
Ideas
Every year, humans waste billions of pieces of plastic flatware, which clog landfills and hurt the environment. So Indian startup Bakeys invented a line of forks, spoons and chopsticks that can double as dessert. The cutlery, made from hearty sorghum flour, is baked until nearly all its moisture is gone, meaning it’s strong enough to handle hot soup. And it comes in three flavors: savory (like a cracker), sweet (like an ice cream cone) and plain (like a wafer), all of which have sold well in India. Now Bakeys is focused on new markets; it recently raised more than $278,000 on Kickstarter for a global expansion.
For more on these ideas, visit time.com/ideas
–Julie Shapiro
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Inside Elon Musk’s War on Washington
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Cecily Strong on Goober the Clown
- Column: The Rise of America’s Broligarchy
Contact us at letters@time.com
TIME Ideas hosts the world's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. We welcome outside contributions. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors.