An entrepreneur Samiksha Ganeriwal from Noida made 100% biodegradable bottle

A female entrepreneur from Noida prepares bottles by sticking them to natural lap using waste newspapers, copy-books, cardboard, etc. The cap of the bottle is also biodegradable. These bottles can be used for nine months.

Most of the plastic bottles are used around the world. Due to plastic being cheap, only plastic bottles are seen in most of houses. The use of bottles made of any other metal is rarely seen.

Drinking water in our homes is generally stored in plastic bottles only. People take that bottle home even after drinking cold drinks so that they can fill it with drinking water. But do you know that this kind of habit of yours can be very harmful to your health? These bottles are made after many chemical processes which have their own recycling process.

These bottles are also temperature sensitive, which if they are used for drinking or storing water, can harm our health in many ways.

Not only do plastics contain harmful chemicals, but water stored in plastic bottles also produces harmful substances like fluoride, arsenic, and aluminum, which can be toxic to the body.

So, drinking water from plastic bottles would mean drinking slow poison, which would slowly and steadily worsen your health.

Plastic bottles are cheap and fit in the budget too. But we forget that plastic is also harmful from the point of view of our environment. It is not only harmful to the environment, land, and aquatic animals but also dangerous to human health.

In such a situation, if it is said that you can drink water by filling it in paper bottles. This must be sounding very surprising, isn't it? Immediately a question will arise in the mind that the paper will not melt and the paper does not even have the capacity to stop the water for a long time.

But this wonder has been done by a female entrepreneur from Noida. We are talking about Samiksha Ganeriwal who launched her start-up called 'Paper Bottle' in 2018. These bottles are special because they are made from 100% paper.

Right now these bottles are being used to pack shampoo, conditioner, and hand wash.

Let me tell you, this paper bottle does not melt when filled with water or other liquid and is easily destroyed later.

Samiksha Ganeriwal is now preparing such bottles for water and juice. She has also applied for a patent. Three food and beverage manufacturing companies have also expressed their desire to enter into a contract with him.

Let us know, the journey of this entrepreneur of paper bottles…

How did the idea for the paper bottle come about?

Samiksha Ganeriwal is from Noida, Uttar Pradesh. She completed her MBA from Vignana Jyoti Institute of Management in the year 2000. 

While studying for her MBA, She was working on a project of things made of plastic. And was looking for an alternative to all the plastic things being used. But at that time she did not get anything plastic free.

The idea came during the project that even before plastic people used to keep food and drink in one or the other. In the rain, water droplets remain on the leaves and grass. That is, there is such an element in them that is a barrier to water.

MBA After graduation, she worked in many companies in Noida and Hyderabad.

But she did not give up her dream of becoming plastic-free. She continued to make many efforts. It is said that when you are determined to do some work, then the result of dedication with hard work comes out positive.

Obstacles may try to stop you, but your persistence will always lead to results.

To reduce the menace of plastic pollution and find a sustainable alternative, she launched a startup in 2018. Her company claims that 'Paper Bottle' is the first such startup in the country, which makes eco-friendly and 100% compostable paper bottles. That is, it is also beneficial from the point of view of the environment.

Why was the 'paper bottle' installed

According to a report for the year 2018-19, 33 lakh metric tonnes of plastic waste is generated annually in India.

In the year 2016, Samiksha Ganeriwal founded a packaging company and during that time, she started looking for alternatives to plastic bottles.

She had a keen interest in finding an alternative to plastic since her college days, but she had not taken any academic training in this field.

To make such eco-friendly products, she consulted many designers and scientists. For the next two years, she faced many challenges.

In 2018, when she was working on an eco-friendly packaging project for one of her clients, she decided to start a company solely focused on making 100% compostable paper bottles.

Samiksha Ganeriwal made every possible effort to make plastic-free bottles. And manufactured 100 percent paper bottles, which is eco-friendly.

No plastic has been used in this at all. It is made by adding starch to it so that it is not lumpy it is not a mistake after adding water or any other liquid. This means you can keep water and juice etc. in them.

