Leaves Plates are, as the name suggests, plates made from leaves — a new trend of sustainability. Part of a century-long tradition native to Nepal and India, Leaves Plates are now improved and modified by us to be suitable to use in markets with a high health and sanitized standard. Carefully picked from the fallen leaves of the saal robusta trees in southern Nepal, the leaves are then sterilized and thoroughly cleaned, after which they are processed with a machine. The skilled hands of Nepali men and women add the finishing touches, and new leaves plates are made. Our product is made from natural materials and thus leaves zero footprint on the environment. This means the leaves plates are 100% compostable regardless of how they are discarded after use.
Our Product
There are two distinct ways in which plates made from leaves are produced: by hand and with the help of innovative, futuristic machines. We employ both ways and use their best characteristics so that we can deliver a product which is sophisticated yet simple, strong yet light, adaptable yet eco-friendly. Our first generation products are made from hands. However, in order to meet the FDA standard, we completely go into machine made products for the US market.
Currently, we have several sizes of products:
- Plate: 7 Inches; 9 inches; 10.345 inches
Perfect for any meal, outdoor picnics and celebrations
Perfect for pizza slices, sandwiches, pasta dishes and any lighter meals
2. Bowl: 8 inches and 2 inches depth
Perfect for snacks, dumplings, thick liquid meals and salads
*Note: We can cater to special needs and customize parameters, shapes and sizes of our plates and bowls. (put this at the very bottom of the page)
Why Leaves Plates LLC?
- Creating Job opportunities
We uphold the values of social entrepreneurship very highly. The entirety of our manufacturing plant is based in the southern parts of Nepal and is run by the locals there. The people who work for us are rightfully compensated for their efforts and because of the situation they are in, this is the only job opportunity available for them except for farming.
- Empowering Women
Our production hire many women in rural Nepal and India. Many women in the area used to do heavy farm but could not earn much. With the income these women receive from Leaves Plates LLC, they contribute extra income to their entire families and are able to lead a decent life. This would be a landmark for women in South Asia to achieve economic independence.
- Fighting against Child Labor
The introduction of Leaves Plates to Nepali market greatly reduces restaurants’ need for child labor dishwashers. As Nepali government strengthened the law on restricting the use of child labor, many restaurants find our products an affordable and ideal solution to the potential increasing labor cost.
Everyone here at Leaves Plates LLC is committed to improving the standards and quality of life for those living in rural Nepal. We will employ and uplift as many people as we can as our company grows.
Our Story
Tapari (plates made from leaves) have been used in parts of Nepal and India for many centuries as primary flatware. Prakash Bajgain, a Nepali native who is currently studying at New York Institute of Technology — Manhattan, was the first one to think of the idea of commercializing leaves plates and adapting them for widespread usage in the US market. He applied with this idea at the Clinton Global Initiative University and got all the way to the final round, after which was clear in his mind that he must put his idea into reality.
Our Scale of Business
We work with restaurants, charity events, and large institutions. We started our production this April. We have already had stable demand from three restaurants and three food trucks in New York City. A musical festival in Astoria, NY consumed hundreds of leaves plates instead of foam plates to support sustainability.
One of the most influential dumplings festival in New York, Momo Crawl, consumed thousands of leaves plates to support sustainability and empower people in Nepal.
We have also received order from one of the biggest music festivals in Spain.
Several university organizations express deep interest in using our leaves plates during their activities to promote the sustainable catering services and raise people’s awareness of the detrimental effects caused by our consumption of foam and plastic plates.
Looking Forward
We believe that college students are one of the most active groups fighting against climate change. The Millennials will be most directly affected by our current progress dealing with the issue in several decades. We are working on bringing leaves plates to university campus on a large scale — regional leaders and influencers in adopting a sustainable lifestyle because we believe that we are mobilizing support among future world leaders who can be the change. Feel free to contact us if you want to get involved.
