The roots of Chipko Market in St. Charles were born a world away, in the hearts of indigenous Indian women hugging trees, tenaciously staring down destructive loggers.

Owner Vandana Planis said what began in the 1970s as a grassroots campaign to combat deforestation has fueled global movements. Her market is born of this ethos to seize the reins of produce sustainability and environmental protection.

The term “chipko” in Hindi means “to embrace,” describing the first “tree huggers,” locked in arms and locked in spirit. Planis hopes the community comes to embrace her zero-waste market, filled with food pantry staples like beans and rices, spices and oils.

Chipko Market, 902 S. Randall Road, St. Charles, celebrated a ribbon-cutting with the St. Charles Area Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 12.

“The ethos behind it is to eliminate plastic and food waste from landfills in a way that pays homage to the Chipko Movement in India and their brave environmental activism,” Planis said. “Here you can take as little or as much as you need, which eliminates food waste, and you can bring in any containers from your house to eliminate plastic waste. Food and plastic waste are two of the top contributors into landfills.”

The market offers a variety of eco-friendly cleaning products in bulk, allowing shoppers to refill things like a Dawn dish soap container to reduce plastic waste.

Planis said most of the market’s products are sourced from sustainable companies that share the market’s values of sustainability. She said the majority of their products are organic, like their honey, beans and rice.

“Local small farmers and local small distributors are the ones who truly take care of the land,” Planis said. “Our honey is harvested locally in Plano. Our local beekeeper treats his bees like royalty. The ethos is the same with our products from further away, like the bars of soap that were made by a husband and wife team of the Lakota Tribe in Washington.”

Planis said her roots for environmental consciousness run deep, stemming back to her grandfather, an Indian freedom fighter and a farmer.

She said part of creating a better world is thinking about the shopping choices one makse every day and how they can compound environmental degradation. Planis said sustainable solutions are simpler, and more vibrant than people often think.

She said change is possible with steps like using reusable containers and paper bags to reduce single-use plastic waste, and using biodegradable and eco-friendly cleaners, soaps, shampoos and conditioners to keep water safe. The market sells eco-friendly health and beauty items and sustainably-made artisanal coffee.

On Chipko Market’s website, Planis describes the experience she hopes to cultivate for customers, helping to awaken a passion for the planet.

“As you wander through our vibrant aisles, you’ll discover a carefully curated selection of bulk pantry staples, from wholesome beans and hearty legumes, to aromatic spices and nourishing grains, all chosen to inspire your culinary journey,” Planis writes.