Upscale Disposables

Throw-away tableware doesn’t have to be a throw-away experience. There are lots of interesting materials entering the US market that have long been used as disposable dinnerware and utensils in other countries. Materials like sewn Sal leaves from Nepal (siali (Bauhinia spp.) and sal (Shorea robusta) leaves) and Areca leaf plates from India offer a more beautiful, stylish, and inexpensive alternatives to commercial paper plates.

Sal Leaf bowls in production in Nepal

These natural statements don’t have to be restricted to outdoor parties. In this case we were leaving to go out of town for two weeks and had one night to celebrate Ashish’s sister’s birthday and brace ourselves for her leaving New York for a while. Disposable plates gave us a stylish shortcut to not having to do lots of dishes the night before an early flight out.

We chose Areca leaf (Palm leaf) plates from India.  Laid down on a wooden plate they come across as designed, intentional conversation starters. After we left we just dumped them into the trash and packed for our trip the next day.

Palm Leaf plates add an amazing texture to even indoor dining.

Accent natural disposables with other materials to elevate them.

Make it about natural materials not necessarily about ‘disposables’

The wooden plates underneath reinforce the natural materials theme and give the disposables some visual substance

Natural unbleached hand-woven linen with hand-pulled edges continues the texture story.