Native Trail

Design: Ria Shah
Location: India
Project Type: Concept Design for Industree Foundation
Packaging Contents: Sustainable Leaf Plates
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Cardboard, Locally Available Siali Fiber, Bio-Shrink Wrap

Native Trail is a sustainable brand aimed at Introducing sal-siali leaf plates to urban audiences, and create demand.

The women of the Kui Tribe in kandhamal, Odisha have been making plates for generations. The process of plate making is extensive and includes skill and labor. These women and primarily depended on the sale of these plates for their income.

Sal-Siali plates (Indigenous leaves found in India and are used for various purposes) have been an age old tradition in the Indian culture within most communities and religions as a staple tableware. The process of making the plates begins with collecting the leaves from the denser part of the forest, stitching them with a locally found sticks of palm bushes and ends with heat pressing 3 stitched circles also known as ‘khalis’.

The packaging design is based on the surroundings and procedures currently utilised by these women for tying and carrying pre-pressed plates, which makes the post-production process faster and easier for them due to their low-learning curve. The packaging is made from locally sourced materials, making the product both affordable and environmentally friendly.

The design communicates where the plate comes from through an illustrated branding sleeve which is put on top to secure them as well as add a polished look and feel for the urban markets, the sides and bottom highlight the cost and the qualities of the product.

Overall the design is interactive, adds elements of experience and captures the true essence of the Kui tribe and their artwork.

What’s Unique?
The tying and securing techniques is unique to the design, it utilizes only 4 strips of cardboard and a long string of the siali fiber sourced from the tree itself. The inter-locking system keeps the plates in place as well brings about a handle for ease of transport and stacking.