Consumers are becoming increasingly anti-packaging as awareness of its environmental impact grows, and grocery retailers have taken note and started to offer more alternatives to excessively wrapped food. However, there are some consumable products for which it makes sense to be packaged – even in plastic – because the negative environmental impact of not doing so can outweigh the status quo.
One of the worst culprits in the battle to reduce packaging – or at least recycle more of it – is plastic film, which tends to be very difficult, or impossible, to recycle cost-efficiently. Thankfully, there have been innovations in this area of late.
NatureFlex is a range of speciality packaging films developed by Futamura, the world’s largest producer of cellulose films.
These bio-films are based strongly on renewable resources, with wood-pulp from managed plantations. In addition, certain grades are suitable for home composting, and some have been proven to biodegrade in a waste-water environment. Further testing has proven that most NatureFlex grades are also suitable for anaerobic digestion.
Meanwhile, Wastebased is a London-based company specialising in packaging alternatives made from corn starch and two bioplastics (PLA and PBAT). PLA, or polyactic acid, is a bio-based, biodegradable bioplastic derived from fermented plant starch such as sugarcane. PBAT (polybutylene adipate terephthalate) is a non-bio-based, biodegradable bioplastic derived partly from oil. Although the company is seeking alternatives to PBAT, it biodegrades rapidly and has home compostable status. The products available using these materials are e-commerce mailers and poly bags.
For an eco-friendly alternative to bubblewrap, check out Kite. This is a 100% recyclable substitute for traditional polyethlene bubblewrap, and is made from responsibly sourced paper. The product comes in rolls of various sizes, starting from £6.52 per roll. It has indentations for strength and protection. The company also lists a number of other plastic packaging alternatives on its website, and offers advice to clients on becoming environmentally friendly.
further reading…
Consumers are becoming increasingly anti-packaging as awareness of its environmental impact grows, and grocery retailers have taken note and started to offer more alternatives to excessively wrapped food. However, there are some consumable products for which it makes sense to be packaged – even in plastic – because the negative environmental impact of not doing so can outweigh the status quo.
One of the worst culprits in the battle to reduce packaging – or at least recycle more of it – is plastic film, which tends to be very difficult, or impossible, to recycle cost-efficiently. Thankfully, there have been innovations in this area of late.
NatureFlex is a range of speciality packaging films developed by Futamura, the world’s largest producer of cellulose films.
These bio-films are based strongly on renewable resources, with wood-pulp from managed plantations. In addition, certain grades are suitable for home composting, and some have been proven to biodegrade in a waste-water environment. Further testing has proven that most NatureFlex grades are also suitable for anaerobic digestion.
Meanwhile, Wastebased is a London-based company specialising in packaging alternatives made from corn starch and two bioplastics (PLA and PBAT). PLA, or polyactic acid, is a bio-based, biodegradable bioplastic derived from fermented plant starch such as sugarcane. PBAT (polybutylene adipate terephthalate) is a non-bio-based, biodegradable bioplastic derived partly from oil. Although the company is seeking alternatives to PBAT, it biodegrades rapidly and has home compostable status. The products available using these materials are e-commerce mailers and poly bags.
For an eco-friendly alternative to bubblewrap, check out Kite. This is a 100% recyclable substitute for traditional polyethlene bubblewrap, and is made from responsibly sourced paper. The product comes in rolls of various sizes, starting from £6.52 per roll. It has indentations for strength and protection. The company also lists a number of other plastic packaging alternatives on its website, and offers advice to clients on becoming environmentally friendly.