Our journey began while watching the iconic Miyazaki films Princess Mononoke and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. We have grown up in a world at the brink of destruction. With our sea levels rising, amazon rainforest burning, and carbon emissions skyrocketing we see the only way out is by inspiring monumental production and manufacturing changes for big tier companies, by instituting it in our own practices. We are committed to living a zero waste life.

The auspicious meeting of our three founders happened in 2019. Coming from three entirely different background but primed with the same hunger to rid the world of wasteful practices, Nimisha Singhal, Avital Glibicky, and Arny Zhan were ready to start a company that would embody their beliefs. Together they launched the world’s number 1 source of sustainable packaging, wrapping paper, stationary supplies, beauty products, and notebooks. All three of the founding members originate from different cultural backgrounds and these differences in culture bring with it a variety of practices the members are well versed with.

Our name Yougavik when broken down into three pieces: You-Ga-Vik encompasses our founding member’s individual regions and cultural background. Each piece is the amalgamation of the three version of the word “Organic”, one in Chinese, one in Russian, and one in Hindi.

Youji draws from the Chinese sustainability research, experimentation and agri-business implementation across a multitude of farms. Furthermore, significant training is used within the Yougavik business model to roll out the application of scientific agricultural principles on the farms for a large-scale deployment of sustainable agriculture practices. Organic draws from the Russian constructivists such as Aleksander Rodchenko whose graphic style and ideology lays the groundwork for all the products in Yougavik’s portfolio. Form follows function in the overall design and feel of the brand. Finally, Jaivik draws from the Indian innovative packaging practices in edible cutlery, hemp, and biodegradable products.

We have also taken their business model a step further, by launching an incubator that invites designers from all around the world to team up and create the newest sustainable everyday use products. The products of the incubator go directly into production and have included ECU (the zero-packaging face wash line) as well as the vegetable-based ink wrapping paper that is recyclable, reusable, and compostable.

Our packaging is biodegradable and versatile. Customers can trade out seeds, tea leaves, and of other products. Once they are done with the packaging, they can prepare a pot, place it under an inch of soil, and grow their very own garden. Our notebooks are Green-e Certified and processed chlorine free. Each is printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper using vegetable-based ink. The production is certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and follows the credence of the Forest Stewardship Council. Yougavik works to ensure the responsible management of our tree and forest resources, promotes tree-planting initiatives, and promotes fair industry wages.

Our company recycles all leftovers materials into new products and is a member of Global Compact since its inception. All products are packaged in biodegradable materials or reusable glassware that customers can bring in-store for refills of their favorite beauty products at half price. Our fair trade company is committed to paying its exporters their deserved dues as well as collaborating with their international business teams to improve social and environmental standards.

Competitors turn to petroleum, while the plants that are used for our vegetable-based ink are renewable. These inks eradicate the release of greenhouse gases and when our customers return packaging to our stores, we give them rewards and remove the vegetable-based inks from packaging in order to recycle and repurpose our packaging. Yougavik is the meeting place of imagination and innovation. We know that we are still a work in progress and there is so much more that can be done. Yougavik’s core goals are to produce new and exciting products born out of innovative and eco-friendly production methods so that we can bring the planet back from the brink.