global demand for plastic textiles to make medical protection items, Bio Craft Innovation saw an opportunity in developing biopolymerbased textiles with IBANSS bamboo granules. Mittal says his company will launch face masks certified for 95 percent and 99 percent protection, made entirely from biopolymers. Additionally, the team is also developing bamboo charcoal-based filters for face masks for anti-bacterial protection. Looking to the future, there are many exciting projects on the horizon for Bio Craft Innovation. Mittal’s team is setting up a pilot project in Uttarakhand, with the assistance of India’s National Bamboo Mission. The company is developing a microentrepreneurship model to enable local communities to produce compostable polybags, dustbin liners and planter bags. “The pandemic has made us evolve to changing market dynamics and innovate to offer new products that are in demand,” says Mittal. “For villages in the Himalayas, this will be a source of livelihood and reduce plastic waste in the mountains.” Jason Chiang is a freelance writer based in Silver Lake, Los Angeles.
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