Across India, a new kind of business is quietly changing the way things are made, used, and reused. These are companies built from the ground up to reduce waste, use better materials, extend product life, or rethink how everyday things are made and handled.
They are not experimenting on the side. This is their business.
And the movement is growing. A recent survey by SIDBI and Dun and Bradstreet found that 66% of MSMEs plan to expand environmental policies, while 76% expect profitability gains from sustainability measures.
That shift deserves attention.
This is a simple salute to a few Indian SMEs that are not just talking about sustainability. They have built their products, services, and operations around it. Each one solves a different problem, but all of them follow a shared idea: less waste, more intention, and better systems. Let’s take a look at some of them:
Saahas Zero Waste
Bengaluru
Saahas works with offices, schools, housing societies, and factories to manage waste properly. They collect, sort, compost, and recycle, reducing what goes to landfill. Their system uses technology to trace where the waste goes and brings informal waste workers into safer, formal jobs.
They operate in over 50 cities and manage more than 100+ metric tons of waste every day. Their clients include organisations like Microsoft and IKEA, but their model applies anywhere waste is generated in bulk.
Plastroots
Maharashtra
Plastroots handles dry waste in smaller towns and villages. They collect plastics, recover what can be recycled, and send the rest to cement plants where it is used as fuel. They also help brands meet plastic take-back targets under extended producer responsibility rules.
So far, they have processed over 1,600 metric tons of plastic waste. Their cluster-based model uses local workers, simple tools, and a clear process to close the loop.
GEM Enviro Management
New Delhi
GEM works with companies to collect and recycle plastic packaging. They run large scale recycling programs, issue plastic credits, and set up systems that brands can use to meet their legal recycling obligations.
They have processed hundreds of thousands of metric tons of plastic through their network and have worked with companies like Coca Cola, Pepsi, and National Fertilizers.
Doodlage
New Delhi
Doodlage makes clothes using fabric waste from factories and used garments. They create new garments from surplus, patch together offcuts, and even reuse their own production waste to make bags, notebooks, and packaging.
They also partner with brands to upcycle their waste, creating capsule collections from what would otherwise be thrown away. Doodlage reminds us that design decisions shape waste long before products reach the bin.
Green Heirloom
Kochi
Green Heirloom makes cookware from traditional materials like cast iron, clay, and brass. These are pots and pans that can last for decades. By working with artisans across India, they help preserve craft traditions and reduce the need for synthetic, short-lived cookware.
Their products are made to last, and their business is built on the belief that long life is the opposite of waste.
Earth Rhythm
Gurugram
Earth Rhythm makes personal care products like shampoo bars, sunscreens, and cleansers using biodegradable ingredients and reusable or compostable packaging. They avoid plastic where possible and focus on formulations that are lab-tested and low impact.
They have also grown quickly without losing sight of inclusion, employing people with disabilities in key roles across production and fulfilment.
Neeman’s
Hyderabad
Neeman’s makes shoes using recycled plastic bottles, tyre scrap, and merino wool. Their shoes reuse about 10 plastic bottles per pair. They have already recycled over 3 million bottles and are building a take-back program for old shoes.
They also use cardboard packaging and avoid synthetic foam, keeping their footprint low at every step.
Karo Sambhav
New Delhi
Karo Sambhav helps brands take back and recycle electronics. They run collection systems for phones, batteries, and laptops, and ensure the waste goes to safe, certified recyclers. They also train waste workers, run awareness programs, and build digital tools to track what is collected.
They work with global brands like HP and Lenovo, as well as local governments and schools.
What Do These Businesses Have in Common?
They are not reacting to trends. They are solving real problems.
They think carefully about how things are made, how long they last, and where they go next. They build systems, work with others, and design for recovery and reuse. Some sell services, some sell products, but all of them see waste as something to prevent, not clean up later.
They are not waiting for regulation or consumer pressure. They are already doing the work.
Applying the Circular Approach to Cooling
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This is circular thinking applied to cooling.
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