How Nirmalaya Is Turning Floral Waste Into A Multi-Crore Spiritual Brand

Serial entrepreneur Rajeev Bansal was disheartened by the environmental damage caused by floral waste from temples. During a visit to the Shirdi Sai temple in 2019, he noticed that flowers used in puja and handed over to devotees as a token of divine blessings were being recycled instead of being thrown away. 

Inspired by the idea of repurposing floral waste into eco-friendly solutions and spiritual products, Rajeev Bansal, along with his brother Bharat Bansal and sister-in-law Surbhi Bansal, launched the D2C brand Nirmalaya in 2020. 

The startup crafts charcoal-free, handmade incense sticks and cones infused with natural essential oils, offering an eco-friendly alternative.

What Sets Nirmalaya Apart?

Unlike traditional incense sticks, Nirmalaya’s handmade incense sticks are charcoal-free, which means they emit minimal carbon dioxide and have no health hazards. The spiritual tech startup sets itself apart by recycling 500 tonnes of temple floral waste annually, turning it into eco-friendly products.

Its flagship offerings, including incense sticks, dhoop cones, havan cups, essential oils, and luxury gift hampers, have gained popularity for their eco-friendly and spiritual appeal.

Beyond sustainability, the brand also empowers 40+ underprivileged women, providing them with employment and skill development at its facility in Delhi NCR. Additionally, it has developed a proprietary floral recycling process, patented under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), to ensure a scientifically backed approach to the production of its eco-friendly spiritual products.

Riding The Wave Of Sustainable Spirituality

Nirmalaya has built a strong omnichannel presence by seamlessly integrating online and offline sales. It retails through its website and major marketplaces like Amazon India & US, Flipkart, Asort, Amala Earth, Jiomart, Pepperfry, ONDC, and iTokri. 

Its products are available at ISKCON Dwarka, GoNative Stores in Bengaluru, and select airports across India. With a growing user base of over 1 Lakh on its website alone, the brand has sold more than 20 Lakh products since its inception. 

Riding the wave of demand for sustainable and chemical-free spiritual products, Nirmalaya scaled its revenue from INR 7 Cr in the financial year 2022-2023 (FY23) to INR 10.6 Cr in FY24.

Notably, the D2C brand has moved up from the 20th spot last year to the 19th spot this year in the FAST42 list.

What’s Next For Nirmalaya?

In India’s rapidly growing spiritual tech market, projected to reach $58.56 Bn by 2032, startups like AppsForBharat, AstroTalk, and PHOOL are reshaping the space. Amid this, Nirmalaya aims to leverage its omnichannel strategy and product innovation to drive its growth.

The brand aims to cross INR 20 Cr in revenue by the end of FY25. Going forward, it plans to scale its impact through Mission Devalaya to Nirmalaya, forging large-scale public-private partnerships (PPP) with government bodies and major temple trusts to enable mass recycling of floral waste. It is also looking to launch a new D2C distribution model to empower women entrepreneurs.

By 2026, it aims to expand its global presence, entering markets like Europe, the UK, and the Middle East. It also plans to strengthen its offline footprint by expanding to 500+ retail stores across India.

[Authored By Pooja Yadav]