Beautiful Plants For Your Interior
The Green Brush
By Vihaan Poddar
Recognized by-
His Excellency Yaqoob Al Ali, Dubai, UAE
Jumeirah English Speaking School, Dubai, UAE
Kumirmari Gram Panchayat, India
8finity India
Ektara, Kolkata India
Ek Prayas, Kolkata India
The Green Brush is a sustainable business launched in 2023. With a passion for both entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability, I set out to create a stylish, eco-friendly alternative to traditional gift wrapping. The Green Brush specializes in biodegradable paper gift bags, blending functionality with environmental responsibility. Each bag is crafted from FSC certified, high-quality, paper.
The top layer has been varnished to give a sheen instead of plastic lamination. The thread used for the handles is 100 percent organic cotton with no plastic tipping at all. The entire production is done professionally, by an offset and digital printing company. The bags are designed elegantly with vibrant motifs that would appeal to various age groups, ensuring that every gift is presented beautifully while reducing environmental impact. At The Green Brush, I want to change how people give gifts, revolutionizing the very essence of sustainable consumerism.
My eco-friendly gift bags stand as a testament to the power of conscious design, blending vibrant artistry with unwavering environmental stewardship. The impact extends far beyond the joy of gift-giving, it’s a bold statement that beautiful design and environmental responsibility can coexist, paving the way for a greener, more thoughtful future in retail and beyond.
The Green brush was
launched in July 2023
The bags were produced by Hexachome Print and Pack, Kolkata India. They are an Offset and Digital printing house mainly focused in the area of Eco-friendly paper packaging
Exhibition and sales in Dubai UAE
Numaish Festive fair
29th & 30th September 2023 Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai
RARE lifestyle exhibition
28th & 29th November 2023 Phileas Fogg Emirates Hills, Dubai
Divalicious - International award winning exhibition
25th May 2024 Jumeirah Emirates Towers Dubai
Community Outreach
current sentence-Many are attacked upon and killed by the wild tigers. change- Many are attacked and killed by the wild tigers.
Empowering the farmers of Sunderbans
The Green Brush is developed as a social business, focusing on sustainability and community empowerment. One of the key initiatives was creating biodegradable gift bags, which not only promoted environmentally friendly practices but also generated funds that were directed toward a meaningful cause—supporting beekeepers in the Sundarbans.
The funds raised from the sale of these gift bags were used to donate 40 beekeeping boxes to ten farmers in Kumirmari Village, Bagnapatra area of Sunderbans in West Bengal, India.
The donated equipment will facilitate the bee collection activity and enhance the livelihood of the beneficiary farmers. Each box can be used to collect upto 15 kgs of honey. Collectively, these boxes will help produce 600 kgs of pure forest honey, and a collective income of 210,000 rupees per annum for the farmers.
Beekeeping offers multiple benefits, both for the farmers and the environment. For the farmers, beekeeping provides a steady source of income through the sale of honey and beeswax, both of which are highly sought-after products. The beekeepers are able to sustain their livelihoods while engaging in an eco-friendly practice that requires minimal investment but offers significant returns over time.
From an environmental perspective, beekeeping plays a crucial role in biodiversity and the health of ecosystems. Bees are essential pollinators, helping maintain the balance of the natural environment by aiding in the pollination of flowers, plants, and crops. In the Sundarbans, an ecologically fragile region, promoting beekeeping not only enhances the livelihoods of the farmers but also contributes to the preservation of the local ecosystem. The increase in pollination improves the quality and yield of crops, which in turn helps local farmers maintain sustainable agricultural practices.
Sundarbans is a mangrove area in the delta region of the Bay of Bengal. Spread across parts of India and Bangladesh, it is the largest mangrove forest in the world. It is increasingly at risk from dreadful impacts of climate change. It is also home to the famous Royal Bengal Tiger. Kumirmari is one of the remotest island villages of the Indian Sundarbans. The main occupation of the population is farming and fishing. It is an extremely vulnerable area. The high storm frequency and lashing of the sea make day to day activities very challenging for the inhabitants of the area. Many are attacked upon and killed by the wild tigers. The Covid pandemic further worsened the economic situation of the community. It is my endeavour to empower the farmers with the bee keeping equipment that would help to enhance their livelihood and bring some relief.
This initiative through The Green Brush was about more than just selling biodegradable products—it was about creating a ripple effect of positive change. By supporting beekeepers in the Sundarbans, we empowered them to build a more secure and sustainable future, while also benefiting the environment and promoting the importance of conservation.
The connection between economic empowerment and ecological preservation became clear, and it was incredibly rewarding to see art and social business come together to make a tangible difference.
Social Volunteering
Art workshops
Volunteering through The Green Brush in two Kolkata-based NGOs—Ektara and Ek Prayaas—was a deeply enriching experience, where I introduced young children to the world of art. Each NGO offered its own unique environment, and the experience varied, but the common thread was the joy and creativity that art brought into their lives.
Ektara - July 2023
At Ektara NGO, where all the students were girls sponsored by Tomorrowland, I focused on teaching them how to draw flowers and animals using oil pastels.
The vibrancy of the pastels instantly attracted their attention, and soon their creations filled the room with splashes of color.
Teaching these young girls, aged 7-10, to capture the beauty of nature on paper allowed them to express their emotions in ways they hadn’t before
Some girls were initially hesitant, unsure of their abilities, but with each lesson, they grew more confident.
Their art became a tool for empowerment, and their teamwork in helping one another gave the sessions a warm and collaborative atmosphere. It wasn’t just about drawing flowers and animals—it was about nurturing self-confidence and fostering a sense of achievement.
Ek Prayaas - December 2023
At Ek Prayaas, where I taught both boys and girls, the focus was on creating scenic landscapes with oil pastels.
The boys brought an energetic and sometimes playful approach, often turning the lessons into lively group efforts, while the girls showed more attention to detail in crafting their scenery.
The mix of personalities made the sessions dynamic and full of surprises, with everyone learning from each other’s techniques.
Whether they were drawing mountains, rivers, or forests, these scenes reflected not only their imagination but also a growing appreciation for the world around them.
In both NGOs, the use of oil pastels made the art come alive, but more importantly, the children’s creativity flourished. These sessions became more than just art classes—they became moments of joy, freedom, and self-expression in the lives of these underprivileged children. The experience of teaching them through The Green Brush was deeply fulfilling, as I watched them grow not just as artists but as confident young individuals.
