Lighter packaging means less cost to transport products, while also reducing greenhouse gases. Alter Eco’s truffle wrappers are made from eucalyptus wood pulp and a small layer of aluminum, a plant-based alternative to the petroleum-based plastics that traditionally contain sweets. Optimize Packaging by Using Smaller Boxes. Alter Eco’s goal for the near future is to analyze the whole supply chain in order to reduce unnecessary packaging and create sustainable wrappings for everything from shipping materials to bulk packaging. For chocolate bar packaging, Alter Eco uses Forest Steward Council (FSC) certified paperboard that comes from sustainably managed forests. INTEGRITY. Sustainability is an important part of their brand, but the highly perishable product needs to be as airtight as possible. The company makes polylactic acid, or PLA, a biodegradable plastic it sources from cornstarch and makes into a wide range of consumer products — including single-use flatware, cups and packaging — that decompose at the end of their useful life. Meet some of the brands and products that are revolutionizing the way we think about packaging. Food Tank is a 501(c)3 non profit organization. On open land and in the ocean, the rings decompose in a few weeks. Stonyfield Organic. Old is new again, as companies rethink the single-use, ultra-disposable lifestyle we've grown accustomed to. These nifty products do away with needless packaging, so consumers can shop with a clean conscience. The packaging will compost industrial facilities and will biodegrade in the ocean. Target understands people want eco-friendly products that limit waste, which is why it’s partnering with brands to reduce product packaging. Let’s take a quick look at a few of these innovative companies. Saltwater makes the rings from barley and wheat ribbons leftover from brewing. ‘Eco-responsible packaging’ is part of Numi’s environmentally and socially conscious business model. Using recycled material for packaging means less material winds up in the landfill, reducing the overall cost to society. Some of the revolutionary methods they dream up for tackling waste are actually traditional, old-school techniques repurposed for modern times. Companies already going green with sustainable packaging include: Gap, Inc. After a year of development and testing, Loving the Wild recently released a compostable tray for their line of ready-to-cook sustainable seafood meals. For 25 years, Strauss Family Creamery has packaged organic milk in reusable glass bottles made with up to 30 percent recycled glass. Several companies sell coffee in bags that claim to be compostable but are not actually certified for composting. Feature Image Courtesy of Vivianne Lemay on Unsplash. How to Eat Every Part of the Plant. Summit is more than a vendor — we’re your trusted packaging partner. These bags use non-compostable plastic parts to keep them airtight. Using recycled material for packaging means less material winds up in the landfill, reducing the overall cost to society. Reducing Packaging Materials Looking for ways to reduce the amount of packing materials used onsite is one of the first steps manufacturers can take toward reducing production waste. GoPacks come with a wrapped paper spoon that is partially made from FSC certified paper and is recyclable wherever coffee cups are recyclable. Now Don Maslow Coffee is one of the first to sell products in these certified compostable bags. Their chocolate boxes and line of boxed cereals are made of 100 percent recycled wood fibers. TIPA conducts shelf-life tests with each brand they work with to ensure the same shelf life as conventional packaging. Many other food and beverage companies, like White Leaf Provisions, partner with TerraCycle for the same reasons as Buddy Fruits. A large portion of their cans are made of half previously recycled aluminum and use 95 percent less energy than conventional aluminum cans. A more circular approach is needed, where we not only use less packaging, but design the packaging … 3. Kraftpak is a biodegradable unbleached carton board that seals with water-soluble adhesives. The corrugated cardboard we use to ship our products is made of 80 per cent post-consumer recycled content. More than 40 firms including Coca-Cola have promised to reduce harmful packaging. Method's squirt bottle for its 8x concentrated laundry detergent is a … Sarah Kaeck, founder of the company, created the product after struggling to find a sustainable way to keep her homemade bread fresh.“I wanted to create something that made it easier for my family, and others, to reduce waste and cut down on single-use plastics,” Kaeck says. The huge company is seeking to reduce packaging by 5 perent globally by 2013, eliminate PVC from private brand packaging and become packaging … The company has an 80 percent return rate on bottles, keeping about 500,000 pounds of milk containers and plastic out of landfills each year. Alter Eco, Credit: 17 Movements in South America Fighting for Food and Land Sovereignty, Black Farmer Fund is Building Resilient Black Food Economies, New Report from World Wildlife Fund Explores Planet-Based Diets, 26 Children’s Books to Nourish Growing Minds, New Research Finds Growth in Social Groups Focused on Sustainable Agriculture, Allégorie Reimagines Fashion Through Discarded Fruits and Ethical Values, FAO and World Food Law Institute Symposium, Plastic-Free