Pallavi Pande

Pallavi Pande is a mompreneur based in Portland, Oregon and a proud founder of DTOCS. She is the mother of 2 young DTOCS brand ambassadors and a passionate entrepreneur.

Pallavi remembers eating on banana leaves while growing up in India. Even as a child she loved how this brought her closer to nature in a way that did not cause harm to nature. She started DTOCS with this those 3 things in mind- Sustainability, Community and Usability

DTOCS tableware is made from naturally fallen palm leaves. They are chemical free, plastic free, compostable, microwave safe, elegant and single use disposable. We employ a majority female workforce and part of the proceeds from our sales go towards improving education for the poor local communities in India. DTOCS plates and tableware are made with a focus on quality that makes them a great fit for your daily use as well as weddings and special events. You have to see these products to feel the love we have put into curating them!

Pallavi and DTOCS are the proud winners of the NEXTY award at the Natural Food Expo for the most innovative new sustainable product on the market. She also enjoyed auditioning for the final round of Shark Tank, and hopes to be in the tank in the near future!

I’m so excited for you to connect with Pallavi, check out her work and DTOCS, and follow along as she continues to create a community of eco-lovers to protect our planet.

I'd love it if you'd introduce yourself, what you do, and what you're working on.

I am Pallavi Pande, a mompreneur based in Portland, Oregon and a proud founder of DTOCS. DTOCS tableware is made from naturally fallen palm leaves. They are chemical free, plastic free, compostable, microwave safe, elegant and single use disposable plates and bowls.

I am working on Zero waste and eco friendly thoughtful products that not only help save the environment but also give back to the community as a part of our sales go towards the education of the majority of the woman workers back in the manufacturing unit of our products.

How did you get started?

I am a mother of 2 young DTOCS brand ambassadors and a passionate entrepreneur. I remember eating on banana leaves while growing up in India. Even as a child I loved how this brought us closer to nature in a way that did not cause harm to nature. I started DTOCS with this those 3 things in mind- Sustainability, Community and Usability.

What inspired the work that you're doing?

"Responsible living- towards mother nature, towards our kids and towards our community" That is my Motto and inspiration for DTOCS that gets me on my toes and flutters in my heart everytime.

What is your biggest passion? Do you feel like you're living your passion and purpose?

Companies that solely focus on making profits or their competition will die. Those that focus on value creation and making an impact will thrive. “If you’re not a brand, you’re a commodity”, Pallavi says!! In a noisy world, you have to be creative to stand out and make a lasting impact.

DTOCS is my passion, It's different because I am a MOM-E-O who starts at the manufacturing process and go upto the supply chain nationwide in the USA doing B2B and B2C business creating a legacy for my children who I hope can be more innovative in the coming years with more sustainable products and ideas. Then I'll proudly say I've served my purpose as a responsible Human Being !

What is your joy blueprint? What lights you up, brings you joy, and makes you feel the most alive?

Creating Dtocs brings me Joy everyday. Dtocs also won the NEXTY awards in 2019 at the Natural Food Expo at the East coast for "the most innovative product of the year" for their quality. I felt most alive when Dtocs auditioned in the first round of the show SHARK TANK because of the quality of our products. I felt butterflies in my stomach jumping out of Joy like a child. We did not make it to round two, Alas! Next year we shall try again.

How do you live intentionally? Are there tools/resources/practices that you rely on to help you stay mindful and grounded?

As human beings and the dwellers of Mother Nature we have forgotten that we serve a responsibility to earth and by that it means keeping it safe and protecting its environment from landfill, exploitation of natural resources and quality of life. My purpose as a Business Owner is to promote a greener and healthier tableware made from naturally fallen palm leaves. Innovating Dtocs products is about turning all our goals and aligning it with the environment.

Green living is not an overnight thing. Making several small changes over a long period of time makes it easy to adjust to each change instead of reverting back to old habits.

I encourage my kids to live by the adage, "Use it up, wear it out, reuse, recycle, make it do, or do without."

Like most things in parenting, the best way to make these lessons stick is to teach by example. Kids learn by watching you. And it’s the little actions they see you do every day that will help make the message of sustainability stick around. We try to conserve electricity in the house by turning of light switches, turn off the tap water in between brushing, plugging out all the electronic devices when not in use, recycling more, upcycling our glass jars at home, gifting unused items at home that we don't plan to use, enjoy thrift clothes,going meat free by cooking fresh plant based three meals in a day, reducing food waste and grow our own vegetables in our backyard. And ofcourse reuse our Dtocs plates and bowls over and over again until the girls are ready to paint on them as canvas or use them as their LEGO trays. These are a few examples of how we roll!

What would your younger self think about what you're doing now?

My younger self would say always stay curious. No matter how old you get, and how much you think you know, there’s always more to learn. Be open to it! I am still a work in progress because my present self is older and wiser, learning much from experiences that your younger self has yet to go through.

Do you have a go-to mantra or affirmation?

"Change starts with my small actions". That's the mantra I live and lead by example to the two souls I am raising. I forgive myself for not being perfect. Whether it's going zero waste completely at home, or reusing the take out plastic containers rather than having them end up at the landfill. I am a little camera shy and not very Tech savvy. My social media is not quite as polished with crazy number followers or posts with the perfect nails and clothes and that eye catching dish at the same time around Dtocs because I feel no sane mother can have all these perfections when doing everything on her own. I'll put it this way, I make good use of my time and energy and I value whatever little awareness I raise in the world on a solution to a plastic free world that Dtocs aims for because some information is better than no information in order to bring a change.

What is your biggest dream?

God didn't put me on Earth to live, pay bills and die. I dream of creating a legacy for my children and be known for my actions that can change the world and inspire individuals to consume consciously and make eco friendly choices. Ill be ecstatic to know my actions are working towards the good of the planet and inspire positive change in people.

To learn more about Pallavi and DTOCS visit their website www.dtocs.com on Instagram @dtocsplates Facebook @dtocsplates and you can find their products on Amazon, Wayfair, Walmart and Etsy

Joy Corner is an interview-style blog series brought to you by Seek The Joy Podcast. Our mission continues to be a desire to share your stories, truths, joys and inspiration in your words. We invite you to join our corner, and share your joys, passions, and moments of inspiration as we continue to seek the joy, together. Join this series here

Pallavi Pande - Founder, DTOCS