Technology enhances the production of traditional leaf plates in Nepal, strengthening women’s sustainable livelihoods and directly benefiting the local environment by providing an alternative to single-use plastics.

For centuries, women in Nepal have been hand-crafting plates from the broad green leaves of the Sal tree found in community forests. This age-old traditional skill uses 2-12 Sal leaves, carefully stitching them together with bamboo fibers. Known as dunatapari – from ‘duna’ meaning bowl and ‘tapari’ meaning plate – the leaf plates form the basis of sustainable livelihoods for the 21 women of the Milijuli Tilakanya Dunatapri Udhyami Firm in Dangisharan Rural Municipality in western Nepal. The group is a member of Our Rajakot Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd, which provides them with technical and financial support. 

Previously, the women were not able to reliably earn a living from this cottage industry. But since December 2023, they have made some key changes which have enabled them to upscale production and access new markets, making a positive impact on their livelihoods. 

Upgrading and upscaling the production process

With support from the FFF, the cooperative has been able to upgrade its women-led production and processing unit by incorporating an efficient, electricity-operated machine which can produce multiple sizes of plates using the same level of energy and human resources. The custom-made machine was manufactured thanks to a partnership that had been fostered with academic institutions and the National Innovation Center. 

The machine uses a combination of pressure and heat to mold and shape the leaves into a bowl or plate. First, the women harvest the leaves, clean, wash and dry them. Then, they hand sew them together using bamboo fibers before feeding them into the machine for shaping. 

The women are delighted with the new machine. “Previously, we had one basic machine which could produce one size of leaf plate, but this frequently malfunctioned and required maintenance,” says Ms Sita Dangi, Coordinator of Milijuli Tilakanya Dunatapri Udhyami Firm. “With the new machine, we can produce different plate sizes and so appeal to a wider range customers – from hotels to family celebrations.” 

The new technology has allowed the women to produce more than 108,000 different-sized leaf plates in the past year – that’s three times as many plates as before. As a result, they have seen a huge uplift in their income, earning NPR 155,640 (the equivalent of USD 1,150).  The cooperative has also received support to enhance its packaging and labeling to add value to their product. 

Opening up new markets

The Sal leaf plates are an eco-friendly alternative to plastic – being made from leaves and bamboo fibers only, they are 100% biodegradable. The cooperative has been conducting awareness campaigns to encourage local businesses and organizations to adopt these robust and sturdy natural products as alternatives to single-use plastic, and they are successfully finding new markets for their products. 

As Ms Tila Pun, shareholder of Our Rajakot Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Limited explains, the leaf plates have quickly gained popularity. “Our dunatapari are popular during the Teej celebrations, and they are now being used in local eateries, local government offices, weddings, pujas, schools, fairs, hotels, and events organized by various institutions.” 

With support from the FFF, the cooperative has also been lobbying local government and stakeholders to replace plastic materials with this sustainable product. As a result, single-use plastic utensils in restaurants and eateries have been banned in Dangisaran and the neighboring municipality of Tulsipur, and the cooperative continues to promote and campaign for successful compliance with this policy. The local government is also actively promoting the use of Sal leaf plates in meetings and at events. 

The cooperative is going from strength to strength with both personal and environmental benefits. Not only are the leaf plates one of the most eco-friendly disposable food serving systems, but their production is also empowering women and transforming their livelihoods.