Message In A Bottle

Anjali discovers that there’s more to glass bottles than just beer and whisky

- Anjali Keeling

WHEN in Goa, it is easy enough to hit the bottle, quite literally, I mean. Strewn everywhere, exasperating to see and exhausting to collect over and over again.

One young couple from Bombay though, decided to do just that by moving to Goa to launch their business, away from the urban madness. Based in Saligao, Goa, BÔTL Upcycled Glassware is a 3-year-old startup and an ecological initiative launched by industrial designer Mikhail, a class A honours student from the University of Hertfordshire & Rhea K. with a BFA from Academy of Art in San Francisco. "We're at the dawn of the eco revolution and there's no greater way to contribute than to go green in your business or lifestyle," says Mikhail.

Why, you may ask? Or if you know other parts of India, you might know not to ask. What is not to like about Goa? Gentle and environmentally more aware people, some of whom even care enough to volunteer to clean up beaches, run Earthkeeper’s Markets, support horticultural associations and pitch in to restore churches and forts.

"Everything created is designed to end up in the landfill, so I thought, 'why not reverse the process and turn something from trash into something useful and beautiful." says Founder, Mikhail Solanki.