Leaf service

Indian leaves bring new life to disposable crockery They've been used in rural India for countless years, but ‘disposable’ plates made from leaves are now becoming a big hit on British dining tables.

For generations, residents of Orissa in India have sewn together leaves from local sal and siali plants then compressed several layers of them together to make heat and greaseproof plates, commonly used at weddings and festivals. Jo Lawbuary, the co-founder of London-based fair trade partnership Ganesha, was so impressed by the plates she saw on her trips to India that she began selling them in the UK.

Since last year the plates have been available from Ganesha’s shops in London and by mail order. They’re now a hot item at selected Oxfam shops too.

As the plates are sourced through fair trade organisations, it’s not only Brits seeking an environmentally friendly way of avoiding the washing-up who benefit, but the Indian villagers – predominantly women – who make them.

“They’re getting a fair price for their labour,” says Lawbuary. “When you talk to the women, they all say very similar things: If you put the money into the hands of a mother, the whole family benefits – they use the money for food, education, health. The women without families say they are going to buy make-up. Just like us, I suppose.” – Alison Winward

24 June 2008

Alison Winward