About us
It’s no secret that food waste and plastic pollution plague our planet. When founders Nina Widjaja and Reky Martha returned to their home country of Indonesia, they witnessed the reckless consumption of plastic which ended up unmanaged in landfills and eventually in the oceans. The reality hit too close to home upon learning that Indonesia is the second largest contributor of plastic waste to the world's ocean.
So, the two women set out on a journey to reduce the use of single-use plastics and keep food fresh longer. In 2017, their individual efforts finally turned into action that can bring others along this journey. It helped answer the difficult question of how one can become part of the solution. Pretty soon, it flourished into an environmentally conscious and sustainability driven small enterprise called KALIKA Beeswax Food Wrap.
We all know those images of plastic ending up in the ocean and hurting marine life. In landfills we find 60% of trash piled up is organic waste. Trapped between the plastic and food waste issue, we’re here to tackle both."
- Nina Widjaja
Team
Over time, the team has expanded and currently comprises a diverse group of individuals spanning different ages, backgrounds, and skill sets. Everyone that works with us uses our wraps and appreciates the impact it can have for the environment.
This is not just a job for us, but an opportunity to utilise our energy together in making the changes that matter. We empower the local communities in Indonesia to support their economy. Everyone is invested in the cause and has a strong sense of belonging to the team.
Production
Since day one, we have strived to operate a minimal waste workshop. We are conscious regarding our packaging and how we ship our products. As a small business, it’s easy for us to stay mindful of every aspect of production and control the resources used.
We are committed to conscious production that the unconventional sizes of our wraps were determined based on how to make most of the fabrics we have on hand. We seek to minimize waste in every aspect of our process.
Supply chain
Why wild forest beeswax, instead of commercially farmed beeswax? We wanted to use wild beeswax to make our wraps because it’s an otherwise rejected by-product that we saw had high potential. When we realised that the forest honey harvesting industry saw no value in the precious beeswax and either threw it away or left it behind, we came up with a solution to connect the missing links and utilize this unused gem.
From the wild jungles of Indonesia, our beeswax is sourced responsibly by environmentally conscious wild honey collectors. Responsible harvesting ensures that part of the bee’s nest remains undisturbed, which helps maintain countless generations of healthy bees. The bees don’t pine for their scrunched up honeyless hives, they simply rebuild their home without needing to look for a new one.
Fortunately, this keeps our wraps affordable. This is not only because we are adding value to what would otherwise be waste, but because we want to ensure that this simple, eco-friendly option is accessible to all. That way, everyone can reap the many benefits that these wraps provide.
Learning to collaborate with others
For certain wraps, we collaborated with local artisans to further stimulate creative output. For instance, our Japanese inspired sashiko pattern came from the picturesque southern village of Bantul, Yogyakarta which uses copper block stamps to produce these ornamental stabbing prints.
Right now, we are working closely with traditional weavers who use hand operated looms to make beautiful, handwoven cotton. It is this combination of worlds that has helped us strive to create products that are truly unique.
Communities without clean water and electricity live in harmony with nature and take good care of their surroundings. Reviving local wisdom inspires us to return to simple living and find solutions to modern life problems."
- Reky Martha