Traditionally, Raksha Bandhan was celebrated by brothers and sisters. However, now this beautiful bond where one vows to protect another is celebrated by most siblings irrespective of their gender, including Taapsee Pannu and her sister Shagun.
On this occasion, both simple and ornately designed rakhis have always found takers. Unfortunately though, after being adorned on wrists for a few days, these beautiful rakhis either get discarded and contribute to non-biodegradable waste or are stored away for months and years. However, in recent times, many rakhi brands have come up with a sensible solution. Instead of making bands with synthetic material, they have introduced plantable rakhis, and these are quite in demand because of their sustainable nature. Here’s our guide to brands offering such plantable rakhis in India:
1. Guman
A waste-free fashion brand, Guman's eco-friendly rakhis are handcrafted from pure cotton and linen rags which are byproducts of garment production. These rakhis are embedded with different types of seeds and can easily be planted. Proceeds from the sales will be used by Guman to feed stray dogs.
Price: Rs 225 onwards
Availability: Guman.in
2. SeedRakhi
'Every year 620 million rakhis are dumped in waste that never decompose, generating 1.18 billion tonnes of carbon footprints,' reads a note on Jaipur-based Seed Rakhi's website. As a solution to this problem, the company started creating handcrafted rakhis. Founded by Nitin and Ankit Jain, the website features naturally dyed rakhis made of indigenous and organic cotton thread. These are embedded with amaltas, sunflower, papaya, rice or basil seeds.
Price: Rs 249 onwards
Availability: Seedrakhi.com
3. Sow and Grow
Sow and Grow, a brand that specialises in eco-friendly products for daily use and has a wide range of products from plantable stationery and flag badge to seed balls and gardening kits also offers plantable clay rakhis. The rakhis are embedded with marigold, basil, tomato and tulsi seeds. Their rakhis come with a DIY Gardening Kit that includes a biodegradable pot, coco coins, clay rakhi, marker stick and organic micronutrients to make the planting process easier.
Price: Rs 380 onwards
Availability: Sowandgrow.in
4. bioQ
The Delhi-based company, bioQ specialises in developing products that are aimed at helping people make the switch to eco-friendly alternatives without compromising on aesthetics or functionality. One of the leading manufacturers of eco-friendly and plantable gifting items in India, it also offers 100 per cent biodegradable and plantable rakhis made using paper and seeds. These rakhis can be personalised by users as it allows space for them to draw or write their sibling's name.
Price: Rs 225 onwards
Availability: bioq.in
5. Plantables
Plantables aims at creating eco-friendly plantable products that can be sown in the soil and transformed into vibrant greens. For Raksha Bandhan, they have designed handcrafted seed paper rakhis that bloom into flowers. Their seed paper is made from waste cotton scrap and has seeds of various plants embedded in it. It is wood-free, eco-friendly, plantable and 100 per cent biodegradable. The blooms are tied to handspun cotton thread braided together.
Price: Rs 99 onwards
Availability: plantables.store
6. 21 Fools
21 Fools' eco-friendly plantable rakhi embedded with aparajita, amaranthus, purslane and basil seeds are made from naturally-dyed, hand-spun organic cotton yarn by the artists and farmer community of Madhya Pradesh & Rajasthan. Not just the rakhi but even their packaging is made from waste cotton and is 100 per cent biodegradable.
Price: Rs 349 onwards
Availability: 21fools.com
7. Phool
Phool’s plantable rakhis are made from pure organic cotton grown by local farmers with non-GMO and IPR-free seeds. These threads are spun into yarn the traditional way with Charkha and dipped in the happiest natural colours to symbolize the joyous spirit of the festival. Ornamented with an organic seed of pumpkin right in the middle, the tassels attached with this Rakhi contain a mix of Amaranthus, Basil, and Purslane seeds, a perfect addition to any home garden.
Not just rakhis, it also offers lumba, which is a specially designed rakhi for women. In many parts of North India, particularly among the Marwari community of Rajasthan, it is a tradition wherein Lumba rakhis are tied on sister-in-law's bangles.
Price: Rs 325
Availability: Phool.co