Top 5 Green Business Ideas For Startup

Climate change is causing a lot of harm across the world, with an increase in the occurrence of flash floods, heavy rainfall, and strong winds. The main reason behind this is the increase in carbon emissions, and it still has not stopped. We all need to wake up and do things that are carbon neutral or that helps in reducing carbon emissions.

You can buy eco-friendly sustainable products and support the entrepreneurs doing business sustainably.

Or if you are an entrepreneur or looking to become one, you can start a green business.

Here is the list of 5 green business ideas that can help you make money without compromising on sustainability.

Green Business Ideas

Read on for a list of 5 green startup ideas.

#1. Natural Green Cosmetics

The cosmetics industry has seen exponential growth in the past few years thanks to many beauty influencers on different social media platforms. A recently published report, that projected the global cosmetics market to grow to $463.5 billion by 2027, from the total market value of $380.2 billion in 2019.

The cosmetic industry has seen such growth as cosmetics have almost become an inseparable part of a modern lifestyle. Besides women, there is an increase in the usage of cosmetics by men for skincare or for grooming.

The desire for cosmetics and fear of climate change has given birth to natural green cosmetic products. This report projects the natural cosmetic segment to be a $54.5 billion market by 2027, from the $36.3 billion market value in 2019. This means compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.76% for green cosmetics compared to a CAGR of 5.3% for traditional cosmetics.

This growth opens up many opportunities in natural green cosmetics. Green cosmetics can comprise cosmetics made using natural ingredients and produced using renewable energy sources. These products also use sustainable packaging, which is reusable, or it gets decomposed. Totally organic products are free from any sort of toxic chemical that could be harmful in the long run.

For green cosmetics, you can use green ingredients along with making sure that your production line is total carbon neutral.

#2. Natural Food Products And Organic Agriculture

You can produce natural food products using organic agriculture practices. Overall, sustainable agriculture involves agriculture practices that promote ecological, economic, and social values. There is no doubt traditional farming methods are harmful to over ecological health and a Chatham House report confirms that.

 A report by Chatham House has highlighted the effects of global food systems on biodiversity loss across the world. It is feared the biodiversity loss trend will continue until unless systems used to produce food are changed.

With some awareness among the masses, demand for organic and natural products has picked up in the past few years. The Indian organic market is $144.14 million in FY2020 and it is projected to grow to $553.87 million by FT2026. That is a projected growth of CAGR 21% in just 6 years. These figure makes this business one of the high potential green business ideas.

This opens up enormous opportunities for you, especially if you are looking to start a green startup. You can start growing veggies and fruits using organic techniques. You can also sell sustainable whole products that are ready for consumption. Other sustainable food products like beans, leafy greens, whole grains, among other veggies, can also be explored.

With sustainable agriculture, you need not go large-scale, easily start with little resources. Start growing veggies and selling neighborhoods can be a good starting point for you.

#3. Handmade Products

The handmade products business is one of the high potential businesses that can you can start from home with little investment. You can start a handmade products business with limited resources and earn high-profit margins. Etsy is a popular ecommerce store known for selling unique handmade products. It had Gross Merchandise Sales (GMS) of over $2.8 Billion for the quarter ended on June 10, 2021.

That means there is a huge market for handmade products worldwide. If you are a creative person with potential, this is one of the best green business ideas for you. Since handmade products are unique and limited in numbers the profit margins are high with huge demand in the market.

There are many options available in handmade products. You can consider making jewelry, handmade soaps, carved candles, sculptures, paintings, clothing accessories among many other things.  

If you are innovative and creative, the handmade product’s market is for you to start your green business.

#4. Natural Cleaning Products

The cleaning products market is one of the biggest anywhere in the world. With rising awareness towards staying hygienic and desire to keep things clean to avoid another Covid-19 like a breakout. This market is going to grow even faster. It is projected that the Indian cleaning products market would be $9,655 million by the end of 2026.

Commercial cleaning products being used commonly are usually full of chemicals and toxins. The hidden toxins in cleaning products can cause increased indoor pollution. This is where there are many opportunities for green startups.

You can produce natural cleaning products using natural ingredients like water, vinegar, lemon, baking soda, and other similar products. You can also make natural air fresheners using flower extracts, witch hazel, or essential oils.

If present your products creatively with a coherent message of being natural and eco-friendly, you can easily carve out a space in the cleaning products market.

#5. Zero Waste Products

Plastic waste is becoming the biggest concern worldwide, with humans producing around 380 million tons of plastics every year. Among these, over 50% is used only once and ends up in oceans or landfills. Which is resulting in many dead animals, polluted soil, and polluted groundwater. Many activists have started a lot of awareness campaigns worldwide, which has resulted in increased demands for zero waste products.

The demand is picking up so fast that brands like Colgate have to launch a decomposable bamboo brush. Many states across India have banned the use of single-use plastics(Add Link). And many are going to follow the path. The opportunity is tremendous starting from reusable straws, reusable water bottles, reusable shopping bags, to many other eco-friendly alternatives to plastic products.

We also have this list of different eco-friendly products, that we keep on updating with new products, you can check that out here. While selling zero-waste products, you will not only make money, also contribute towards a clean and green future.

Conclusion

There are many ways you can contribute towards leading a carbon-neutral lifestyle. But starting an eco-friendly business that sells eco-friendly products is one of the best ways to contribute towards an eco-friendly lifestyle.

The five business ideas mentioned above are ones that are easy to start. And can help you make a positive impact in reducing carbon emissions worldwide.