Ecosys is a Mumbai firm founded by Sumit Goyal and Prachi Bansal that provides eco-friendly cleaning products in Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) capsules.
Juhu beach is one of the most well-known. Sumit Goyal, who is from rural Rajasthan’s deserts, experienced the same thing. Sumit, from Shrimadhopur, traveled to Mumbai for a CA internship in 2010 and opted to spend an evening at the famed beach to seek peace and serenity. He had no idea he’d be walking on one of the world’s dirtiest beaches.
“The beach was littered with dog feces, trash, and plastic bottles. I was angry when I saw how bad the beach was, but I couldn’t think of a remedy “he claims
A few years later, the idea of reducing plastic waste prompted him to launch a sustainable firm that keeps tons of plastic garbage from ending up in landfills or drifting around the seas.
Sumit finished his internship in 2013 and started his own textile export company.
A common friend introduced him to Prachi Bansal a year later.
Sumit then learned from Prachi about firms in the West that manufacture Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) detergent pods for laundry washes.
Prachi has always observed her grandfather reuse packaging and ensuring that fewer products ended up in the trash.
That was how Ecosys was born in 2016.
“We began approaching chemical sciences specialists and engineers to assist us with a solution [for plastic packaging],” Sumit, 29, explains.
Sumit and Prachi sought expert guidance to comprehend and create a variety of cleaning solutions utilizing PVA. Non-toxic packaging that was not made of plastic.
He goes on to say that PVA does not contribute to microplastic pollution since bacteria in water convert it to H2O and CO2, making it a biodegradable product.
“We had to create a PVA film to hold the cleaning chemicals. We planned to employ PVA as water-soluble containers for cleaning solutions. It possesses qualities comparable to plastic in that it is flexible, can be twisted or stretched, and is robust “he claims
Sumit claims that if properly designed, they could create a packaging material that was eco-friendly, simple to use, and safe while preserving the original features of the packaged items.
However, months of work to develop the product were futile.
Prachi explains, “The PVA film frequently leaked or caused spillage. The capsule could not always hold the fluid and burst open. We spent weeks trying to discover the proper recipe.
We designed eco-friendly cleaning solutions that could clean floors, windows, and kitchen surfaces at the same time, but we were unable to manufacture the packing material to the needed level.”
The pair created the market-ready solution after 18 months of effort and failure.
After inserting the capsule into the bottle, water is poured inside.
The 10 ml [concentration] cleaning solution within the capsule mixes with 1 litre of water and is ready to use once the PVA dissolves “she claims
Prachi claims that their product has two advances. “To begin with, the cleaning solutions are non-toxic and eco-friendly.
They are not manufactured from plants, but rather from a chemical formula that is safe for the environment.
“Another advancement is the use of PVA film to package several cleaning solutions,” she continues.
Furthermore, the capsules may travel large distances while taking very little storage space. Transporting less requires less room, which decreases the carbon impact.” Because one Ecosys capsule equals one litre of bottled cleaning solution, we may store and transport many litres of cleaning solution in a single bottle.
Prachi says that their product is both cost-efficient and effective when compared to other goods on the market.
“A half-litre bottle of glass cleaner costs Rs 75 on the market. We provide one litre at the same price without sacrificing quality. Except for floor cleaners, all of our goods are 60-80% less expensive than competitors,” she claims.
Sumit and Prachi struggled not only to design the product, but also to persuade their clients.
“Because the product is unique, we were hesitant to enter the Indian market. Customers could not comprehend how PVA products operated. They questioned how a 10 ml concentration could be effective after being diluted with a litre of water “Sumit states.
Sumit adds that the offering was novel, and it required time for customers to understand and embrace it.
“But, despite failures, we believed in our product and continued to convince clients,” he adds, adding that the firm generates roughly Rs 5 lakh in monthly sales.
According to Nikita Khedia, a freelancer and frequent user of their goods, “I discovered the cleaning products via a Facebook post and have been using them for around 1.5 years.
I feel less bad about using non-toxic things that contribute to environmental improvement.
Nikita claims that switching to the startup’s goods has also proven to be cost-effective.
According to the pair, the firm has prevented 65,000 plastic bottles, totaling 13 tonnes of plastic, from entering the dump.
The creators of the firm now intend to develop other items such as laundry and dishwashing pods.
“We hope to broaden our product line and attract more environmentally concerned people who will support our cause and help minimize pollution around us,” he says.
