We Love Jam: Small Company Finds Sustainable Packaging Solution

A small San Francisco-based company, We Love Jam is using some creative sustainable packaging for a new series of products it has just added to its lineup.  We Love Jam makes a variety of high quality jams and pickled goods and has recently expanded its line to include biscotti.

The company was looking for a sustainable solution to offer single biscotti for sale in coffee shops and also for a box of nine biscotti customers could purchase.

Concerned about the environmental impact of their packaging, co-founder and president Eric Haeberli was looking for a biodegradable alternative to plastic. Running a two person company means hands on involvement in all aspects of packaging design. 

He found an ideal solution from a supplier making bags from a biodegradable Innovia film.  The compostable bags turned out to be the perfect solution to keep their products safe and fresh.  Made from sustainability harvested wood pulp the packaging can then be composted by the consumer where it will decompose

Haeberli also handled the design of the paperboard box the biscotti are sold in.  He licensed an image from an area artist and worked with a company in the area to design the box itself. 

The box is a custom box made by Tharco. It is made from 30-40% post consumer recycled material and took around six months to produce said Haeberli.

We Love Jam's biscotti packaging is a great example of how a small company can create sustainable packaging.

We are often asked by small business owners for help in navigating the packaging industry. Too often they find resistance every step of the way from manufacturers due to low order volumes and often find themselves having to compromise on sustainability in order to get their packaging produced on time and within their budget.

Examples like We Love Jam show small businesses can succeed and produce high quality well designed packaging that meets their needs and satisfies their customers.

REI Corn Based PLA Gift Cards

Washington-based outdoor company REI is using new biodegradable gift cards made by NatureWorks. The gift cards are made from PLA which is a corn-based bio-plastic.

The new cards replace the company's previous designs and are available across the country.

REI's move to the PLA cards follows similar offerings from Target and Toys R Us who have each offered some type of more eco-friendly gift card options to their customers.

Method Hand Soap Refill

San Francisco-based Method is coming out with a new design for its liquid hand soap refill packaging.  The new packaging also marks the release of the much awaited refill for their popular foaming hand soap.

Sustainable is Good reported back in January, the new soap packaging design was coming.  Method decided to change the design of its liquid hand soap refills due to concerns over readability of its earlier clear design.

The new design features the same pouch from Winpack International and a white base color with colorful photos depicting the relevant soap bottle the refill is for.

According to a Method spokeswoman the new packaging is currently making its way onto store shelves.  She said the transition to the new packaging will be gradual implying existing stock will be used up and then replaced with the new design.

Primo Water Ingeo PLA Bottle

North Carolina-based Primo Water launched earlier this month and becomes the only US bottled water company to use bio-based material for its singe serve 16.9 fl.oz bottles.

Now defunct, Colorado-based Biota used to be the only company in the US selling bottled water in PLA packaging.

Primo's water bottle is made from Ingeo PLA (formerly NatureWorks) from NatureWorks LLC. Ingeo is a corn-based bio-plastic. The single serve bottles are sold nationally in 18-count multi packs.

“We're proud to bring consumers a more environmentally-friendly bottled water,” said Billy Prim, CEO of Primo Water Corporation. “Not only does Primo give consumers the great taste, convenience, everyday price value and availability that they've been looking for in a bottled water, it also helps them to leave a better world for their children.”

Primo Water attracted attention earlier this year when it was featured in the green room of the first “green” Grammy awards in Los Angeles

Kraft Salad Dressing Packaging

Kraft Foods has revamped the packaging for its bottled salad dressings as part of an effort to revitalize the product line.  The new packaging has received a number of accolades from both industry and consumers.  Most recently winning an award at the DuPont sustainable packaging awards

Kraft's redesign allowed the company to spruce up the image of their salad dressings enhancing graphics and the overall design of the bottle.  The design changed from their triangular style bottle to a newer more sleek bottle that would appeal to consumers.  The new bottle is more ergonomically designed and sports clean fresh graphics adding a sense of excitement back into the line.

