At just 27, Delhi-born industrial designer Midushi Kochhar is making waves with YLEM, her venture creating luxury home decor and footwear from eggshells, feathers, and leaves. Inspired by her childhood fascination with unique natural objects, she pioneers a sustainable circular approach that turns discarded materials into sought-after designs.
- Eggshells transformed into ceramic-like dishware
- Footwear crafted from upcycled leaves and feathers
- Collaborations create circular waste-to-material systems
What happened
Midushi Kochhar, an industrial designer trained at Central St Martins, launched YLEM in 2021 to produce innovative products from waste materials. Her unique 'eggware' items, made from crushed eggshells combined with bio-binders, stemmed from her college graduation project. After gaining experience in the Netherlands, she established her venture in India during the pandemic to leverage local waste streams.
YLEM now specializes in two main lines: bespoke decorative plates and spoons crafted from eggshells, and eco-friendly slippers made from leaves named 'hasiroo.' The sourcing of eggshell powder is managed through partnerships with local companies, creating a circular system that minimizes waste while providing raw materials for her designs.
Why it feels good
Midushi’s approach reconnects humanity with nature’s inherent value and circularity, addressing modern throwaway culture with creativity and care. By transforming what others discard into beautiful, functional items, her work inspires sustainable living and offers alternatives to conventional manufacturing.
Her designs have been featured internationally, including at the Sustainable Design Material Museum in Guangzhou and Milan Design Week, demonstrating that environmentally mindful products can also be luxurious and artistically significant. This fusion of innovation, sustainability, and aesthetic appeal creates a positive message that resonates globally.
What to enjoy or watch next
As YLEM grows, keep an eye on how Midushi expands her product range and collaborations with local industries to deepen the circular economy model. Her work blends craft, design, and sustainability in exciting ways that could influence broader eco-friendly trends in home decor and fashion.
For those interested in sustainable design, following YLEM’s journey offers inspiration on how waste materials can be reimagined into stylish, lasting pieces. Discovering similar initiatives or even trying simple upcycling projects at home can be a rewarding personal way to support environmental innovation.