Eco Green Unit / Wealth from Waste Project
STSC is collaborating with the Eco Green Unit in Coimabatore, Tamil Nadu to support its “Wealth from Waste” project, where farmers are offered the opportunity to purchase a fibre extraction machine through the unit’s no-interest-loan-scheme plus machinery training sessions.
India is a world leader in growing banana crops, however only 10% of banana stem waste is reused for its fibres, as most farmers pay several hundreds of dollars to have the stems removed and possibly burnt, encouraging air pollution.
The Eco Green Unit is a community-based development program that runs a ‘Wealth from Waste’ concept to achieve rural upliftment. We have collaborated with Indian State Governments to encourage the project promotion, through the Agricultural Department, Women Development, Rural Development Authorities, NGO’s, Farmers associations and with individuals.
To create awareness of sustainable fibres, like our banana stem handwoven fabric, we are dedicated to assisting farming communities to purchase the latest fibre extraction machines.
This Wealth from Waste project additionally supports economic growth, provides jobs plus increases income and support for farming families and communities by using their own crops and saves them the money spent on disposing of the stem’s “waste”.
Our Pledge
We are donating $5.00 aud from every sale to raise funds to gift Fibre Extraction Machines to farming families plus pay for their required training.
You can help us help them by
A. purchasing Banana Sylk through STSC, which in turn not only helps the farming families, but also expands and supports this start-up industry.
B. Make a Private Donation. Donate as much or as little as you like.
Cost per Fibre Extraction Machine plus training is approximately $2,610 AUD and once this amount is achieved, STSC will purchase the machine and training by sending the money to the Eco Green Unit to select a farming family to gift to.
About The Eco Green Unit
The Eco Green Unit is an initiative of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and the Indian Federal Government Department, Make In India, established in 1998.
The Eco Green Unit runs as a Proprietorship firm with its operational head located in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Going green is the main goal and mantra for the Eco Green Unit; to encourage and embrace a greener lifestyle to help to protect the environment along with our health and quality of life.
The Eco Green Unit is a leader in the market providing quality products and services, specifically in manufacturing, supplying, retailing & wholesaling a wide range of Banana Fibre Craft, Banana Thread Twisting Machine, Banana Fibre Extractor, Plate Making Machine, Cup Making Machine, Areca Leaf Plate and much more.
Additionally, The Eco Green Unit offers installation and maintenance services.
The company has established a well organised infrastructural set-up, equipped with the latest, innovative technology to have the highest quality products in the industry. With the help of our team of experts, we aim to maintain our status as industry leaders and ensure that our products and services are provided in the market as per given details to our valued customers.
Furthermore, Eco Green Unit aims to provide optimum quality materials in their production unit that has been procured from the most renowned vendors on the market and frequently monitored by our highly experienced quality analysts.
banana thread making project
We are pioneers in the Banana Fibre industry within India, making quality Banana Fibre extracted with an advanced 1hp motor and imported Blades. The quality of the machinery is not comparable to others in the market and produces fine quality fibres. Training will run one day per person at the cost of Rs.1000/- and each trainee will be issued a certificate. The cost of the machinery is Rs. 95.000/-, and up to 25 kgs of fibre can be extracted per day. We support you by purchasing your quality fibre at the cost of Rs.100/Kg, with a monthly net profit of approximately Rs. 20, 000.00.
Banana fiber mat weaving unit
Training women to weave banana fibre is a simple and easy process to learn, and women can weave up to 15 metres of banana fibre mat per day. No power is required in this operation and as a result Rs. 500/- net profit can be earned per day. The innovative technology tears harvested banana bark into sheathes and dries it in the sun, where it is then subsequently tied up and kept in the shade so that the raw material endures five years without incurring any damage.
Raw Material
It is easily and readily available in banana-growing regions and the fibre can then be supplied to the units by Natural Fibre Trust.
Marketing
These environmentally friendly mats could be used in the interior sector as wall blinds, window blinds, table mats and yoga mats etc. This would offer an abundance of products that could be available in the domestic and international market, as well as a buyback for end products.
Loan Facility
This industry operates in a tiny household cottage industry, especially for women. Loans are available in Mudra Bank Scheme in all nationalized/private/scheduled banks.
Subsidy
The cost of the machinery is Rs. 45,000 & Rs.10,000 will be from the subsidy Make in India Project. Anybody can apply for the loan and subsidy in this venture and the complete guidance and package will be given by Eco Green Unit.
Fibre Tearing Machine
The innovative technology tears harvested banana bark into sheathes and dries it in the sun, where it is then subsequently tied up and kept in the shade so that the raw material endures five years without incurring any damage.
Machinery
We have developed simple and easy machinery and the unit, consisting of calendaring, slicing and twisting machinery, including four spindles and reeling machinery. This whole unit gives an output of two-ply thread 5000mts/shift and consumes less power as it is easily operated by women with zero maintenance.
This machinery will be beneficial for rural women, folk and farmers, as they will be able to be involved in this project and generate an income, particularly from the banana sheath and agro-waste.
Raw material
India has 5 lakh hectares of banana cultivation and only 10% of the banana waste (pseudostems) are twisted as a thread through manual processes and the yield of thread is very low and this kind of manual process requires skilled labour.
Manufacturing Process
The dried banana bark sheath is used for twisting thread; the sheath is inserted in the machine to straighten the dried sheath. The sheath is then uniformly inserted into a slicing machine, where it is sliced according to the size of the thread (0.3mm/0.5mm/single ply or double ply). Subsequently, the reeling process starts as a simple reeling device that is reeled in the cone. Finally, the thread will be twisted through a thread twister which consists of 1.5HP power motorised.
Labour
This machinery requires a minimum of four people to operate.
Investment or capital
The banana fibre thread twisting machinery with 8 spindles along and a calendering, slicing and reeling machine costs Rs. 2.50.000 and working capital for this project cost Rs.1 lacs.
Finance
Promoter's contribution is 5% to start this business & the bank loan is 95%.
Subsidy
The central government of India gives a 25-35% subsidy for this project under the PMEGP scheme (for female entrepreneurs) and 15% subsidy under the UYEGP scheme. Additionally, our government announced a 25% subsidy for this business.
Marketing
Marketing support is done according to market trends.
Project advantages
This product is composed of brand tree waste which is used after harvest as agricultural waste, which is then converted as wealth. This banana fibre extraction and mat production creates self-employment, uplifts rural communities, is suitable for farmers, entrepreneurs and women's groups.
More information
For more information, Eco Green Unit
Contact Person: S.K. Babu (Project Director) / C.Murali Krishnan
No. 21- A1, Bharathi Park, 8th Cross, Saibaba Colony Coimbatore - 641011, Tamil Nadu, India
Mobile : 96008 76767 / 77082 02420 / 99769 76757
e-mail : ecogreenunit@yahoo.co.in ; website :- www. Ecogreenunit.org