Hi and welcome to the Exclusive Content for SPN! Each day, I will be writing exclusively for SPN, as to not inundate you with too much information in one go. I was thinking of each week going with a specific theme, what do you think? I know what you’re thinking, let’s do it!
Let’s start briefly with news surrounding paper packaging (because I have a story to tell you about this one!). We have had news come in from Lactips who are expanding its paper coating range with the new CareTips® PFP344MAX sealant grade. The article we have received goes on to say that it is ideal not only for inert and dry good products, but secondary packaging as well. This paper coating is also fully biobased, recyclable and compostable at home, which ensures environmental safety as well as compliance with health standards.
This compostable packaging reminds me of an episode of Dragon’s Den I watched with my husband a while back. For those of you who are unaware of the program, an entrepreneur enters the ‘Den’ to pitch their business idea to a potential investor. Most of the time they ask for a cash injection in return for equity in their business (but anything can happen!). So, back to my previous point, a young male entrepreneur enters the den with a business which creates children’s books which can be planted into the ground to make their own ‘characters’ (ie, the vegetable character from the book!). It made me think what a great way of not only creating and manufacturing a product which has sustainability built at its core, but also a great way of educating our children as to where the food we eat comes from. I’ll let you watch the episode of Dragon’s Den with this business in, but if I was a dragon, they would definitely be getting my investment!
From compostable packaging, we go to bio-based packaging. I’m not going to lie; it’s a concept which a few years ago I thought wouldn’t work. The packaging material is thin and eventually people will see that it’s just not fit for purpose (I say that as a dog owner who used bio-based packaging disposable bags!). However, I hugely underestimated the way technology is evolving and how quickly it is evolving.
At SPN, we have been told of a company called HUID, based in Oban, Scotland, about how they have produced packaging made from onion skin. “Producing the packaging involves extracting high-quality cellulose from onion skins and combining it in a biopolymer blend, creating a film with a mechanical strength comparable to conventional plastics. Onion skins also have anti-microbial properties, meaning the packaging could help extend the shelf life of perishable foods”. The article goes on to say that The team is being supported by the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) and this is what Aineias Karkasinas, Sustainability Engineer at NMIS, said “Our collaboration with HUID perfectly illustrates where NMIS can add value by helping transform manufacturing practices. NMIS champions sustainable solutions and supports small and medium sized businesses through providing them with access to expertise and equipment they may not have in-house.
“HUID’s creative use of onion skins minimises waste and is a great response to the current market need for sustainable packaging. It has been great to support the development of genuinely sustainable solutions and provide HUID with deeper insights into the environmental performance of its materials.”. I don’t know about anyone else, but I have a large household and anything that can help extend the shelf life of perishable goods is a big bonus to me. This is a perfect way of using nature and foods to create packaging which stops us filling landfills to the brim.
It's crazy to think that maybe even 15 years ago, concepts like this were unthinkable. We were using plastic bags from the supermarket like they were going out of fashion and it was a fairly new idea that we needed to put recycling bins in our home to stop our waste bins from overflowing due to a long period of time between collections. Even the kids are interested in what happens to the packaging and how we can become more sustainable. Best believe sustainable packaging is a hot topic in our household!
I could go on forever and ever talking about sustainable packaging but there comes a time where we must stop for the day. Rest assured, more content regarding bio-based and compostable packaging will be available to view tomorrow.
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Let’s be more sustainable. Together.