Nirmalaya Makes Charcoal-Free Incense From Floral Waste To Reduce Health Hazards, Pollution

The Origin Story

Serial entrepreneur Rajeev Bansal was saddened to learn that flower offerings made to temple deities are disposed of in water bodies like ponds and rivers, causing pollution. However, during a visit to the holy shrine of Shirdi in 2019, he observed that the nirmalya (flowers used in puja and handed over to devotees as a token of divine blessings) is recycled into incense instead of being thrown away. Inspired by this practice, Bansal teamed up with his brother Bharat and sister-in-law Surbhi to set up Nirmalaya in 2020. The D2C brand produces incense by recycling 500 tonnes of floral waste every year, procured from 300+ local temples in Delhi NCR. It also makes havan cups, puja accessories, natural essential oils and attars (perfumes).

The Differentiator

Nirmalaya’s flagship is its charcoal-free, handmade incense sticks and cones, dipped in natural essential oils. Due to the absence of charcoal, they emit very little CO2, have the least health hazards and remain environment-friendly, unlike traditional products. Its all-natural essential oils and attars made from flower extracts are beneficial for relaxation and aromatherapy solutions. 

The startup employs around 40 underprivileged women who manually sort flower petals from the waste at its sole manufacturing unit in Delhi NCR. These petals are then thoroughly washed to remove all harmful chemicals, sun-dried and processed into petal powder using the startup’s unique formulas. Nirmalaya has developed a proprietary recycling process patented at the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR).

The Growth

Featured on Shark Tank Season 2, Nirmalaya is reaching out to a diverse customer base through online and offline retail. It caters to international markets, including the US, the UAE and the EU, via Amazon and claims a 50% YoY revenue growth in FY23. 

What’s Next

Nirmalaya plans to become profitable in 2024 by leveraging its omnichannel business model and introducing a new category of organic and natural fragrances. It aims to generate INR 50 Cr+ in revenue by FY25.

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