India, home to one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, faces a paradoxical challenge: sustaining economic growth while minimizing environmental degradation. As awareness around climate change, pollution, and resource depletion continues to rise, a wave of innovative startups has emerged to offer practical, scalable, and eco-conscious solutions. These startups are not merely following a trend—they are shaping the future of sustainable development in India. Here are five eco-friendly startups that stand out for their innovation, impact, and commitment to the planet:
1. Bare Necessities
- Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Founded by: Sahar Mansoor
Bare Necessities is leading the way in India’s sustainable living movement as a zero-waste brand specializing in personal care and lifestyle products. The company offers a diverse range of eco-friendly alternatives, including bamboo toothbrushes, compostable sanitary pads, chemical-free skincare, and plastic-free cleaning products. Each item is designed with the circular economy in mind, focusing on minimal packaging and biodegradability. What sets Bare Necessities apart is its comprehensive approach. The startup doesn’t just sell sustainable products—it educates consumers. Through workshops, educational content, and corporate training programs, it actively promotes a zero-waste lifestyle. It has also launched a popular online sustainability course in collaboration with academic institutions.
Why it matters: Bare Necessities is addressing both the supply and demand sides of environmental consciousness—providing accessible products while fostering a mindset shift among Indian consumers.
2. Yulu
- Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Founded by: Amit Gupta
Yulu is a prominent electric micro-mobility platform offering intelligent and eco-friendly transportation solutions for urban areas. Focused on reducing air pollution and traffic congestion in Indian cities, Yulu operates a fleet of battery-powered electric bikes and scooters available through a mobile app. The platform promotes short-distance, last-mile connectivity by providing a clean energy solution. Yulu leverages IoT and data analytics to optimize its operations and enhance efficiency. Its smart batteries are swappable and centrally charged, reducing downtime and increasing user convenience. The service is currently active in multiple cities, with strategic partnerships that include metro systems and public transit networks.
Why it matters: Urban air quality in India ranks among the worst globally. Yulu offers a scalable and clean mobility solution for cities grappling with the environmental costs of traditional transport.
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3. Phool.co
- Headquarters: Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
- Founded by: Ankit Agarwal
Phool.co is an innovative startup that upcycles floral waste from temples into eco-friendly products like incense sticks, compost, and biodegradable packaging. The company addresses a significant but often overlooked issue—temple flower waste, which amounts to thousands of tons annually and often ends up polluting rivers. The startup’s flagship innovation, Florafoam, is a sustainable alternative to thermocol and plastic-based packaging materials. Additionally, Phool.co has a strong social impact component: it employs women from marginalised communities, offering them dignified employment and financial independence.
Why it matters: Phool.co combines environmental restoration with economic empowerment, creating a holistic model for sustainability that is both culturally relevant and technologically advanced.
4. ReMaterials
- Headquarters: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
- Founded by: Hasit Ganatra and Lisa Sykes
ReMaterials is tackling the challenge of affordable and sustainable housing with its proprietary product, ModRoof—a roofing system made from recycled agricultural and packaging waste. Designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, ModRoof is durable, fire-resistant, and provides thermal insulation, making it ideal for low-income households. Traditional roofing materials in underserved communities often involve asbestos or tin sheets, which are either harmful or ineffective against heat and rain. ReMaterials offers a healthier and more sustainable alternative, with the potential to improve living standards for millions of people.
Why it matters: India faces a housing shortage alongside rising climate vulnerability. ReMaterials offers an affordable and eco-friendly construction solution that addresses both challenges effectively.
5. B Label (formerly Brown Living)
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Founded by: Chaitsi Ahuja
Blabel is a curated marketplace for sustainable and plastic-free products in the fashion, home, and personal care categories. With a strong focus on transparency and ethical sourcing, the platform lists only those brands that meet its stringent sustainability criteria. From biodegradable packaging to responsibly sourced materials, every product is vetted to align with a zero-waste philosophy. What differentiates Blabel is its proprietary “Eco-Score” system, which evaluates each product across multiple sustainability metrics such as carbon footprint, biodegradability, and supply chain ethics. This provides customers with clear, data-driven insights to make informed purchases.
Why it matters: In an era of mass consumption and rampant greenwashing, Blabel promotes conscious consumerism by offering verified, eco-conscious alternatives across lifestyle categories.
These five startups represent the best of India’s green innovation ecosystem. They go beyond token sustainability gestures to deliver real, measurable environmental and social impact. Whether through circular economy models, clean transportation, waste upcycling, or ethical commerce, they each provide a blueprint for how businesses can align with environmental goals without compromising on scale or profitability. As India navigates the dual challenges of economic development and environmental sustainability, these ventures prove that it is possible to build a better future—one product, one solution, and one conscious choice at a time.
Written by Hema Harshini