The new PET bottle weighs nearly 19 percent less than the previous version.  This reduction in weight increases shipping efficiency by nearly 20 percent and saves Kraft an estimated three millions pounds of PET a year.

The Chicago Tribune reported the new bottle required Kraft to significantly rework manufacturing lines at its salad dressing plants in Champaign and Garland, Texas.

Along with the redesign Kraft also reformulated all 50 existing flavors and introduced five new vinaigrette dressings.

PJ's Coffee Packaging

Late last year we reported on several well known US coffee brands switching to new packaging made by fres-co that contained a layer of PLA replacing some of the petroleum-based lining.

New Orleans-based PJ's Coffee now joins the list of companies using new packaging with a sustainable component to it. 

PJ's has a new bag from Sonoco that uses less materials than other bags on the market and offers great flexibility in terms of graphics and design.

PJ's is using the packaging for 26 SKUs of its whole bean coffee. The new bags feature a three layer structure composed of polyester, foil and a sealant.

The bags require 10 percent less material, use 15 percent less energy to produce and have 10 percent less carbon emissions compared to a standard four-ply bag structure.

“As a company, we are focused on sustaining the 'triple bottom line' demands of our customers: social responsibility, environmental stewardship and economics. The three-ply foil bag for the coffee segment is one example,” said Angela Adams, Sonoco Flexible Packaging segment manger.

The bags main sustainability claims are its efficient use of less resources according to the manufacturer.

Dell Latest Company Featured with Packaging Gaffe

Readers of the popular web site The Consumerist know excessive packaging can be problem.  The site regularly runs stories based on reports from readers who order a product online and receive the item with excessive packaging.

The latest story features a reader who ordered a Kingston 2gb USB flash drive.  The drive arrived promptly from Dell in a box that seemed rather large for the item. 

From The Consumerist: "From the looks of David's package, Dell isn't close to honoring its promise to switch to alternative packaging within the next two months. This obscenely large box contained nothing more than a 2GB flash drive."

The fact consumers are reacting in a negative fashion to excessive shipping packaging is important to note.  It serves as an indicator as to how the issue of excessiveness is resonating with consumers.  Is it the fact that consumers react only in instances of egregious over packaging or are people becoming more and more aware of packaging and excessiveness in general?

Dell isn't alone, Amazon.com is another company whose excessive packaging issues are often featured on the Consumerist.

Earth Week Giveaway

Earth Week Giveaway!

In celebration of Earth Day April 22nd Sustainable is Good is having a giveaway for readers.  All you need to do to participate is email a list of your five favorite green products to sustainableisgood(AT)gmail.com by Friday April 25th.  Please make the subject for your email "Giveaway".  We will choose two winners from those who respond and we'll feature the winners favorite products on Sustainable is Good Products the following week

The two winners will receive a brand new Brita faucet filtration system and a non-leaching #2 HDPE Nalgene Filter for Good reusable water bottle.

Thanks to the folks at Filterforgood.com a partnership between Brita and Nalgene for sponsoring our Earth Week Giveaway and good luck!

Australian Scent Packaging

Australian Scent is a small natural skin care company based in Houston.  The company's all natural products are of high quality and appeal to a growing market of consumers interested in natural and organic skin care products. 

Australian Scent uses stock packaging for the majority of their product packaging.  The company is an excellent example of how careful creative use of stock packaging can come together to give a product line the look and feel of custom packaging. 

Company co-founder Megan Enriquez told Sustainable is Good she spends about 15-20% of her time on packaging both sourcing and researching.

“We use multiple companies, including some from California, Ohio, Idaho, Connecticut, Texas and New York, often getting the jar from one area and the lids from another,” said Enriquez. 

The majority of the packaging the company uses is glass and through careful work they have been able to develop a consistent feel to their products through the packaging. 

Sustainable is Good had the opportunity to examine a number of Australian Scent's products and packaging.  The products in the line work well together and the combination of frosted, clear and brown glass jars and bottles signify different types of products within the line.  The products are all drawn together by the consistency of the lid design

Always looking for new more efficient packaging options, Enriquez is confident as her company grows she'll be able to move into more sustainable packaging options eliminating the small amount of plastic they currently use.