Cucumbers Reduce Plastic and Food Waste, DC Offers Another Round of Relief to Restaurants, Farm Rescue Helps Farming and Ranching Families in the Midwest, Remembering Percy Schmeiser: Farmer and Hero, Tech Startup iFarm Raises US$4 Million to Expand Do-It-Yourself Urban Farms, USDA Proposal Aims to Loosen School Nutrition Standards, 11 Organizations Honoring Native Peoples’ History & Future on Thanksgiving, Recognizing this issue, and under pressure from consumers, Promoting Integrated Fisheries in West Africa, An Unexpected Collaboration Is Reducing Food Waste in Illinois, Maryland Bans EPS Packaging in Food Service, Rethinking Food Packaging May Address the Plastic Crisis, 15 Must See Events at Natural Products #ExpoWest 2019, Annual Food Tank NYC Summit and Gala Dinner. AMCOR LIMITED: :1860; Revenue: $9.1 Billion. “For us to feel that we need to upset that, and to disrupt it all at once, wouldn’t help the industry as a whole to solve the challenge of reducing plastic’s footprint.” Here are 25 companies developing innovative sustainable packaging solutions in the food industry: Twenty-five of the world's biggest brands partnering with Loop said they will test a shift to the "milkman model" in an effort to reduce waste. Advocate for companies to reduce their packaging. Everyone laughs when Amazon or another ecommerce retailer sends a tiny product in a huge box, but this occurs because unengaged picking and packing staff simply send out the product in whatever packaging … He’s back in town to deliver your daily dairy and collect and reuse the empties. Reduce our virgin plastic packaging by 50% by 2025, with one-third coming from an absolute plastic reduction. Celestial’s tea bags are compostable, and their outer boxes are made with 100 percent recycled paperboard. These 101 companies are committed to reducing their carbon footprints and setting examples for others in their industries. Lighter packaging means less cost to transport products, while also reducing greenhouse gases. They take a keen interest in sustainability, from the sourcing of the beans all the way to what’s left behind. Reducing Wasted Food and Packaging 2 Reasons to Reduce Wasted Food Reason 1: Wasting food costs money Wasted food costs the commercial food service industry roughly $100 billion annually .2 Reducing wasted food and packaging can save money by reducing … And the milk-man concept of leave-and-retrieve is being copied by other industries, too, delivering the new, picking up the old, and reducing packaging that would end up in landfills. For example, our Seventh Generation brand is eliminating virgin petroleum (new plastic … But not all recycling programs accept mixed material cartons like Tetra Pak, and some that do end up sending the cartons to the dump or incinerator. Numerous studies have found that the life-cycle GHG emissions of Tetra Pak is generally the lowest of packaging types. Fully compostable bags without these parts are also available, but they can’t keep the coffee fresh for as long. To reduce packaging costs, you’ll need to think about … Loving the Wild will come out with a microwaveable version later this year. Some companies would like to use more sustainable packaging but feel the nature of their product makes it difficult or impossible with available options. No gift befits the food-obsessed people in your life like a cookbook. Customers can rinse their bottles and return them to the store where purchased to get back a US$2.00 deposit. To reduce packaging costs, you’ll need to think about reducing shipping costs as well. No Evil Foods’ vegetarian meat alternatives come in compostable packaging made by Kraftpak and are printed with plant-based ink. Bring in an Industrial Shredder. Roast beef is a classic main dish for holidays, family get-togethers, and elegant dinners alike. Walmart, the leading retail giant of the world, is developing sustainable solutions to product packaging. Recognizing this issue, and under pressure from consumers, several of these very same corporations have recently pledged to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging. As public awareness of the harm single use plastics have on the oceans, major companies are started to act in the United Kingdom. Loving Earth’s chocolate bar and superfood bar packaging is made with Econic, a compostable film derived from FSC certified wood pulp and non-gmo corn. They recently reduced their annual packaging use by 44,000 pounds by eliminating the overwrap and tea string from their single-use mate bags. Celestial Tea does not use strings, staples, and individual wrappers for its tea bags. All across the board, companies are evaluating ways to minimize waste. Almost all of Guayaki’s packaging is recyclable bottles and cans, and they sell their loose leaf yerba mate in compostable Natureflex bags. The company says these practices prevent 3.5 million pounds of landfill material a year. Here are six brands, ranging from organic snack company Alter Eco to clean beauty favorite RMS Beauty, that use sustainable packaging to help you reduce your plastic waste. Reusable bottles are the most sustainable way to haul around water. Invest in an industrial shredder as it can shred almost anything that’s … The paper comes from well-managed forests, and they use some of their profits for planting trees in areas affected by deforestation and fires. 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