Smita Bhatter had been working with various gifting options since the past 12 years and she had always wanted to provide sustainable gift solutions that did not do much harm to the environment. She had been searching and looking out for options always but nothing really came across.
That led her to start BySmita in January 2018 – a startup that provides sustainable gift solutions for individuals, corporates, educational institutions and events. BySmita is a bootstrapped company aiming to provide zero waste, environment friendly gifting options that are meaningful, made locally and does not pollute the landfills further.
As parents, we all intend to provide healthy, nutritious food to our children and Smita too wanted to provide her child organic and chemical free food. So she eventually started growing them. This became a passion and over the time she learnt many new techniques of gardening.
Smita recalls, “Eventually this became my son’s favourite activity too. He loved watering them and when he actually harvested his first veggie, he felt so fulfilled . Since I was already into gifting, this seemed like a great activity for kids and I realised that this activity was not only fun but also a great way to introduce important life skills at a tender age. We introduced our very first GROW IT YOURSELF KITS at a client’s birthday party. It clicked and everyone who received it loved the concept. Little did I know, that this small step would change my entire approach towards life.”
Gifts that Grow
So after years of research, workshops, professional training and growing all kinds of veggies organically, Smita started selling her ‘Gifts that Grow’ through various portals. This concept further branched into stationery products like seep paper notebooks, seed paper envelopes, seed paper gift bags, seed pencils, seed pens, etc that are upcycled and eventually grow into plants. Instead of dumping them after their use is over, you can plant them in the soil and watch them grow into beautiful flowering or fruit and vegetable yielding plants.
BySmita has recently introduced lifestyle products made from bamboo and neemwood as well. They call it Little Earth Box. Both the materials are natural, good for health and easy to degrade. Smita says, “This sustainable gift concept is an extension of our passion to give back to the Earth. To reduce carbon footprint and help others achieve it too – in a fun way.”
The brand also has Tags that grow, offering retailers an eco-friendly alternative to paper tags. BySmita also started making seed flags during Independence Day and Republic day. “We were the first company to make seed bomb rakhis during Raksha Bandhan. We were the first to introduce seed embedded Diyas during Deepawali and we continue to innovate. We intend to spread the concept in such a way that every individual makes it their responsibility to choose products wisely keeping in mind that this planet is our only home,” she shares. 
Not only the products but also the packaging of the products are non-polluting. The brand’s vision is to spread its awareness and encourage everyone to switch to gifting environment friendly products. When she ventured into this concept , there were a lot of apprehensions. Smita says, “I still remember when we introduced our Microgreen Kits – people had never heard the word Microgreen and now it’s trending.”
BySmita also offers Jute Grow Bags, that can used indoors as well as outdoors. Made from natural porous fabric, these bags cum pots provide for great air circulation & moisture retention – supporting a healthy root structure and oxygenated soil throughout the year. There is also the Jute Vertical Pockets that are ideal for smaller spaces like city homes and offices.
Giving back to community
BySmita has come a long way and now people understand and appreciate the efforts. The brand has served more than 5000 clients – both individuals and corporates with Sustainable Gift. Smita informs, “We are humbled with the unexpected response we received in the year 2020-2021. Last year, the lockdown did make our situation unpredictable, but 2021 has brought exponential growth. It has been one of our finest years.”
BySmita also aims at providing financial aid to the underprivileged by giving them training and jobs. Even during the lockdown and when Kolkata was hit by Cyclone Amphan, Smita and her team provided local artisans jobs so that they could survive and cover their losses.
Smita adds, “We have been working very closely with the local potter community in the city. We have trained them in making a few of our plantable products. Along with that they have been regularly producing these products for us. We are closely working with unemployed women and try and provide as much work to them so that they are able to take care of their families. Apart from having a professional team at the backend, our social media posters are mostly made by kid interns age 14-18.”
Currently, BySmita is currently selling sustainable gift through a number of marketplaces online. Smita has been working on individual projects that come to her through various event management firms. “We are looking for more tieups with corporate houses and hotel chains. We would like to see more companies using, participating and promoting sustainable products. Each one must plant one. We look forward to motivating more and more people to choose a lifestyle that reuses their resources well, reduces their waste wisely and recycles unused items with caution. All this only so that the landfills are less polluted. We have always believed that it is in giving that we receive . As we sow abundantly, we reap abundantly,” she concludes.
Also Read: How about gifting Immunity boosting Teas for Christmas?
