These 5 Friends Have Refilled 10,000 Bottles of Homecare Products, Aims To Go Zero Waste

Mad4Startup By Chaithra B S | 3 min read

zero waste

Did you know that every year, 7 billion single-use plastics end up in landfills? That is no longer the case.  Waste management has become a daunting task for the government as the population is rising but landfill spaces are quite less, so going zero waste is the only key. Zero waste is not only important for us but for generations to come. Refillable Store, Zero waste management startup situated in Mumbai, has developed a personal and home care product refill delivery service. The startup will help to reduce the trash in landfills and encourage the use of reusable containers. So eventually causing zero waste.

Here Is How Five Friends Came Together To Start Refillable Store

Zero Waste
Image: Refillable Store

When India put a temporary ban on plastics in 2019, Lokesh Sambhwani and his friends — Purav Desai, Rahul Batra, Nishith Jardosh, and Anupriya Nayyar — created Recube Circular Solutions, a B2B business. They created technology-enabled tracking solutions for reusable products to make a zero waste management system.

They offer reusable household goods. When the pandemic struck, however, the team had to adjust their strategy to focus on consumers directly. The crew offered to refill the product rather than collecting the bottles and sending them to recycling facilities.

They bought a Bajaj truck, modified it with a refill station, and planned to provide home delivery to offer greater convenience, such as a grocery or milk delivery service. An in-house engineer and an external service provider with experience in the same industry collaborated to develop the refill point utilizing IoT systems.

Refillable Bottles
Image – Instagram

The team collaborated with five brands to offer the raw materials, notably Rossari, Herbal Strategi, and Ecosys to implement Zero waste.

The effort of zero waste startup was initiated through word of mouth among intimate circles on World Environment Day, June 5, 2020. Customers would be required to select the number and quantity of things they desire, as well as pay for them in advance. The team arrives at the place and refills the containers based on the available slot.

The Idea Behind Refillable Store – Aiming To Zero Waste

The idea is to create reusable containers for household cleaning supplies and cause zero waste to prevent the environment from polluting.

A survey was conducted by Earth5R, a Mumbai-based social organization focused on the environment. In Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Pune, researchers discovered a 47 percent increase in single-use plastics.

Zero waste
Image – Instagram

Initially, the business focused on selling home care products in reusable containers. When the containers were empty, they would collect them. The containers were cleaned and disinfected once they were collected. Following that, the containers were refilled. Customers must supply their own plastic and/or glass containers. This is how they are fulfilling the zero waste management through their start-up.

If no steel containers are available at home, customers can purchase them from the firm.

After that, the steel container can be reused. The recyclable containers for cleaning products for the home are of excellent quality. 

During the pandemic, the startup’s strategy changed slightly. Instead of gathering empty containers, the friends started filling them with cleaning products.

Aiming Zero Waste Management, Here Is How It Works

Zero Waste
Image: Instagram

Within 48-72 hours, your order will be fulfilled! Simply prepare your bottles, and the refill agent will take care of the rest. (The containers can also be purchased for a refundable deposit of 100/-.)

To provide home delivery services and to refill the reusable containers, the group of friends bought a Bajaj delivery vehicle. Customers must contact the company and make a product request. The supplies are delivered by their truck, which arrives in the area. It is necessary to specify the quantity and type of product required ahead of time.

The entire operation is simple with zero waste and safe for the environment. People are apprehensive about going out, especially in Corona. Home delivery services have made people’s life easier.

Customers choose the number of home care products they need ahead of time. Their company sells cleaning supplies like detergent, hand soap, and cleaners. The team worked with additional brands such as Rossari, Herbal Strategi, and Ecosys to offer the basic materials.

Customers are encouraged to bring their own reusable containers. The team can sell a reusable steel container to a customer who does not have one.

Owing to the crew’s efforts, tons of plastic bottles have been prevented from entering landfills. The group wants to expand its operations and reach out to more people.

Their home delivery service is fulfilling people’s needs in these COVID times. This project is also eco-friendly. The Refillable Store would like to work with larger corporations. The company wants to expand its distribution services to a larger audience.

They’re on a goal to prevent 100,000 bottles from ending up in landfills by the year 2022 and this means going fulfilling their aim of going zero waste.

If you want to know more about Reffilable store, visit Reffilable store or their Instagram

If you loved this story, you can also read Pratik Gandhi’s Challenging Journey From a Struggling Actor to His Breakthrough Role as Harshad Mehta in Scam 1992

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