As Kids, We Called it ‘Best Out of Waste’. Now, It’s the New Side Hustle.
As children, many of us took part in those “best out of waste” competitions—armed with glue, scissors, and discarded packaging, we’d try to make pen stands or plant pots out of shoe boxes and biscuit tins.
Little did we know that this creative spark would survive into adulthood—and even find a market.
This was recently reflected in a post that caught fire on the Indian Expats Facebook group. The post featured something oddly charming and deeply relatable: empty zipper bags of basmati rice... up for sale.
Yes, you read that right.
The post triggered a flurry of reactions—from appreciation to mockery. Some applauded the entrepreneurial spirit behind it, one user even quipping that we are truly a "tejasvi" people, cheekily borrowing a term popularized by Prime Minister Modi in one of his speeches.
Another claimed to use these rice bags as cushion fillers, while a few mentioned reusing them as planters or storage bags.
Then came the regretful commenters: “I threw away so many of these. Who knew I could’ve sold them!”
Others found humor in the presentation—questioning the advertising angle.
“What next, Maggi wrappers with sentimental value?”
But behind the laughs lies something worth noticing: this isn’t just about reselling rice bags.
It’s about the Indian instinct to never waste anything—be it food, fabric, or even fancy packaging.
Why This Resonates
For many expats, especially in the West, where waste management and recycling are critical issues, such reusability hits home.
Why toss a perfectly good, sturdy bag when it can be reused for storing groceries, pet food, garden soil, or even as quirky gift wrapping?
In fact, such upcycling is part of a larger trend—Facebook groups and platforms like Etsy or Poshmark are filled with items being repurposed and resold.
It’s creative, it’s sustainable, and, as this post proves, it’s also marketable.
The Indian Way of Sustainability
This incident may seem small, but it is emblematic of a deeper cultural ethos—Indians have long been pioneers in jugaad, a concept that loosely translates to “resourceful innovation.”
Whether it's turning old sarees into cushion covers or reusing plastic containers for years, this kind of resourcefulness isn’t new—it’s just going digital.
Conclusion
Whether you find it hilarious, heartwarming, or just bizarre, the idea of selling empty rice bags online is a proof of the Indian ability to find value where others see waste.
And who knows—next time you open a new bag of rice, you might think twice before tossing that zipper pouch into the bin.
After all, your trash might just be someone’s treasure... or side hustle.