UKHI partners with DCGpac to scale sustainable packaging across India

INDIA – UKHI, a material science startup pioneering biodegradable biopolymers from agricultural waste, has announced a strategic partnership with DCGpac, one of India’s leading B2B packaging distribution platforms.

The collaboration aims to boost nationwide access to EcoGran, UKHI’s proprietary compostable biopolymer granules, through all major online marketplaces.

Under the agreement, UKHI will focus on manufacturing EcoGran at its new production facility, while DCGpac will manage marketing, e-commerce listing, order fulfilment, and last-mile delivery.

The partnership promises to accelerate the adoption of eco-friendly packaging materials across key sectors such as e-commerce, direct-to-consumer (D2C), FMCG, and retail.

According to a joint media statement, the partnership will help e-commerce and D2C brands access reliable, regulation-compliant alternatives to plastic, enabling them to reduce plastic use by up to 90%.

FMCG and retail companies will benefit from lightweight and cost-effective packaging solutions that align with global sustainability standards. Notably, each tonne of EcoGran used helps prevent approximately three tonnes of agricultural waste from being burned.

“This alliance with DCGpac represents a transformative moment for India’s circular economy. Together, we’re not just distributing a product, we’re enabling a movement,” said Vishal Vivek, Co-Founder and CEO of UKHI.

“EcoGran allows businesses to reduce their plastic footprint, meet ESG goals, and achieve cost savings simultaneously.”

Echoing the sentiment, Suresh Bansal, Founder and CEO of DCGpac, noted, “This collaboration strengthens our mission to advance circular packaging solutions that are affordable, high-performing, and planet-friendly.”

The announcement follows UKHI’s recent success in raising US$1.2 million in a pre-seed funding round in November, led by 100Unicorns with participation from Venture Catalysts, angel investor Avtar Monga, and debt support from the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). Previously, the Delhi-based startup had raised US$69,600 in an angel round.

UKHI plans to use the fresh capital to scale production, deepen materials research, and expand its sustainable packaging footprint both in India and globally.

Co-founded in 2019 by Priyanka Chauhan, Vishal Vivek, and Sundeep Kumar Tyagi, the company operates in Haryana and Uttarakhand.

Its patent-pending EcoGran technology transforms lignocellulosic agricultural residues into compostable biomaterials that offer a scalable, eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastics.

The innovation not only reduces plastic pollution but also addresses agricultural waste burning, a major environmental concern in India, while promoting circular economy practices.

UKHI’s ambition places it in competition with emerging players in the bioplastics space, such as Germany’s Traceless and India’s Advanced Biomaterial Company (formerly CIHC), as it aims to reshape the future of sustainable packaging through technology and circularity.

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