Dear customers, the following is a statement about the production process, the quality and the unique appearance of our palm leaf bio plates.
Our palm leaf bio plates are all produced in India from the naturally shed fronds of the Areca Palm (Betel Nut Palm). The harvest and manufacturing of this product is primarily outsourced to small-scale operators, most of which are small, family run businesses and farms in remote rural areas, who benefit from the income and the many different opportunities provided by the palm leaf plate industry.
All of the harvesting of the fronds is done by seasonal workers, mostly in areas otherwise entirely inaccessible by modern machinery. Harvest begins with the collection of the dry, naturally fallen palm fronds. The fronds are then sorted and washed, with each piece undergoing a multi-stage cleaning process before they are ready to be shaped into the end-product. The fronds are then placed into hot moulds, where the the natural moisture content in the fronds produces steam, which assits in the sterilisation process. After the shaping, the edges of each plate are trimmed, giving them a smooth and even edge. Finally any loose fibres or chips left over from the manufacturing process are removed prior to packaging.
Quality Assurance
There are many different manual processes involved in the production of palm leaf plates and the end results and the quality of these plates depend on how much focus is afforded to each process by the manufacturer. This is one of the primary factors that determines the end user price. Depending on how much producers invest in production and wages etc. will determine the end price and the quality of the goods. Green Pack offers a large variety of palm leaf plates from a range of different manufactures and at a range of different prices, because the quality of this handmade product can often vary between suppliers, this allows us to cater to different customers’ requirements and budgets.
Appearance
Palm leaf plates are a traditional handmade Indian product. They are created to suit the taste and need of the Indian market, but, in recent years, producers have been trying to meet the requirements and standards expected from other markets around the world due the explosion of worldwide demand. Consumers should be aware of the fact that each plate is highly unique. This uniqueness stems from the individual markings and patterning of the palm fronds themselves and a handmade production process that can lend irregularities and imperfections that could never be compared to plates manufactured entirely by machine.
Green Pack advises that due to the naturally occurring fluctuation in the appearance of the palm leaf plates, we are unable to control each individual plate’s look and texture. We rely on and trust the quality control measures implemented by the manufactures.
