Eco-friendly website set to launch
Elephant dung stationary and handbags made from rubbish are among the eco-friendly products which will be available from a Westminster-based website when it launches this week.
Kavita Pursnani, 28, of Harrow Road, North Paddington, decided to set up her business Eco-Oiko from home when she moved to England in December last year.
She realised that there was a strong demand for ecological products which are something that she has been interested in for a long time, although in the part of the Canary Islands where she previously lived recycling was virtually unheard of.
She said: "We all need to realise that we have a responsibility to our environment.
"Making just a few differences can make a huge environmental and social impact."
Ms Pursnani has sourced a range of products from India, Denmark and Sri Lanka, most of which have a social impact as well as an environmental one, and has already started wholesaling in Spain.
She is particularly excited about stocking Retap, a Scandinavian designed durable glass water bottle which has won two design awards.
Eco-Oiko already has more than 90 fans on Facebook as the company has built up a following after Ms Pursnani showed some of her products at the London Green Fair in June.
Her dream is to have a concession in a big Oxford Street department store.
She said: "This year has been a learning experience and I'm very excited about what next year will bring."
Eco-Oiko has also been chosen as one of the 24 businesses which will be able to pitch to investors at the Business Startup Show at Earl's Court on Friday.
* The Eco-Oiko website will go live on November 18.
Kavita Pursnani is a client of the Westminster Enterprise Centre and is still receiving ongoing support to help Eco-Oiko become more successful.
http://www.westminster-enterprise.org.uk
