Food, food culture, food as culture and the cultures that grow our food

Recycled tetraware and even more leafenware

June 3, 2005

The image on the left shows (clockwise from 10 o’clock) a repurposeed surplus tetra-pak plate, a banana bark pressed bowl, a paper plate made out of ’surplus’ film poster and the underside of the tetra-pak plate showing its origins as a tomato paste container for an arab-speaking country. In the centre is the underside of a banana bark bowl.

The image on the right shows a beautiful sewn leaf platter (~50cm diam) backed with surplus printed plastic originally produced for juice packaging. Alternating layers of leaf and plastic make the platter just sturdy enough to carry a few things as long as those things don’t happen to weigh anything.

All items were sourced in Bangalore and Delhi. So why can’t we have these in Europe? I have seen surplus tetra-pak being repurposed by housepainters to protect floors during house rennovations. Google ‘waste exchange’ and see what you get:
Waste Exchange UK
Waste Exchange Net

and even in the Netherlands we have:
Reststoffenbeurs

debra at 11:53 | | post to del.icio.us

4 Comments »

  1. Hi can you instruct me or direct me to a site that shows how to fold paper containers like they do in India street food vendors ?????
    Thanks Jeff

    Comment by Zippy — July 3, 2006 @ 8:53

  2. Where can I buy banana bark or banana leaf plates? Thanks.

    Comment by Emma — August 23, 2006 @ 19:33

  3. I want banana leaf plates too!!!
    We’re having a woodland fairy party in a few weeks and supplies are hard to come by in the states. Seems like a great opportunity to use natural products. Now if only I could find them!!!

    Comment by Eve — January 8, 2008 @ 8:29

  4. I am searching for such plates as well for use in events where a lot of plastic waste is produced. I wonder if the authorities will raise health and safety issues with using recycled tetrapak plates / banana leaf plates here in Australia, where I live.

    I found a link for a recycled tetrapak plate manufacturer. Here are the details. Haven’t contacted the cmpny yet.. so dont hold me for that..

    Royal Paper Converters
    96A/1 Naikar Thottam
    Chetty Street
    Coimbatore
    TN 641001
    India
    Telephone: 91-422-2392868
    91-9842-232868

    Comment by Selva — April 20, 2008 @ 11:17


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