COIMBATORE: Unlike most of us who throw away used products and old newspapers, S V Anand and partner B Ram Mohan stand out separate and have innovative ideas. They make eco-friendly products out of such waste.

Anand and his partner rolled up used newspapers to be turned into pencils and in addition printed Thirukkural verses on them. They also produce many eco-friendly products like homemade soaps.

“We wished to create awareness about non-usage of plastics and create eco-friendly products and were successful in it, making Thirukkural pencils popular,” says Anand.

“Even many corporates and schools have come forward to order these pencils with their customised logos,” he adds.

They are slightly costlier than the normal plastic or wooden pencils. The raw materials for pencils cost Rs 4 each and customised ones up to Rs 7. Generally one sheet of newspaper can be used for rolling up two pencils. The duo has a machine to roll the sheets.

“In our NGO, Pasumai Desam, we have had deliberations about many things good of society and environment. I thought about eco-friendly products and experimented with the Thirukkural pencils as our first launch, it surprisingly has had good popularity and now we are able to produce many customised pencils with cartoon figures, birthday wishes, anniversary wishes, logos, quotes and greetings on them,” said Anand.

The pencils are made in a house at Peelamedu. There is good demand for these eco-friendly pencils in areas like Madurai, Ooty, Pollachi, Palani and Coimbaore. The annual turnover comes to around Rs 5 lakh, though seasonal.

“Many want customised pencils and I have got many orders from parents who wish to use them as gifts,” he adds.

The duo started this business a year ago with Thirukkural pencils and named it as ‘Ayudha Eluthu’.now they produce many customized and raw material pencils. They give opportunities to housewives and help create awareness. They conduct meetings to teach wealth can be created from waste, remodeling plastic products and rich use of wastes in a product.

Anand says he uses direct and online platforms to promote sales and ensure that their products never use any toxins. About future plans, he says they propose to produce toys with banana stem soon.