We often explain that products declaring themselves as sustainable, green or ecologic have an obligation to be packaged in something as green and sustainable as the product itself. It would indeed be counter-intuitive to offer something “green” in a non-recyclable packaging. And customers expect more and more organic products, with a lesser impact on the environment.
It pushes brands to react and therefore to innovate to find packaging which are profitable and green. For the last few years, many innovations appeared – and we try to talk about them the most we can! One of the latest is very interesting, and it is sugar cane.
Yes, sugar cane, this is what we make the sugar for your coffee with. It can be used to create packaging, and more precisely a high-density polyethylen which is made with 50% of a ethanol-based material. It replaces the usual resin made of petroleum and it offers the same results. It is 100% recyclable as well.
The rest of this polyethylen (the other 50%) is of course made of recycled and recyclable material. The main advantage of such a process is that it uses a renewable material : sugar cane is indeed pretty easy to grow. It is a resource easy to produce, unlike petroleum which is running out.
Let’s wait and see how this innovative platic packaging – maybe revolutionary, who knows? – will find a market and become the go-to plastic.