I lately requested my community of LinkedIn connections to inform me in regards to the coolest sustainable packaging improvements they’ve come throughout. I bought a much bigger response than I anticipated.

Earlier than I leap into what I discovered about — all the things from edible cups to seaweed take-out bins — let me step again a minute. I don’t consider all packaging ought to be made out of compostable supplies. That merely doesn’t match each software — and sometimes reuse, refill and recycling will be higher options. As well as, compostable supplies aren’t essentially sensible. Not everybody has quick access to composting of their houses and companies.

That mentioned, a bunch of cool improvements are on this house, lots of which my crowdsourcing uncovered.

Listed here are seven of my favorites and why:

To-go cups

I’d be very shocked in the event you’re studying this article and haven’t heard people speaking in regards to the want for innovation in to-go cups. It appears everyone seems to be making an attempt to innovate across the takeaway cup and The Good Cup might have unlocked some new potential with its modern, lid-free design. These cups are marketed as house compostable and recyclable and may even be made with envoPAP paper created from discarded agricultural fibers. The web site touts plastics financial savings, space for storing discount and value financial savings on high of the end-of-life advantages.

Seaweed, seaweed, SEAWEED!

Tons of firms are popping up within the seaweed packaging house. Apart from being compostable, seaweed additionally advantages from very quick progress charges (10-15 toes per week) which means it may be harvested in excessive portions and can even sequester lots of CO2 from the ocean. Examples of firms making seaweed packaging embody NotPLA, SWAY, B’Zeos and others.    

A styrofoam substitute

Cruz Foam makes use of upcycled chitin, a biproduct of shelling shrimp for the seafood market, and was initially conceived as a surfboard materials. Listed as each curbside recyclable and compostable, this materials may very well be a substitute for EPS and EPE foams in protecting and chilly chain packaging purposes.

Bamboo lipstick tubes

Magnificence and private care packaging will be an end-of-life quagmire as a result of the small codecs complicate recycling. To supply one resolution for this concern, Clear Filter Packaging has created jars, lip balm tubes, twist-up stick packages and different codecs from bamboo which might be industrially compostable. Some intriguing reuse options additionally pop up right here. 

Luggage and straws

In terms of eliminating plastic waste, flexibles reminiscent of wraps and baggage is usually a huge problem. Kansas Metropolis-based Biolo presents options for each baggage and straws which might be created from polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and licensed compostable byTÜV for each house and industrial composting. 

The OCG (Unique Compostable Gangster)

Any checklist speaking about compostable packaging has to say Ecovative. Constructed from hemp hurd and mycelium, Ecovative packaging supplies is usually a substitute for expanded foams, paper board and plastic packaging. The fabric is house compostable and grows straight in a mildew for the form wanted within the closing software. I’ve all the time thought of Ecovative one of many OGs of the compostable packaging world. 

Edible cup, anybody?

Amai Edible Cups are touted as nutritious, versatile and environmentally pleasant. The cup created from upcycled grains has solely 56 energy for these watching their weight and is marketed as moisture resistant for 45 minutes and in a position to withstand leaking for 12 hours. 

I’d love to listen to about some other cool new packaging about! Simply write to me at [email protected].