Featured in Business Times Lifestyle - Go Green

Go Green with these Local Brands

Stationery made from recycled paper are plentiful, but those from Left-handesign can give anyone green fingers.

The greeting cards and notebooks have seeds embedded in them, while pencils and pens come with seeds enclosed in a tiny capsule at the end.

Rather than throw the stationery in the bin, users can place it in a pot and the seeds will eventually grow into greens such as tomato, marigold, basil and chilli.

Touted as Singapore’s first plantable stationery and lifestyle brand, Left-handesign is the brainchild of Radhika Mayani, self- confessed stationery and nature lover.

Mayani, who left her corporate job in advertising to start Left-handesign, was looking to “provide a solution instead of creating just another brand in the crowded market”, she says.She came upon the idea of plantable stationery, which would allow users to connect with nature through a product that has zero waste.

“It’s a beautiful feeling when you give new purpose to your products when they reach their end of life,” says Mayani.

The plantable stationery costs more than regular ones because of the materials needed and also because each is hand-made but that hasn’t stopped customers from snapping them up.

“Our customers are mostly driven to make the switch to eco-friendly, sustainable, conscious products in their daily life- style. Also, when they hear or see this concept, they are intrigued how you can ‘plant’ after using,” says Mayani.

Still, there is the challenge of converting a consumer into a repeat customer.

But Mayani isn’t deterred by it. She adds that the ongoing pandemic has made people more aware about having a sustainable lifestyle, and has seen an increase in demand from corporates ordering stationery for their offices or clients.