Divesh Paliwal
Akanksha .
ARPIT SHARMA
Kamalesh Naik
Akash Agarwal
Mitanshu Garg
Mrityunjay Gour
Goa Institute of Management
Divya Singhal
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Caucho primarily focuses on the manufacturing of flip-flops using organic material derived from plants. Being 100% bio-degradable, it does not affect the environment compared to plastic or rubber. The commission is shared with rural farmers to boost their financial status.
Caucho is made with rubber that is harvested using the age-old, natural process of rubber tapping. This process involves the collection of latex, a milky fluid dispensed when a small cut is made to the rubber tree's bark. It ensures that the tree is not harmed and continues to live its life span.
The latex extracted is dried into sheets, which are treated to meet with the highest compliances. They use these sheets to craft flip-flops of greatest comfort that leaves no trace on the natural world.
Easy on the earth
Initiated with regular beach clean-up drives in Vasai and Virar, while cleaning bulk of footwear waste was found, consisting majorly of slippers made up of PVC and EVA – which takes 100-150 years to degrade. Waste management was the main idea behind Caucho that was done by promoting sustainable living using biodegradable products. The number of slippers was in the majority among the waste collected from beaches, which pollutes the sea and is also a potential threat to marine life. PVC and EVA used in the slipper's sole and strap are highly toxic for human and marine life. So, through Caucho, founders aimed to find a biodegradable or eco-friendly alternative for PVC and EVA. They traveled to India to search for any such products or solutions but didn’t find them. Then they traveled to Sri Lanka and Thailand, where they found some manufacturers who had a monopoly in South East Asia.
Promoting the idea of sustainable living to the majority population, they are not here just to make profits but to offer lifestyle choices.
Caucho is a startup in the initial phase, so it hasn't left a stamp as of now. Still, they are regularly doing their part by undergoing beach clean-ups, introducing this product in India to bring similar products, and providing employment opportunities in India.
The innovation focuses on the development of products for the premium class. Eco-friendly products have an enthusiastic target market. However, Caucho needs to improve its supply chain to reach good profitability.
They started the business by importing the materials from Thailand and assembling them in India. Now they are coming with their own production plant in India in Dec 2020. Currently, they sell online as well as offline to retail stores.
By replacing plastic and non-recyclable materials, they wish to create a range of products that easily disintegrate when released into the environment. A percentage of their gross sales also go towards the farmers who help the product life cycle. This provides farmers with the means to care for their families, who are currently struggling to make ends meet.
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Archit Patil, Co-founder
To provide simple, durable, and good-looking flip flops made from 100% organic material. A percentage of their gross sales also go towards the farmers who help the product come to life.