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Satara company shows way in creating successful zero-waste business

Personal care brand Rustic Art launched 25 products during pandemic and reported turnover of Rs 4.5 cr and follows a zero-liquid discharge process.

The manufacturing process involves hand blending, packing and labelling by local women, who form 80 per cent of the staff. (Source: Rustic Art)

Working out of Satara, a personal and home care brand Rustic Art is proof that the market is increasingly turning towards conscious consumption. Rustic Art has had sustainability at its core since it started in 2010, long before a green lifestyle became the buzzword. Last year, despite being shut for two months during the first lockdown, Rustic Art reported a turnover of Rs 4.5 crore.

The company has been ticking the right boxes. It is vegan and cruelty-free, its manufacturing unit is designed to optimise the use of natural light and, except for monsoons, needs little artificial light. It follows a zero-liquid discharge process, with all effluents being treated and used for gardening on the premises. Rustic Art’s beauty formulations, from lip tints to hair conditioning bars, are efforts to combat plastic waste. The manufacturing process involves hand blending, packing and labelling by local women, who form 80 per cent of the staff.

Now, Rustic Art is trying to get consumers to reduce waste. It has collaborated with Restore, a Mumbai-based zero waste personal care subscription service, for refillable packaging and to ensure a “sustainable use of our planet’s resources and minimising of waste”.

“Restore is pioneering a zero-waste refill model with ease of e-commerce, at the same time bringing clean, toxin-free products which are good for you and the environment. We are happy to be a part of this revolutionary circular model. Sustainability and futuristic innovation is our motto and Restore fits in perfectly,” says Surabhi Jaju, director of business development, Rustic Art.

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Satara was one of the worst-affected places in Maharashtra during the first and second Covid waves but once the situation normalised, Rustic Art began to see a surge in enquiries and customers. The company has launched around 25 products in 2020 and 2021, such as hand wash, sunscreen, multipurpose cleaners, floor cleaners as well as a pet care range.

“We live in a maximalist society, where more is always better. The same is true for the beauty world. The range of beauty products is rapidly increasing by the hour, and so is the waste created as a result of the packaging. But, more people seem eager to approach a healthier lifestyle and are beginning to adapt,” says Jaju.

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First uploaded on: 07-09-2021 at 11:41 IST

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