§1What this business is
Medical-grade PVC granules with plasticisers and stabilisers are injection-moulded in multi-piece dies; the toothpicks are separated from the runner, deburred and packed 100 to a packet. They are used after meals and as cocktail sticks for snacks at parties.
Capacity: 800 packets (100 sticks each) a day, 2,40,000 packets a year; year 1 at 50%, sold at ₹46 a packet. PVC granules 98,000 kg a year (₹40 a kg in the text, ₹50 a kg in the cost sheet).
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone with hotel-supply or FMCG distribution links.
Who it is not for
Someone hoping to replace wooden toothpicks on price alone.
Advantages
- Used in homes, restaurants, hotels and catering
- Small, light product — easy to stock and ship
- Low break-even (24%) in the report
- The machine can mould other small items
Drawbacks
- Wooden and bamboo toothpicks are cheap and widely preferred
- Needs medical-grade PVC
- Some plastic sticks (ear-buds, candy, ice-cream sticks) are already banned — check your product is not covered
- Low price per packet
Skills you need
- Injection moulding
- Mould maintenance
- Hygienic packing
- Distribution to hotels and shops
Why difficulty 3/5: Simple process, but plastic rules and wooden toothpicks limit the market.
§3Market
Who buys
- Restaurants, hotels and caterers
- Households
- Party and event organisers
How it sells
- Kirana and general stores
- Hotel-supply wholesalers
Good to know
- The report links demand to rising oral-care awareness and also notes festive use as cocktail sticks.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Injection moulding machine | 1 | ₹8,50,000 |
| Grinder | 1 | ₹65,000 |
| Water chiller | 1 | ₹25,000 |
| Other machinery and equipment (dies, pump, bins) | — | ₹1,00,000 |
| GST at 18% on machinery | — | ₹1,87,200 |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Plastic Toothpick (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- PVC granules (medical grade)98,000 kg a year; ₹40 a kg in the text, ₹50 a kg in the cost sheet
- Plasticisers7,000 kg a year at ₹120 a kg
- PVC stabilisers2,500 units a year at ₹115
- Packing material₹1.20 lakh a year
From: PMEGP sample project report — Plastic Toothpick (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- State Pollution Control Board consent
- Check the single-use plastic list under the Plastic Waste Management Rules before launch
§6Schemes & subsidies
PMEGP (report is a PMEGP sample); CGTMSE for collateral-free credit. The cost is above the ₹20 L MUDRA limit.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Samadhan report: building/shed 1,000 sq ft ₹5.00 L, plant & machinery ₹12.30 L (₹10.40 L + 18% GST), furniture ₹1.50 L, working capital ₹5.56 L = ₹24.36 L. Land own or rented.
Working capital: ₹5.56 L, bank finance ₹5.00 L.
Year not printed on the report — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: PLEXCONCIL (Plastics Export Promotion Council)
- 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
- Tighter single-use plastic rules
- Competition from wooden toothpicks
- PVC price swings
- Low margins per packet
§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 plastic toothpick moulding unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam, GST), 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 Plastic Toothpick Moulding?
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.