku, Southern India’s biggest maker of eco-friendly products, has started experimenting to make more affordable options. They are currently trialing products made from the pulp of ‘wheat straw.’ The company plans to produce these on a large scale, which will reduce the cost per unit. Additionally, their Siddipet unit already makes products like paper cups from sugarcane bagasse.
“People sometimes want different themes for their events. Using alternatives to leaves will give us a chance to meet this demand. As the need grows, we will increase production from wheat straw,” Tanmay added.
Vistaraku was co-founded by green activists V Venugopal and V Madhavi on their 25-acre agricultural land in Timmareddypalle. The company is known for employing women as its workforce. These women sew the leaves, shape them with hydraulic machines, and package the products. About two dozen women produce Vistaraku products in various shapes and sizes, which are distributed across India and exported abroad, including to the USA.
