Turning Trash into Treasure: Carbon and Whale's Journey from ₹67K to ₹4 Crore

The Men Turning Plastic Waste into Purpose

Siddharth AK is a truly remarkable young entrepreneur. While most people save money to buy homes or travel the world, Siddharth invested his entire life savings into something far more meaningful — saving the beaches of Kerala from plastic pollution.

Yes, it's about a young man named Siddharth, who, along with his friends Sooraj Verma and Alvin George, started a unique company called Carbon and Whale — a startup that transforms plastic waste into valuable, sustainable products.

In just two years, their company has already prevented over 10,000 kilograms of plastic from polluting the oceans and land. But Siddharth’s journey began long before this.

A Bond with the Beach

Siddharth was raised in Delhi, but his heart has always belonged to Kerala — his hometown. As a child, he longed for trips to Kerala, especially for the peaceful, breathtaking beaches. His mother often brought him there during summer breaks, but to clean the beaches as part of local cleanliness drives.

Gradually, this became a part of his routine, and he started to enjoy doing this activity. After his mother passed away due to illness, Siddharth continued the tradition alone. He visited the beach and picked up plastic waste, finding comfort and connection in the routine. In fact, he even performed his mother's last rites near the ocean, a place filled with memories and emotions.

For Siddharth, beach cleaning became more than a habit — it became his way of staying close to her.

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From Cleaning to Creating

One day, after yet another cleaning session, Siddharth returned to the beach only to find it covered in plastic again. That's when it hit him — cleaning alone wasn't enough. The real solution lies in recycling and reusing the plastic waste at its source.

He discovered that Kerala produces 450 tons of plastic waste daily, with nearly 70% ending up in the ocean, threatening 590 km of coastal area. This reality pushed him to take action.

Back in Delhi, Siddharth joined a polymer research institute to understand how plastic waste could be repurposed. That's where the idea of transforming waste into furniture and paver tiles was born — durable products made entirely from recycled plastic.

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Finding the Right Partners

Early on, Siddharth met Prof. Sooraj Verma from the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) — a plastic engineering expert. Together, they started experimenting and building prototypes. Siddharth quit his job and poured all his savings into research and testing. It took two years of hard work.

Then came Alvin George, whom Siddharth met during a business meeting. They instantly connected over a shared mission — to make Kerala plastic-free. The three of them joined forces and in 2022, officially launched Carbon and Whale.

Making Waste Valuable

Their startup focused not only on recycling but also on involving local schools, colleges, and NPOs in the process. Siddharth particularly worked with schools to inspire kids and teach them the importance of sustainability.

Their flagship product — plastic paver tiles — are stronger than traditional concrete ones, resistant to breakage, rust, or erosion, and can be recycled again if damaged. Plus, they’re cheaper. It’s sustainability with smart engineering.

However, instead of selling directly to consumers, Carbon and Whale chose a B2B model. As consumers discard broken products, the team loses the chance to recycle that plastic again. This way, they can control the loop and ensure the waste stays in circulation — not in nature.

A Dream Fueled by Memories

Together, the trio raised ₹15 lakhs to launch the company. Today, they've scaled their annual revenue from ₹67,000 to ₹4 crores, and they're just getting started.

Their next mission To redesign public utilities like dustbins and toilets using recycled materials — promoting cleanliness through design, and building a cleaner, more sustainable world.

For Siddharth, Carbon and Whale isn't just a company — it's his way of staying close to his late mother. Through every product, every beach cleaned, and every piece of plastic repurposed, he's keeping her memory alive and giving back to the country in the most meaningful way possible.

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