ECOLOGICAL

CREATIVITY
 ECOlution
ECOLOGICAL PRODUCT
Jute Coasters
A coaster, drink coaster, beverage coaster,
or beermat is an item used to rest drinks
upon. Coasters protect the surface of a table
or any other surface where the user might
place a drink. Coasters placed on top of a
beverage can also be used to show that a
drink is not finished or to prevent
contamination.
As well as having natural UV protection, jute
grows without the use of fertilizers and
pesticides. Not only is it completely
biodegradable, but it is also a recyclable fibre.
Jute reaches maturity quickly, between 4-6
months, making it an incredibly efficient source
of renewable material, and therefore
‘sustainable’. India is the world's largest
producer of jute. It is also cheap and has high
tensile strength.
 Eco-
friendly

Affordable

Durable
Our member, Mishita, demonstrates the process of
making the coaster.
• Materials required -
1. Jute rope
2. Fevicol adhesive
3. White Art paper (10 x 10 cm)
4. A pair of scissors
5. Stapler (optional)
Steps -
1. Take one end of the jute rope and start
making a spiral. Complete one round and staple
it together. (This is optional)
2. Stick the stapled jute rope in the centre of
the white paper using fevicol.
3. Using little fevicol at a time, form a tight
spiral till 1 cm of paper remains on all sides.
4. Cut the excess paper and you will have a
circular coaster ready to use.
Our member, Smriti, portrays her creativity with a
unique coaster!
• Priyanka Lele (33) – Professor at Rizvi College of
Architecture, Conservation Architect.
Q.1) ‘Go Green’ - In terms of ecologically sustainable items, what
comes to your mind when you hear of this?
• Nowadays, there are many advertisements or it is publically
orchestrated that absolutely every factor in life should be based
on ‘Go Green’. From where you are living, how are you buying
groceries? Even if you buy certain items from the market, it
would be better if they are organically grown or even the plastic
bag, which we use for carrying the items, it would be better if we
carry our own bag made of cloth. So, that is ‘Go Green’. I think,
each and every one of us, taking these little steps, will help us
go completely green in our daily lives. This is one of the factors.
Another one is considering architecture stream as a whole.
Being green it would mean using locally available materials for
the construction. So that, I think, would be a 100%
‘Go Green’ sector.
Q.2) Are there times when you find these recycled goods to be better
than the main items manufactured in bulk?
• I would suggest that recycled goods anytime of the day are always
better than the ones which are manufactured in bulk. I would also
put it in this way- If a certain child going to school has a compass
box {Of course, it’s not just one child that goes to the school, there
are hundreds and thousands} and everyone loves the same
product, it has to be manufactured again and again. That’s where
bulk manufacture is needed. However, If you can take a simple
product that everyone loves, give it your touch and use the
‘recycled’ product, it gives you that exclusivity. I won’t say bulk
manufacturing is wrong, but recycling would definitely give life to a
product which is completely discarded off. Not just in our country,
but in many others, there are these ‘hospice stores’ or second-
hand stores, selling materials, products and goods which
are recycled, which are durable.
Q.3) How can waste be salvaged to create ecologically
friendly items? (What products can be created?)
• I would go back to your first question, where I was
discussing the daily needs and food items. But also
in terms of architecture, there would be certain
furniture or fittings that come into picture. Mass-
manufacturing showrooms like Ikea and Urban
Ladder do have furniture which can be recycled and
given a new life to be extremely exclusive for your
homes. Such durable items can definitely be
recycled and salvaged. It is not always necessary to
go out of your way and purchase products which are
out of your budget. Salvaging helps you have
something which none of your neighbours have,
while sparing your pockets.
• Sumeet Patil (27) – Architect. Has worked on
several ecological and conservation projects.
Q.1) The planet is overwhelmed by the current waste production. Do you
agree? If yes, What eco-friendly sustainable products can be brought into
the mainstream market?
• Yes, the planet is overwhelmed by the current waste production, with
respect to the population we have. The things that humans used to do
before have been replaced by non sustainable items such as plastic,
thermocol. In the rural areas, it's quite sustainable. They have their local
shopkeeper and they get their own cloth bag to get groceries. They have
farmland nearby so they don't need to hoard vegetables for the whole
week unlike what we do. So they don't need a fridge and all. That
becomes a sustainable way of life that they use. On the other hand let us
say water bottles; currently we see that there are water bottles made of
metal, clay, copper, glass. These are very good alternatives for plastic
water bottles, but the only reason being that we all are lazy and don't
want to carry all this. So replacing day to day items with sustainable
items is my approach.
Q.2) Are there times when you find these recycled goods to be better
than the main bulk manufactured items?

• I don't think that the quality matches with the main bulk products.
Keeping in mind the quality, durability and cost, because they don't
survive very long and the cost of recycled goods is very high. For
example, the recycled paper that you get is 10 times more expensive
than normal paper. Fpr the first generation, the cost will be expensive.
But for the later generation it will go down. Production increases and
technology develops, to get us good recycled products.
Q.3) How can waste be salvaged to create ecologically friendly
items?

• Certain companies like Levi’s have made jeans out of plastic

and companies like Adidas are making shoes out of plastic, but
again, will they match the price of the main bulk? No, because
these are highly expensive, while the cotton ones are very cheap.
Waste can be salvaged by proper action of what we have and
how we can go forward with it. Andheri East, Mumbai, has its
own dry waste collection system. They segregate glass, paper
etc. Paper is recycled and plastic is put into a compression
machine and then they bring out chunks of plastic which are
used in building walls.
One of our members, Smriti, promoted her product
amongst the members of her residential society.
We created an Instagram page for our product.
As we all know, SDG means Sustainable
Development Goals. Some of these goals are
responsible for consumption and production which
means we must use every resource provided to us
wisely and should only produce as much resources
as needed. The other one is Climate Action which
means we must reduce the pollution, carbon
footprint and use eco-friendly things, which, in the
long run, will prevent climate change.
Our product, the ecological jute coaster is helpful to
both goals as it is a DIY product and easy to make.
Therefore, we can make as much as needed without
wasting resources and also because it is an
ecological product, it helps to reduce pollution.
Group Members

Mishita Chhugani
Saisha Shetty
Ananya Singh
Smriti Ojha