Young Change Makers Promoting Climate Action: Why and How Jinali Mody Of Banofi Leather Is Helping To Change Our World
An Interview With Monica Sanders
Sales do not come as a result of solely a good product. A great sales team is a must. We first believed that once we had developed a leather alternative it would sell by itself because it resulted in significant carbon emission and water used reduction. This is a relatively recent learning.
We are standing at a critical juncture in our fight against climate change, and it is heartening to see young leaders rising to this enormous challenge. Across the globe, they are initiating change, voicing their concerns, and catalyzing action toward sustainable solutions for our planet. These young change-makers are not just the future; they are the driving force of the present. As part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jinali Mody.
Jinali Mody is the founder of Banofi Leather, a material science startup, that is creating a plant-based leather alternative by upcycling banana crop waste. Jinali, completed her Master of Environmental Management from Yale University, and has an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from St Xavier’s College in Mumbai. She has also worked for three years at the renowned McKinsey & Co. in finance, procurement, revenue optimization and other areas across a myriad of industries and served as the Chief Strategy Officer for an Indian start-up focused on plastic recycling.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
I was born In Mumbai, in a family of entrepreneurs. My grandfather and his brothers started a pharmaceutical company from humble beginnings that has now sold billions of medicines providing accessible, affordable care. I grew up as an only child, but in a tight knit Gujarati family where I knew and often interacted with my cousins and often didn’t truly understand the need or want for personal space. The ocean was my absolute favorite place, and I grew up scuba-diving from the age of 12.
Is there a particular book or organization that made a significant impact on you growing up? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
An organization I grew up idolizing was Reef Watch. Reef Watch Marine Conservation is one of the first non-governmental organizations (NGO) in India working on marine restoration. I came across them on one of the early scuba-diving trips and I was in awe of this group of young, passionate individuals working on building coral reef nurseries, out-planting, and reviving the dying reefs along the Indian coast. The founder Nayantara Jain, fell in love with ocean and was distraught by the destruction and was doing something about it.
How do you define “Making A Difference”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
I think making a difference comes down to having a positive impact that is rooted in good intention and working for the benefit of the community, environment, or individuals. For instance, improving access to education, access to healthcare, and the reduction of pollution are all probably the obvious aspects of making a difference. However, things get messy when a large fashion house says it is working to provide fair wages and employment but is also responsible for rampant deforestation to make those very clothes. It is time we focus on the larger systemwide impact of actions, and then decide if we are “Making A Difference.” The problems of today like climate change are a result of each individual operating with a narrow definition of a system, whether that’s one department, one company, one industry. The myriad of stakeholders, the environment, the larger community that are all impacted directly or indirectly need to be considered.
Ok super. Let’s now jump to the main part of our interview. You are currently working on promoting climate action. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change in our world today?
Our mission is to protect our only planet by creating plant-based leather from banana crop waste. We believe that customers should not have to compromise but also that fashion should be guilt and cruelty-free. So, we dedicated ourselves to creating Banofi, which looks, feels, and smells like traditional leather but is vegan, sustainable and plant based.
Banofi leather offers a 90% reduction in water usage, 80%-plus reduction in carbon emissions, and 100% reduction in toxic waste compared to animal leather. It closely matches animal leather in characteristics like tear strength, flexibility, look, and feel. Currently suitable for bags and wallets, Banofi Leather also has the potential for fine-tuning for shoes and apparel.
Why did we start this? Banofi Leather addresses pollution, animal cruelty in the leather industry, and the issue of crop waste. The leather industry causes significant environmental damage, strains resources, and generates enormous waste. Banofi Leather offers an alternative to harmful materials and upcycles the waste from banana plant stems.
Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause? How old were you when you made this decision?
Since I was 12 years old, I’ve chosen to spend every holiday on a remote island, yearning to explore the oceans. What made climate change tangible for me was witnessing the destruction of the Lakshadweep reefs over five years, following my first visit at the age of 12. Watching the once vibrant reef, filled with stingrays, turtles and colorful anemone gardens, change from a self-sustaining ecosystem teeming with life to a graveyard was heartbreaking. I knew I wanted to do something about climate change but I didn’t know how and when.
I made the decision to establish startup business at the age of 21, but it was something I always thought I would do later on in life once I had “established” myself. So, I started working at McKinsey & Co. right after college to build the skills I would need. I have always known climate change was what I felt passionate about, so when I decided to do my master’s degree, it was in Environmental Management and at the age of 24 I left the corporate world. Initially, I was geared for a career in climate policy. However, as a very impatient human that wanted to see tangible impact of her work, I decided to pivot and work on a startup now and see how far it could go. I didn’t realize that a year in we would be a team of 20-plus individuals, with a functioning MVP and a plethora of brands reaching out 🙂 I am so grateful for all the support we have gotten.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest them. We don’t always get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?
