Sweet beginnings for Phindi Dlamini

Phindi was born, raised and schooled on a sugarcane plantation in Swaziland. Life was simple and sweet. This is where she met and befriended Green Home MD, Catherine Morris. Moving to Johannesburg years later, Phindi became increasingly concerned by the general lack of environmental consciousness of many of those living around her, and her desire to do something positive that would benefit the environment grew.

When Catherine introduced biodegradable food packaging made from sugarcane to Phindi, it resonated with her immediately. The idea that a waste product of the sugarcane industry could be made into fully compostable packaging, as a sustainable alternative to polystyrene and other disposable plastics, excited Phindi immensely.

In 2008, Phindi joined Catherine on a business venture called Green Home, the first biodegradable food packaging company in South Africa. Today, Phindi heads the Johannesburg office and is head sales rep for Gauteng. She is also working towards becoming Green Home’s National Sales Manager.

When asked about the future of biodegradable packaging, Phindi says: “I have 2 daughters, aged 9 and 5, and it is my wish that they never become familiar with the word ‘polystyrene’. In their adulthood it should be a word so antiquated, much like the word girdle is to us today.”

Well Phindi, if anyone can make that happen, it is you.