Enriquez dislikes waste and the company encourages customers to return the glass packaging where it will be sterilized and reused.

LEARN  more about Australian Scent, read our story on their products on Sustainable is Good Products

Target Releases Statement on Archer Farms Cereal Packaging

Target is now ready to talk, several days after Sustainable is Good reported on Target's Archer Farms brand new cereal packaging the company has released a statement. 

When Sustainable is Good contacted Target through its NYC-based PR firm Kaplow last week they refused comment on the new packaging. 

The statement from Target was released late Wednesday afternoon and introduces the new packaging.  Offering few specific details, the statement highlights the consumer benefits of the new packaging design.  It does not address the materials used in the packaging or whether its recyclable.

The media strategy on this product launch quite frankly makes no sense especially considering the fact Kaplow, when asked repeatedly about the packaging last week refused comment.

Kaplow's reluctance to comment contradicts a statement on its own web site highlighting the fact they pride themselves in working with new media sources like bloggers. 

Kaplow says, ""We get directly to consumers when we blog for our clients and talk to bloggers. Our savvy discourse with these powerful new influencers inserts our clients into the most impactful conversations on the Web."

Based on this core principle of Kaplow's PR methods it remains unknown why Target or Kaplow couldn't provide comment on this packaging when asked just four business days ago. 

Prior reporting from other sources it would indicate that Target is responsible for the lack of comment.

How could a company so "with it" in so many ways refuse to acknowledge or speak with new media sources on exciting new packaging or products they themselves created? 

Does Target really think its customer base gets all their information from the 6pm news or the Sunday circulars?  There is a tremendous disconnect between Target's design and product development (which is very progressive and forward thinking) and its media/PR strategy - am I the only one that sees this? 

Come on guys your largest growing customer base of "guests" is the 35 and under age group - who get the majority of their information from non-traditional sources like the internet.  Your "guests," like your designs and product development are "with it" they shop at Target because the store provides cool unique well designed products are discount prices. 

Newsflash:  Target "guests" are some of the most frequent visitors to the Sustainable is Good sites.  Target products and new developments are the two things I am most frequently asked about by people. Your PR strategy is completely missing the boat - and its very frustrating.  Sites like Sustainable is Good are actually trying to help you but you won't talk. 

The release from Target reads as follows:

Target debuts its latest design innovation, the new Archer Farms® cereal canister packaging, which merges design, function, value and convenience all together for a refreshing approach to breakfast. A first for the breakfast cereal category, the new reclosable spout and lid design provides a facelift to traditional bag-in-box packaging.

Available exclusively at Target and SuperTarget, the affordably priced Archer Farms cereal canister features a reclosable easy-flow spout and snap-shut lid that allow for simple pouring and snacking. This innovative packaging ensures that cereal stays fresher longer, while eliminating stale or unused cereal. Oblong shaped and partially constructed from recycled paperboard, the cereal canister offers a slim design—10 inches tall by two and one and a half inches deep—that requires minimal kitchen cabinet space.

"At Target, we strive to bring great design to our guests, and the food category is no exception," says Greg Duppler, senior vice president, merchandising, Target. "With the new Archer Farms cereal canister, we offer an innovative, yet convenient, design that reinvents the way our guests experience breakfast."

The Archer Farms cereal canisters are available in 18 flavor combinations such as Triple Berry Clusters, Vanilla Spice Squares, Banana Walnut Bliss, Pecan Sticky Bun and Blueberry Flax, ranging in price from $3.49 - $3.99. Several flavor combinations contain organic and all natural products to offer delicious, yet better-for-you food options. The new Archer Farms cereal canisters will be available in April.

Created with the finest ingredients, Archer Farms is a premium and innovative food brand, providing guests with everything from elegant hors d’oeurves and gourmet spreads, to European-style baked goods and meals on-the-go. Delivering on its “Everyday Incredible” promise, Archer Farms combines the highest quality foods with affordable prices.