I was three months into my master’s degree and I fractured my ankle (all better now — New England snow was new to me) and as I healed, I began to appreciate the present, as cliched as it sounds, and this mindset shift helped me transition from ideation to execution.
I recognize that the situation above was unique to me but speaking to other entrepreneurs along the way I’ve learned that there is often an aha moment, even if it isn’t easy to pinpoint initially.
What are some of the things you did, or steps you took to get started?
Going from idea to execution takes a lot of motivation. I struggled with this for Banofi Leather — my start-up that makes plant-based leather from banana crop waste. Despite having the idea for more than two years, it stewed in my brain and I did not speak to anyone about it because I was so afraid. When I came to graduate school at Yale, I realized there was a network of support available to student entrepreneurs that helped them take small, tangible steps toward the end goal once I decided to take the plunge.
I also learned about the many opportunities available for grants to support the venture. These pitch applications for grants are a great way to force yourself to refine the idea, explore the market, understand the competitive landscape, and to build a clear set of tangible next steps. One specific program was the Wege Prize international student competition where the framework truly helped us streamline and prioritize. The 20 questions on the competition’s initial form forced us to think about our business more holistically, like our key competitors, competitive advantage, proposed cost structure. They were all areas we hadn’t given much thought to. Additionally, the process of giving a timebound, concise pitch and the preparation for the potential questions, forced us to have a robust and airtight plan and well thought out next steps. Just this entire preparation, geared us for execution.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
In the last year, we have received immense support from multiple organizations that support entrepreneurs working on climate change, sustainability, and circular economy.
Some of those include institutions that support entrepreneurship with funding and mentorship like Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking at Yale, Wege Prize, Hult Prize Foundation, MIT Climate and Energy, The Ministry of Agriculture in India, The Sustainable Angle and many others.
For instance, Wege Prize’s award for $30,000 supports student entrepreneurs developing product and service solutions for a circular economy. The process of applying for this was really helpful, because at each stage we received pointed feedback from experts from organizations like The Ellen McArthur Foundation, the holy grail of a circular economy. This helped us build industry connections and credibility.
Without saying specific names, can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
One specific individual Is Jennifer McFadden. She leads entrepreneurship endeavors at Yale university and was almost like a personal therapist / advisor and mentor all in one.
She taught me the importance of knowing when to stop talking to people and start building. We are always getting the advice of talking to many people, but Jenn says that once you are clear about the problem you are tackling, take a break from talking to people and start executing. Often, in these calls you get a lot of input on potential solutions and a space to brainstorm the idea. However, after a certain point it can lead to more confusion and inertia. There is never a perfect answer — thus overall, starting somewhere is critical, and realizing that once you start you are not tied down is even more critical. She helped me understand that startups pivot all the time, and accepting this reality upfront is crucial so you can stay flexible. When I started Banofi, I wanted to make plant-based leather from wasted mango peels. However, only once I started did I realize the extent of supply chain issues arising from the seasonality of mangoes, which, in turn, meant I had to pivot quickly to another potential raw material. Pivoting / refining the idea is inevitable, so before perfecting the idea, take the plunge and refine it as you go.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
As a start-up founder in the sustainable fashion space that has now spoken to several brands, I’ve learned that producing sustainable products in the fashion industry is challenging. Brands face significant price pressure to keep costs low, making it difficult to use sustainable materials and to employ ethical labor practices. Additionally, lack of transparency in supply chains can also make it challenging to trace where materials come from and how they are produced. Furthermore, bulk order quantities make it challenging for smaller brands to source sustainable materials. These factors all contribute to the high cost of producing sustainable products, which consumers are often not willing to bear.
As a founder of a sustainable fashion venture in the plant-based leather space, I often find it extremely hard to make these trade-offs. Our venture, Banofi Leather, makes plant-based leather from banana crop waste. Currently, our material is more expensive than traditional animal leather. A key reason for this is that we have partnered with many low-income farmers to source the banana crop waste, in turn providing them with additional income. Brands love our story of working with marginalized farmers, but also want our alternative product to be priced similarly to animal leather. Additionally, our prices are pushed higher due to the two years of R&D investment we’ve had to make, which is yet another aspect that brands are not as eager to support.
