Kochi-based company Thooshan is on its way to revolutionise cutlery with its biodegradable range of plates, bowls, spoons, and straws — all of which are made using wheat and rice bran. Travel + Leisure India & South Asia speaks to its Managing Director Vinay Balakrishnan about their approach towards introducing these products to the tourism and hospitality industry, and enabling travellers to travel more sustainably. By Srushti Kulkarni
T+L India: Tell us about Thooshan and how it came into being?
Vinay Balakrishnan: We launched our commercial production on August 17, 2021 in a fully automated robotic plant at Angamaly, Kochi after three years of research and development. The project focuses on creating fully biodegradable tableware such as single-use plates, cups, takeaway boxes, cutleries and glasses. The products are crafted from agricultural by-products and other natural ingredients coated with natural binders.
Thooshan came into existence with the intent of providing a replacement for the disposable plastic utensils currently in the market. Our mission is to start a cutlery revolution as millions of single-use plastic cutleries end up in landfills every year. Through our initiative, we hope to put an end to this behaviour. We also aim to increase public awareness by encouraging people to opt for our biodegradable tableware over single-use plastic.
T+L India: What does Thooshan mean?
Vinay Balakrishnan: ‘Thooshan’ stands for a banana leaf in Malayalam. Banana leaves are believed to be the first biodegradable tableware in the world. They date back to 5,000 years and are still in use today. They are easy to use and discard, and cause no harm to nature.
T+L India: How and where are the products manufactured?
Vinay Balakrishnan: Usually other manufacturers use a wet process to make such plates. They use wheat flour or millets, and grainy flour which is kneaded into a dough and finally pressed down to form plates. We don’t use or mix water in our products; we follow a dry processing method. This kind of technology is only followed in two places: one in Poland, and the other by us. Our products are manufactured in Angamaly, Kochi, Kerala.
T+L India: Why did you choose to work with wheat husks?
Vinay Balakrishnan: We choose to work with wheat husks because they are easily available and are usually discarded. Our dish-ware is completely biodegradable and partially edible. However, you don’t always have to eat the plate! If you throw it away, it decomposes into organic manure for the plants. These plates can also be used as cattle feed, fish feed, or poultry feed. Purchasing wheat husks also creates an extra income for our farmers.
T+L India: What are some challenges of working with wheat husks? How do you overcome it?
Vinay Balakrishnan: Our journey hasn’t been a cakewalk. We have strived for more than four years to obtain the results we have today. The machinery we required to manufacture these products was not available. We had to build those machines from scratch. Post that, we struggled for about a year and tried out various combinations of our ingredients to perfect a plate. We are truly a biodegradable alternative to plastic as all our products are compostable — not just our wheat plates, but the straws we make out of rice as well.
T+L India: How can your products be helpful to travellers?
Vinay Balakrishnan: Travellers can opt for these over plastic. They are affordable, edible, microwave-friendly and biodegradable. Plus they don’t cost us a polluted planet! Our endeavour is to accelerate research on other biodegradable products to ensure a sustainable Earth for future generations. These products will help ensure we, and the new generation of travellers, achieve that goal.
T+L India: Any tips on how tourism and hospitality can become more sustainable?
Vinay Balakrishnan: Every unit of the tourism and hospitality industry needs to adopt a sustainable model. That’s the only way we can save the planet. Thooshan is playing its part in increasing responsible tourism under the Department of Tourism, Kerala.
T+L India: On a personal level, how do you ensure sustainability in your day-to-day living?
Vinay Balakrishnan: I try to avoid plastic as much as possible. I make sure to carry cloth bags or jute bags whenever I step out for shopping. I also try to buy everything fresh.
T+L India: What next for Thooshan?
Vinay Balakrishnan: We plan to launch our cutlery cups and takeaway boxes in August.
Related: Sustainable Living: 7 Ways To Live An Eco-Friendly Life