Palm leaf disposable plates and dishes from the Wholeleaf Co

Palm leaf is the newest kid on the green block to offer a sustainable and ethical alternative to the 10 billion paper and plastic disposable plates thrown away in the UK each year.

The Wholeleaf Co was founded last year by three friends of Indian origin to help green Britain and underprivileged communities in India. Its 20-plus line of home-compostable round and oval bowls and square or hexagonal plates are made in rural India in a low-energy and chemical-free process.

The dinnerware is made from the naturally fallen leaves of the abundant areca palm in India - harvested to date solely for its nuts - which are shed every few weeks and normally burnt as waste.

The palm sheaths are washed in local spring water, stamped into shape between two high-heat sterilising moulds and further sterilised with UV light. One operator can make up to 700 items a day.

The attractive, robust plates can be washed and reused before composting if they are not treated too roughly.

Fans of the palm disposable dinnerware include Cyrus Todiwala and the BBC's Hairy Bikers.

To buy it, callThe Wholeleaf Co
020 7624 2823