Aotula Pongen
Dimapur | July 7
Two Naga entrepreneurs have combined their efforts in building a packaging unit that is both efficient and eco-friendly. Nagaland Packaging Solutions is a packaging and manufacturing unit that provides local businesses an all-round packaging service, all the while maintaining an eco-friendly agenda.
Imliakum Ozükum and Myanthung Ngullie are two young entrepreneurs who run the unit located at H/no.104 Lane 3, Veterinary Colony, Burma camp. It produces paper bags, areca plates, bowls and spoons, online packing bags, zip-lock food grade plastic bags, pickle bottles and are the first suppliers of wine bottles in Nagaland.
They currently employ four full-time workers and multiple part-time young workers.
They receive their resource materials from many manufacturing cities across India. Both have begun this business from outside the State and made good business connections across India.
The paper bags they supply are of two paper qualities that are “very durable.”
“We cut the paper by hand,” said Imliakum while explaining the process of making the products.
Myanthung explained further. “If you compare the paper bag and plastic bag, there is not much difference and both are durable. However, it is important to spread awareness so that small businesses across Nagaland implement the use of paper instead of plastic.”
When asked about the process of using banana fibre extract for bag handles, they mentioned the process. “Banana fibre is widely used in South-East Asia and in South India they have already started using it. However, the idea is fairly new to Nagaland. What is done is that the banana stem is taken, pulled apart, bashed and dried. It is a good alternative to plastic and cloth handles for bags.”
There are various types of plastics in use, some are for single use like the packaged water bottles while mazza bottles can be used again and again. People do not know the difference. There is need for awareness in cases of plastic types and their uses, said the budding entrepreneurs.
They supply online package bags to newly formed Nagaland based e-commerce site called NagaBox.com. They are currently looking to find a replacement for single use plastic straws.
Nagaland State has put a ban on single use plastics from September 2019; Nagaland Packaging Solutions will aptly fill the gap.
The author is an intern at The Morung Express
