Indian startup converts temple flower waste into vegan leather

In Kanpur, India, a “flowercycling” startup has raised Rs 10+ crore ($120,000) to convert flower waste from the region’s temples into vegan leather.

The company, named Phool, was founded by Ankit Agarwal in 2017 to keep the 8 tons of floral waste generated daily by the city’s temples and mosques from being dumped into the Ganga river. The company has been converting the waste into incense sticks, compost, and biodegradable packaging.

The funding will help support its latest innovation—Fleather, a vegan, leather-like material. Fleather won Phool PETA India’s Best Innovation in Vegan Fashion award and the Circular Design Challenge at Lakme Fashion Week in February. The material is also gaining interest from noted designer Anita Dongre.

The funding was led by IAN Fund and Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, and adds to the Rs 3.38 crore raised in a seed round from DRK Foundation, Social Alpha, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and Balmer Lawrie.