Deltora Biopolymers is a start-up established last year and is a manufacturer of various 100 per cent compostable and bio-degradable materials. The company manufactures products like carry bags, cups, straws, spoons, non-woven fabric for medical application. Deltora offers single-use food packaging and medical hygiene products. In this interview, Divyesh Dadhaniya, Director-Research & Development, Deltora Biopolymers shares with Divya Shetty the journey of his budding start-up and what potential does he see in the Indian technical textile market.
Please tell us the journey of Deltora Biopolymers…
I did my masters in biopolymers from Germany and then I and my friends developed this technology at IIT Guwahati. We are in the process of commercialising our products which were manufactured in IIT Guwahati. Our commercial production will start from April, it’s still in the nascent stage.
Our potential buyers will be the end-product converters who are manufacturing straw, carry bags, nonwovens, and all these products. So we will supply the raw materials to them like Palex.
What is your company’s USP?
Now, the Indian government has announced the ban on single-use plastic, so we are giving them alternate material. Or else, they will have to close their manufacturing facility as per the government guidelines. So here, our raw material comes into picture. By using our product, the industry can convert itself into green market. Our products are also single-use product, but when we use the plastic cups, it takes thousands of years to degrade. Our product degrades in 180 days only. The cost of our products is also affordable. The price of our carry bags is similar to the other plastic bags. Also, as per the government guidelines, the bags should be of less than 75 microns, but we can produce products lesser than that. So its a win-win situation for both.
What are your expansion plans?
Our vision is to replace our products from the single-used plastic which is harmful to the environment and which is creating pollution. As we have witnessed in a lot of exhibitions, people prefer bio degradable fabrics because nonwovens are being banned in some parts of the country as it contributes to pollution and there are some GSM restrictions on nonwoven products.