Kochi-based startup Carbon and Whale has turned over 10,000 kilograms of plastic waste into a thriving enterprise now valued at ₹8 crore—just two years after its launch. Founded in 2022, the company has pioneered a circular economy model by converting single-use plastic into durable, modular public furniture that not only beautifies urban spaces but also carries a lasting environmental impact.
The enterprise was started by a trio of socially conscious professionals—an engineer with a background in education and digital sectors, a management graduate, and a petrochemical expert from the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology. Their shared concern for India’s mounting plastic waste crisis led to the formation of Carbon and Whale, a startup built on the ethos of long-term sustainability, resource reuse, and scalable innovation.Their model is deceptively simple yet powerful: collect discarded plastic waste from city-wide sources including educational institutions and beach clean-up drives, sort and process it, and mould it into weather-resistant public-use furniture such as benches, stools, and tiles.
What sets their products apart is not just their recycled origin, but their ability to be recycled again after 15 to 20 years of usage—making them a rare example of design that truly supports a zero-waste future.Carbon and Whale’s reach is rapidly expanding. Their furniture has been installed across parks, metro stations, and public facilities in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, and even Bengaluru. Their list of institutional collaborators includes Kochi Metro, Kerala Tourism, Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML), and retail giant LuLu Group. The startup also benefits from support by the Kerala Startup Mission and the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), reinforcing the role of government backing in climate-focused entrepreneurship.
Notably, the company has devised a dual-revenue stream—product sales and advertising. By allowing public installations like benches to feature brand messaging, Carbon and Whale monetises public space in a way that helps finance its sustainability goals without compromising aesthetic or ecological standards.The business model has proven resilient. From a modest revenue of ₹69,447 in its inaugural financial year, the company has scaled impressively and now boasts a valuation of ₹8 crore. Their newest initiative, the #Declutter campaign, aims to multiply their impact by recycling one million kilograms of plastic over the coming years—a clear indication that the founders see scale not as a business goal alone, but a civic and environmental responsibility.
Carbon and Whale’s emergence signals a deeper shift in India’s start-up ecosystem—where eco-conscious models no longer play second fiddle to profitability but drive it. Their success is rooted in a holistic vision of urban development, one that aligns with a future of sustainable cities and empowered local economies.
As India confronts its growing waste crisis, such startups serve as a blueprint for change, demonstrating that with purpose, collaboration, and a circular mindset, even the most pervasive urban challenges can be transformed into opportunity. Kochi may well be on its way to becoming a benchmark city for sustainable innovation, with Carbon and Whale leading from the front.
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