Zero-waste store Ekolyfe in Chennai uses banana leaves to wrap its produce

Now you can buy your groceries without any single-use plastics. Ekolyfe by Soul Garden Bistro in Alwarpet shelves a wide spectrum of home essentials: from vegetables and grains to chemical-free detergents.

Owner Jignesh Pujara who spent the last six months putting this 'zero-waste store' together says his list covers close to 500 products. Eco-friendly packaging material includes paper wrapping, banana leaves, cloth bags and glass jars. "We encourage shoppers to bring their own glass jars or vessels but if they don't have one, they could take ours (glass jars) home and return them on their next visit."

Notably, the 1,200 sq ft store stocks indigenous grains from farmers around the state as well as an extensive vegan section. The latter includes cheeses, spreads, chocolate and mock meats.

Once done with your shopping, you can grab a cup of coffee at the in-house cafe and have a seat on chairs made of waste paper pulp!