Rourkela Girl Himani On A Mission To Create A Plastic-Free Environment

Rourkela: Rourkela girl Himani Sahu has embarked on a mission to make the environment plastic free.

How? Well, she is making containers from pseudo-stem, a part of banana plant that looks like a trunk.

There are multiple ill-effects of plastic-made items, including threat to wildlife and global warming. So Mumbai-based Himani started researching and tried to make items from pseudo-stem, as an alternative to plastic.

Himani, who did her graduation in Product Design from National Institute Of  Fashion Technology in Chennai, recalled how the idea germinated.

She had gone to Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu for project work for three months in 2015.

“In Tirunelveli, I saw a big farmland full of banana trees. I observed that people were using fruits and leaves of the banana plant, and throwing trunk of the plant. I started thinking how the pseudo-stem of the plant could be used to bring economic stability to people. Then I started researching on it,” said Himani.

She then completed her Masters in Sustainable Packaging Design in TU Delft University, Netherlands.

“I had applied for scholarship in Foundation for Innovation and  Entrepreneurship Development (FIED), the incubation centre of Indian Institute of Management Kashipur in 2019. I got the call from them in June, 2020. Now IIM Kashipur is helping me with the business plan. I am also getting scholarship from the FIED for my innovation,” said Himani.

“I have made some sample containers from pseudo-stem. After research, I came to the conclusion that we can use these in microwave. We can keep food in refrigerators and these containers can also be used as tiffin box. It is leak-proof and water-proof also. We can also have soup in bowls made up of pseudo-stem,” she added.

“The pseudo-stem can be mixed in soil in 60 days. The pseudo-stem of banana plant can be a good alternative to plastic,” said Himani.

“Banana is good for health and both banana and banana tree are also connected with Indian culture. It was a challenge for me to make products from the pseudo-stem of banana plant,” added Himani.

The founder of Bananature LLP, with Sidhharth Bond being the co-founder, Himani informed that they are getting raw material of these products from their locality.

“If it can be produced in huge quantity, people can use it. People will love it in future, as it will be available at low price,” she said.

“I am planning to start this business at Dehradun. Then I will do this business in Odisha and other parts of the country,” Himani spelt out her plans.

Himani did her schooling and Plus II from Rourkela, where her father is employed in Rourkela Steel Plant.

“Initially, my parents didn’t have much idea about product design course. Now they are very happy with my work,” said Himani.

The 26-year-old Himani is multi-faceted, as she is also into fashion jewellery, bags and other luxury items. She is associated with Himani Suhi Fashion brand, and received Young Budding Designer award in 2017  from Asian Designer Week.