Fyne Chats: 'Get Wasted, Don't Waste' with the Mend Packaging
For the second episode of our Fyne Chats series, we sat down for a (virtual) drink with Co-Founders of The Mend Packaging: Prianka, Rishika and Rhea. These female leaders have launched a forward thinking company aimed at helping other businesses find greener alternatives for their packaging. They also use their platform to raise awareness on waste and plastic pollution and what the everyday person can do about it.
Read on for the full interview on how they started the Mend and their top tips for creating more sustainable lifestyle choices.
Photo Credit | @TheMendPackaging
Introduce yourselves and tell us what you do.
The Mend is co-founded by Prianka Jhaveri, Rishika Reddy, and Rhea Kothari as a mission to unbox a greener future by reducing packaging waste. All our packaging is 100% recycled, recyclable and biodegradable! We work closely with waste management partners, packaging manufacturers and vendors all across India to provide an authentic product and a seamless service to our clients. We use our platform to not only offer greener choices to businesses, but also to educate the everyday person on the need to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
What inspired you to start The Mend Packaging?
As individuals, we were all interested in sustainability. The inspiration to create a sustainable packaging company however came early in 2020 when COVID hit and we were seeing first-hand the unbelievable amount of packaging waste that was being generated from our consumer choices. We decided to come together and create The Mend to give businesses, both small and big, the option to adopt greener choices for their packaging.
A lot of our power as individuals comes from our purchases, so our shopping habits are a great place to start mending.
Photo Credit | @TheMendPackaging
Give us the run down on packaging waste. How does it affect our environment, the ocean and our overall wellbeing?
Every piece of plastic made is still on the planet.
Of the millions of tonnes of plastic produced each year, 40% is packaging - used just once and then discarded. All that plastic waste ends up in landfills and harms the environment by releasing greenhouse gases, contaminating the soil and groundwater, and taking up space. Almost 18 billion pounds of plastic waste flows into the oceans every year from coastal regions. The plastic debris injures and kills fish, seabirds, and marine animals. Additionally, chemicals in plastic can leach out into the food and beverages we consume, and microplastics entering the human body can lead to an array of negative health impacts.
How can we do our part as consumers to improve the situation?
As consumers, we can start by making more conscious choices in our everyday lives. These include: carrying our own reusable items (bags, straws, bottles, etc.), buying in bulk to reduce the packaging needed, buying loose products, reusing packaging products such as boxes and paper, and finding alternatives to buying new products.
A lot of our power as individuals comes from our purchases, so our shopping habits are a great place to start mending.
Describe the most unique project you’ve worked on.
The most unique project we have worked on was for an apparel company - Controversial. It was exciting because this was a startup trusting us with their entire packaging, right from the e-commerce mailers to the card inserts that went inside the boxes. We worked with a wide range of materials for them: seed paper, recycled paperboard, bioplastics, and recycled paper. The company wanted their ethos of sustainability to resonate right from their process to the end product that was presented to the customer, and we were thrilled to be a part of their journey.
Photo Credit | @TheMendPackaging
What’s your top tip for shopping sustainably online?
At the Mend, we don’t shop much but when we do we shop local. Buying local is a great way to lower your carbon footprint as transportation miles are shorter and lead to less carbon emissions. When shopping online however, we love companies that have not just adopted sustainable practices, but have included the entire idea into their business model. We love FYNE Jewellery for this reason - their commitment to sustainability in how the manufacture their products, package it, and send it to the consumer is inspiring!
Why is sustainability important to you?
Sustainability is important to us because it means that we can have a healthier and greener present, without compromising our future.
Any famous last words? :)
We’d rather get wasted than waste :)
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