This paper bottle is made in such a way that it is neither a mistake nor a waste.

Why was the name of the 'paper bottle' company

Samiksha Ganeriwal wanted to name the plastic-free bottle in desi style. Because these bottles are completely made of paper, that's why they named their company Paper Bottle.

She wanted to present the paper bottle as an Indian product and connect her customers to their Indian roots.

With an initial investment of Rs 12 lakh, her company initially made bottles only for shampoos, conditioners, and lotions. These bottles are cheaper than plastic ones, which cost between Rs 19 to Rs 22.

It takes 2 days to make each bottle. They started getting more orders, so the company started producing two lakh bottles every month. And now 22 lakh paper bottles are manufactured every month.

In the last few years, big multinational companies like Coca-Cola Company or L'Oreal are also working to make paper bottles, due to increasing inclination towards sustainability and plastic-free spirit. Although these bottles have a thin layer of plastic inside, which protects them from moisture and the external environment, these bottles are not completely plastic-free. Hence, paper bottles have emerged as a unique product.

How to make paper bottle

These bottles are made using paper waste, which is currently being sourced from a company in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh. Soon its unit will be established in Noida as well.

Next, these waste papers are mixed with water and chemicals to make a pulp. These are then molded into two identically shaped bottle halves and both halves are sprayed with a solution containing the water-resistant properties of banana leaves. In the end, both these parts are joined with glue.

Challenges faced

Samiksha Ganeriwal faced many challenges to find an alternative to plastic-free bottles.

First of all, she had to find a machine that could make plastic-free bottles. But such a machine was not available in the market which could manufacture plastic-free bottles so she took the help of experts in this field to make this machine by herself.

She contacted one of her relatives whose factory produced shampoo and conditioner bottles. Having state-of-the-art machines in the factory helped in research.

After a lot of struggle, she made all the preparations to make a plastic-free bottle and started working on it.

The second challenge for Samiksha Ganeriwal was the impression customers would give after seeing their product. Because people are addicted to plastic bottles. In the market too, most of the goods are available in plastic only. Now we even bring vegetables in plastic bags only. Even if we have to travel somewhere, we carry water only in a plastic bottle.

When the first prototype of the paper bottle was ready, she showed it to his friends and family. The size and color of his bottle were surprising because it was completely brown and often people use transparent or transparent plastic bottles. But, people liked her paper bottle and they were also very impressed by his work.

Gradually the demand for these biodegradable bottles increased and customers started buying them.

Why plastic-free bottle is necessary?

According to research by Treadmill Reviews, plastic bottles carry more germs than toilet seats. Which can make a person seriously ill.

It was told in the report that the plastic bottles which were used without washing for a week had more than 3 lakh bacteria in just one square centimeter part. From this, you can understand how the plastic bottle which you use again and again, how bad it can affect your health.

Paper Bottle durability

These paper bottles are completely natural. The bottle prepared by joining several pieces of paper is pasted with natural glue. The lid used in this is also made of paper and the natural element that dissolves in the soil.

The paper bottle has a shelf life of 9 months. And even if it gets spoiled, you can bury it in the soil of the pot and bed of your house.

If we talk about their cost, then this bottle is prepared for 19 rupees. The plastic bottle is also ready in this amount. However, Samiksha Ganeriwal is trying to reduce their cost further.

Samiksha Ganeriwal believes that these compostable bottles can be used as a packaging material in the future instead of plastic.

According to a media report, she says, “On average, a person uses plastic equivalent to seven plastic bottles every month just for toiletries like deo, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. Paper bottle bottles can be a great option for packaging not only toiletries but also beverages, liquids, and powders.”

This company is also working towards making bottles for food and beverages. Along with this, it is also planning to set up manufacturing units in four cities across the country.

Samiksha Ganeriwal Your plastic-free mission efforts are not enough to be appreciated. Despite not having the knowledge of manufacturing plastic-free products, you made continuous efforts and found alternatives. The paper bottle is the result of your efforts and hard work. Congratulations on the future!