§1What this business is
Paper reinforced with a polythene layer is cut to size and placed between the male and female halves of a heated die on a hydraulic press; pressure forms the plate or dona. Edges are trimmed, and plates and bowls are packed separately. They replace crockery at weddings, religious gatherings, parties, sweet shops, chaat stalls and caterers in towns and villages.
Capacity: 50 pieces a minute, 3,000 an hour, 30,000 a day (10 hours), 90,00,000 a year (5.5-inch size).
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A first-time founder or women's group wanting a small, home-based manufacturing unit.
Who it is not for
Someone looking for high income from one machine.
Advantages
- Very small investment (₹5.35 L)
- Huge use at functions, sweet shops and street food
- Simple machine; know-how comes from the supplier
- Can be run from home or a small shed
Drawbacks
- Low price per piece (₹135 per 1,000) and thin margin
- Many small units compete
- Paper price rises hit profit
- Single-use plastic rules apply to plastic-laminated items in some states
Skills you need
- Machine and die handling
- Paper buying
- Counting and packing
- Selling to sweet shops, caterers and wholesalers
Why difficulty 1/5: Simple machine, small money, easy to learn.
§3Market
Who buys
- Sweet shops and namkeen sellers
- Caterers and tent houses
- Families for weddings, birthdays and religious functions
- Chaat and snack stalls
How it sells
- Local wholesalers of disposables
- Direct supply to sweet shops and caterers
Good to know
- The report says these products have both an urban and a rural market.
- Know-how is available with machinery suppliers; machinery is made in India (report).
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic press with heated male-female dies (plate and dona) | 1 | — |
| Plant and machinery (report total) | 1 set | ₹85,000 |
| Other assets — equipment and fixtures | 1 lot | ₹1.50 lakh |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Disposable Plates & Dona (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Silver dona paper roll (paper laminated with polythene)₹50 a kg; 1 kg makes 550 donas of 5.5 inches; 16,364 kg a year at full capacity
From: PMEGP sample project report — Disposable Plates & Dona (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Trade licence or factory licence from the municipal authority
- Udyam
- GST
- Fire and pollution registration as required
- Trademark for the brand if required
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CM YUVAUPActiveUp to ₹5 lakh, interest-free
A ₹5.35 L project: PMEGP and MUDRA (Kishore) fit; within UP's CM-YUVA range.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Samadhan report: building & civil work ₹3.00 L + plant & machinery ₹0.85 L + other assets (equipment and fixtures) ₹1.50 L = ₹5.35 L (own ₹1.90 L, term loan ₹3.45 L). No separate working-capital line.
Working capital: No separate working-capital line; paper rolls cost ₹50 a kg and 1 kg makes 550 donas.
Year not printed on the sample report — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: Not verified yet
- HS codes are from the WCO HS 2022 list; confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Paper price rises
- Plastic-ban rules on laminated plates
- Price competition
- Seasonal demand around weddings and festivals
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working disposable paper plates & dona unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Trade licence or factory licence from the municipal authority, Udyam), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Disposable Paper Plates & Dona?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.