We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Pallavi Pande a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Pallavi, appreciate you joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
Choosing a name for a business is indeed a profound and challenging task, as it reflects the essence and mission of the brand. For Dtocs, the journey to our name was as organic and natural as the products we offer. Dtocs is a play on the word ‘detox,’ symbolizing our commitment to purifying the environment of disposable waste. Our palm leaf tableware represents a step away from the toxicity of single-use plastics and non-biodegradable materials, embodying a cleaner, greener approach to dining and events.
The inspiration behind Dtocs stemmed from a blend of tradition and innovation. Growing up in India, I was surrounded by the age-old practice of eating on banana leaves, a method that was not only eco-friendly but also added a unique flavor and experience to meals and specially the ease in clean up. This sustainable practice from my heritage sparked the idea of wanting to create a brand that reflected that practice. similar, eco-conscious dining solution for the modern world. Palm leaves, being robust and naturally shed, presented themselves as the perfect raw material, leading to the creation of Dtocs’ tableware.
Our brand name, Dtocs, encapsulates our aspiration to detoxify the planet from the clutter of harmful disposables, promoting a lifestyle that is in harmony with nature. It’s a reminder of our responsibility towards the environment and our pursuit of sustainability, not just in products but in every choice we make. The story behind Dtocs is an example to the power of traditional wisdom combined with contemporary innovation, aiming to make a significant impact on the way we think about disposability and sustainability in our daily lives.
Pallavi, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Dtocs is a sustainable women-owned small brand. We make compostable and microwave safe, non toxic, single-use disposable tableware from leaves that are Shed for households (DTC) and businesses (B2B) looking for better alternatives to cheap paper, toxic plastic, expensive bamboo and boring traditional tableware. Through our eco-friendly palm leaf tableware products, we aim to significantly reduce the reliance on single-use plastics and inspire a global shift towards more sustainable alternatives.
Dtocs tableware provides environmentally conscious consumers the best sustainable and stylish dining experience because it’s made from naturally shed palm leaves, is fully compostable in 90 days in the backyard, and each piece is uniquely crafted, offering a blend of elegance and eco-friendliness.
Hi, I’m Pallavi Pande, a passionate Mompreneur from Portland, Oregon, owner at DTOCS palm leaf tableware brand. Inspired by my childhood memories of dining on banana leaves in India, I wanted to create a brand that reflected that practice. I rescue naturally shed Areca palm leaves in India and am on a mission to replace your cheap paper, toxic plastic and expensive bamboo plates with my sustainable palm leaf alternatives.
“DTOCS”, my brand name, echoes the essence of “Detox,” symbolizes a cleaner, sustainable journey with palm leaves. Our tableware? Crafted from naturally shed palm leaves, they’re eco-friendly, chemical-free, and perfect for homes & events. We ship nationwide in the USA and Canada.
Many consumers today prefer brands that not only sell good products but also contribute to societal betterment. DTOCS is committed to social good by giving back to the community—empowering livelihoods of women artisans who manufacture the products in India. We also provide women workers with sewing machines in a partnership at Anmol Sahara, a women-led nonprofit in India . We donate towards education of the underprivileged children in India and contribute funds to “Greater Than PDX”, a non-profit organization in Portland providing equal education to underrepresented children.
Dtocs, under my leadership, has garnered significant recognition and media attention for its innovative and sustainable approach to disposable tableware. I am INC 250 female founders in 2024 which will be revealed and announced in April. I am the top 100 Entreprenista award in the Entreprenista community. In 2023, I was honored to be a candidate for the prestigious E&Y Award in the Northwest. The same year in November, the Portland Business Journal awarded Dtocs the Makers and Manufacture Company Award, a testament to our brand’s quality and impact. Further accentuating our success, Dtocs and I were named as successful awardees in the Influential Businesswoman Awards by Acquisition International in 2023. Top 100 women Entrepreneurs recognised by Chase and Entreprenista community with the Entreprenista100 Award.. This recognition speaks volumes about our commitment to sustainability and innovation in the industry.
Our efforts have not gone unnoticed in the media, with features in several prominent publications. KOIN6 News in Oregon has highlighted our products, Oregon Home Magazine has advocated for homeowners to choose our eco-friendly tableware for their events, and the Washington Post Journal covered our partnerships with event planners to promote eco-friendly events. Additionally, the Portland Business Journal has recognized our brand’s inspiring story.
As a testament to our impact in the e-commerce and sustainability sector, I have been invited to speak at the Oregon Food Venture. Here, I will discuss the strategies behind building a successful brand in the digital marketplace and the crucial role businesses play in driving environmental change. In 2019, Dtocs was also celebrated as the NEXTY Award winner at the Natural Products EXPO EAST. These accolades and features across various media platforms are a true testament to Dtocs’ commitment to sustainability and the significant positive impact our products have in the market.
Will you support me? Cheers to healthier and greener choices!
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
The scaling growth of our business model depends on exploring new markets to sell our products at in volumes. One pivotal aspect that’s transformed our business is our Amazon strategy and small business certification on Amazon storefront in USA and in Canada. We have been able to establish our robust supply chain and inventory storage at Amazon Full fillment Centers under the FBA program. It resonates deeply with consumers who want the convenience of shopping and getting their items delivered at their door fast as well as knowing that items they are ordering from a brand can be trusted by highlighting our true essence of being sustainable in nature. This certification amplifies our ethos of supporting women-led, local venture. In five years, Dtocs envisions leveraging our successful Amazon USA strategy to expand into 10 major countries, aiming for $10M in revenue by 2025.
Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?
For Dtocs, leveraging Amazon USA and Canada platforms as both a sales platform and a distribution partner has been a strategic move that significantly propelled our growth. We chose to not only sell on Amazon but also to sell to Amazon, allowing them to distribute our products in bulk. This approach didn’t require reinventing the marketing wheel; instead, we utilized the extensive reach, established trust, and logistical prowess of Amazon to build our brand visibility and attract a broad customer base.
This partnership has been instrumental in our journey, offering rapid scalability and access to a global audience without the hefty upfront costs typically associated with such expansion. The visibility on Amazon has led to increased direct customer engagement on our own website, further fueling our growth.
However, this strategy comes with its considerations. While Amazon offers immense reach and convenience, it also means navigating a highly competitive marketplace and managing the balance between direct website sales and Amazon sales to maintain brand identity and customer relationships. Overall, this balanced approach has been a cornerstone of our success, enabling Dtocs to thrive in the competitive eco-friendly products market.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dtocs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dtocsplates
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dtocsplates
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pallavi-pande-bb5abb1b/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DtocsL
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9fvPs051hLboYHa_XjxlUg
- Other: Pintrest- https://www.pinterest.com/palpande/, Tiktok- https://www.tiktok.com/@dtocsplates, INC 250 female founders- https://inc.com/profile/Dtocs
Image Credits
Ranjani Barnes at @Gracephotographypdx