As well, our Banofi Leather solution is a mixed material and, currently, is not 100% biodegradable. Despite this, it has 90% lower carbon emissions when compared to animal leather. It is essential to remember that often sustainable fashion is not a perfect solution. Some sustainable materials, such as plant-based leather, are not entirely sustainable or biodegradable. However, these alternatives are still significantly better than traditional materials and are a crucial steppingstone for future improvements. Supporting such initiatives often provides R&D funding for improvements to be made.
Despite the clear need for sustainable alternatives to traditional fashion practices, many consumers remain critical of the options that are currently available. One reason for this is the prevalence of greenwashing, or the practice of making false or exaggerated claims about the environmental benefits of a product or service. As consumers become more aware of this issue, they are more distrusting of sustainability claims, making companies hesitant to implement alternatives unless they are ‘perfect’ solutions.
To summarize there is growing need for being more forgiving of sustainable fashion initiatives, perfection takes time, but we have to start somewhere.
Fantastic. Here is the main question of the interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
1 . R&D takes a lot of patience and time (and often a little bit of luck, too!). Often, when you start working in an R&D heavy industry, results take years and you will get hundreds if not thousands of trails, that aren’t leading you in the right direction. Our early samples would get fungus, absorb moisture, become sticky, smell awful and many more problems. Our R&D team, has had to be undeterred by the results and make decisions about how to move forward, using the results as a learning and not as a failure.
2 . You are never the only person in your industry, even if you are innovating. Plant based leather isn’t new and we weren’t the first innovators in this space. However, we thought we could be one of the first using crop / food waste. In two months of our launch about 20 companies using similar technology and processes were all around. However, we believe a rising tide lifts all boats and as industries move towards more sustainable alternatives the leather industry will be disrupted. These companies are therefore not competition but an indication of the rising tide! If there wasn’t competition, then the industry itself wouldn’t be progressing or have a lot of scope.
3 . Sales do not come as a result of solely a good product. A great sales team is a must. We first believed that once we had developed a leather alternative it would sell by itself because it resulted in significant carbon emission and water used reduction. This is a relatively recent learning.
4 . Never say no to any opportunity. During our first six months, our material was rigid and only fit for hard goods like a card holder, notebook etc. When talking to a department at Yale University, we mentioned that our material was only good for hard goods but was yet to be piloted. Their response was, “We need 20 notebooks in 45 days. Can you make them for us?” We were barely making the leather consistently, but we said, “Of course we can!”
We started to source paper and people who would bind them, carboard covers for the top and bottom and someone who could stitch them together. We successfully completed that order and that has now resulted in many repeat orders for leather bound notebooks. Our Yale leather notebooks have reached so many people, who have reached out and connected us to brands, clients and investors. Today we have done $20,000 in sales in just leather-bound notebooks. So, we now never say no to any opportunity!
5 . A little humor goes a long way. Since we have started ending our pitches with “Materials that make you go Bananas,” we have seen better responses despite the same content in the pitch deck!
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
I first had the idea for a plant-based leather start-up more than two years ago but I didn’t have the confidence to leave my safe corporate job so early in my career to pursue my dream. I always thought that entrepreneurship was something one did in the latter part of your life (post-40s), after having built an established career. However, when I came to graduate school at Yale, I decided to start executing my dormant idea, and I realize now the numerous advantages this has afforded me. So, what I would say is that if you are grappling with the idea of starting up, either now or in the future, this is my attempt to convince you that university, whether that’s undergraduate or graduate school, is the right time to do so.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Stella McCartney! She has shown the world that it is possible to create a luxury fashion empire, while still being kind to animals and the planet. She has actively stood firmly against the use of leather, fur, skins, and feathers which Is extremely difficult, when those are the most accessible and commonly used alternatives. Disrupting decade old supply chains with a focus on animal welfare and sustainability is a feat, and still creating an expanding business.
How can our readers follow you online?
The best way to reach me is Instagram: @Banofileather, and LinkedIn, which is also Banofi Leather.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
About the Interviewer: Monica Sanders JD, LL.M, is the founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities using good tech and the power of the Internet. She holds faculty roles at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders also serves on several UN agency working groups. As an attorney, Monica has held senior roles in all three branches of government, private industry, and nonprofits. In her previous life, she was a journalist for seven years and the recipient of several awards, including an Emmy. Now the New Orleans native spends her time in solidarity with and championing change for those on the frontlines of climate change and digital divestment. Learn more about how to join her at: www.theundivideproject.org.
Young Change Makers Promoting Climate Action: Why and How Jinali Mody Of Banofi Leather Is Helping… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.