Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) ventured into the e-commerce industry just two months ago and has been using handmade paper packaging materials from day one to prevent plastic pollution that is along with the Khadi’s principle of “Green Chemistry”.
KVIC is specifically using handmade paper envelopes/ packets and handmade car- ton boxes for packaging of articles except for liquid materials where plastic wraps are nominally used to pre- vent any leakage during transportation. The company, which was using plastic for packing face masks for better hygiene, has also specially designed handmade paper envelopes made of banana fibre which it will start using very soon.
KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena said, “Khadi fabrics are the world’s most eco-friendly wearable and environment protection is our key concern while undertaking any activity.”
This assumes significance in wake of the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) directions to various e-commerce companies for putting a check on excessive use of plastic in the packaging of goods. The tribunal has also directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to take necessary steps to curb this.
Reacting to the NGT’s recent observation, Saxena said, “Khadi products are natural and use of hand- made paper is the most environmentally conscious way of packaging Khadi products to our customers. Handmade paper packets and boxes are heavier than normal plastic packaging packets and thus costs extra courier charges to the company along with the cost of handmade paper. KVIC bears these extra costs to ensure it costs nothing to the environment.”
KVIC won appreciation from its online customers for delivery of goods in pa- per packets. “I was pleased to receive a consignment from KVIC in a paper carton box. In less than two months, I have placed repeated orders at KVIC e-portal and every time I found almost zero use of plastic,” said Sumit Mathur, a frequent Khadi customer from Jodhpur.