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Globe Guard Products Provides Green Packaging at Affordable Prices

Sustainable is Good longtime contributor and friend Dennis Salazar, president of Chicago's Salazar Packaging just last week launched a new arm of his successful packaging business. 

His latest venture, Globe Guard Products, provides sustainable packaging supplies direct to customers via the Internet.  Globe Guard Products is a new concept and provides businesses access to greener packaging supplies at affordable prices.  His latest venture should be a tremendous boon for small businesses across the country looking for sustainable packaging without the traditional high costs. 

Interview & Discount

This week I was able to speak with Dennis about Globe Guard Products and learn about his new business.  Dennis has graciously extended a 10% discount at Globe Guard Products for all Sustainable is Good Readers.  Use the code "SISG" at checkout.

SISG: Tell me about Globe Guard Products and how it fits in with your other successful ventures, Salazar Packaging and the Globe Guard brand?

DS:  After thirty years in the packaging industry, my wife and I launched our own company two years ago, Salazar Packaging so we could focus on the areas of packaging we cared for. One of those was sustainable, eco friendly packaging. The market was telling us they wanted genuine, green packaging products they could trust and not clouded by all the hype and greenwashing that has been so prevalent. That is when we decided that the best way to be able to manage the marketing, quality and relative  “greenness” of any product was to create our own Globe Guard brand. Globe Guard Products.com was a natural evolution since it provided us an efficient way to satisfy the same needs of small and mid size volume customers who prefer the convenience of e-commerce shopping.

SISG:  What makes the line so special and is it unique in the marketplace?

DS:  Rider, as you know, our cornerstone product, Globe Guard shipping boxes are 100% recycled (PCW) content and are easily recycled. That product reflects our approach to market which is not only a concern with what a packaging product is today, but also what it will eventually become. Certainly a high recycled content is good and a high PCW content is even better but both have little value if ultimately the product is not easily recycled. We give that same thought and consideration to every product we add to our product line. We have all heard of products that are touted as compostable and well intentioned consumers buy them, only later to discover that the product will only break down in an  industrial composting facility and there are none in the area where that product can be processed. Products guilty of that type of intentional or unintentional deception are not going to appear on our store.

SISG:  Are you saying that all of your products fall into the same category in terms of composition and eventual disposition as your boxes?

DS:  We really wish that was possible but in many cases the product we need and want is still in development. The packaging industry has not quite caught up to demand but new and much greener products are coming out almost daily. What we do promise is that we will be truthful about what we have to offer today and that we are committed to a continual product line improvement.  

SISG:  Globe Guard Products seems to be ideal for small to medium business owners is that the main segment of the market you're targeting?

DS:  Our green store is definitely designed to serve the small to medium volume user but what we have found is that even very large green companies have packaging products they buy in relatively small quantities. Often times these purchases are made in a mail room or fulfillment center and unfortunately usually fly under their own corporate sustainable radar. This relates back to our concept of  “eco-consistency” we developed and promote which essentially means that everything a company ships out should reflect the same care and concern for the environment that their green products do. We believe we have provided an economical and convenient place to buy genuinely green product if that is what that customer wants and needs.

SISG:   I know sustainability is important to you - so how did you choose the products for the line and the materials they are made from?

DS:  Our customers usually lead us to the products they need, our job is to make them as green as possible. We go beyond the typical packaging supplier and get involved in the design and help to determine the material composition as well as the post use recyclability. We ask our vendors the tough questions the market rarely does so we can be confident in the description and claims we make on Globe Guard products.com. Please keep in mind a big part of what we do is educate the market through our articles, presentations, our blog Inside Sustainable Packaging and even through our Eco Ed cartoon which is a regular monthly feature in Packaging World magazine. It is through these various mediums we are able to correct miss conceptions and much like you Rider and SISG, expose products so our customer are well informed and know what to expect.

SISG:  In the sustainable products marketplace price is always a key issue - how are you able to keep the prices low?

DS:  Two years ago when we were just getting started down this green path, the economy was already beginning to sour so we quickly realized that any product we took to market had to be competitively priced. The thought or idea of getting a “green premium” for any green packaging product was growing increasingly unrealistic so we put our experience and manufacturer relationships to work to be able to buy right so we could sell right. It often meant buying product in much larger quantities than we really needed but we also understood that was the investment that had to be made to make the end user price market competitive. Especially in tough economic times there is always a lower price available but we are convinced that our customers appreciate  the authenticity of our products and the expertise that comes with them, so the value becomes as important as the price.

SISG:  For those concerned about carbon footprint - where are the products in your new line made?

DS:  Most of our products are made in the Midwest but our sources are truly coast to coast as we expand our manufacturing and even our distribution capabilities. Even though fuel prices are lower than they have been recently, we are very aware that transportation costs and carbon foot print concerns are major issue for all of us. That is why we are currently looking at opportunities that will enable us to do what we do more economically so our customer can feel as good about the way our products shipped to them as they do about the quality and greenness of their purchase. 

To find out more check out eco friend packaging from www.globeguardproducts.com 

Maggie's Organics Penguin

Popular organic sock and apparel manufacturer, Maggies's Organics has released the second stuff animal in their Maggie's Menagerie collection – a Penguin.

Just like their Sock Monkey, Maggie's Penguin is made from excess fabric and irregulars and stuffed with reclaimed polyester mill scrap helping keep factory waste from landfills.

The Penguin’s embroidered eyes and securely sewn on hat make it safe for all ages.

Maggie's new penguin is made in the USA by workers at Opportunity Threads, a 100% worker-owned cooperative in Morganton, North Carolina.

Like the Sock Monkey, Maggie's new Penguin is a creative way to help keep jobs in the USA and prevent scraps from everyday mill operation from end up in landfills. The concept of creating products like these cute stuff animals from these types of materials and resources is innovative and speaks to the character of the company itself.

Maggie's latest stuffed animal the Penguin is available directly from the company for $20.

The Meaning of Green

Brands Speak Out ~ the new world of Sustainable "Green" Brand Icons as Cultural Nomenclature

BY JACKIE DeLISE

Green logos, icons and brand symbols ~ where is the consumer to go to learn what they mean, what their intrinsic value is and relevance to their everyday lives ~ in their quest toward becoming good environmental stewards?!

This new lexicon of jargon is actually meaningful, but only to a select few who understand it!

Manufacturers and marketers frequently use terms such as sustainable, renewable, recyclable, biodegradable, compostable or refillable, to claim that their packaging is green.

There has also been an increase in the use of environmental logos, seals and third-party certification programs purporting to verify the positive environmental impact of product packaging.

Some examples are the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) for pulp sourcing, Climate Leaders for EPA programs, Green-e Certified for energy and Carbon Neutral for emissions.

This trend toward verification is attributed to the rise in mandatory national reporting.

Companies that join these programs agree to voluntarily reduce their environmental impact beyond what is required by law.

In addition, these programs act as a powerful communication tool with consumers and corporate stakeholders, as the perception of the seal on a package denotes authenticity.

But often times, when claims are used to sell products, consumer perception and substantiation issues may arise.

Consumers may have varying interpretations of such seals and programs, and there is a great deal of confusion, false perceptions, and inflated reality.

Many of these claims have no real substantiated definition, and no sanctioned regulations and if and how to use them.

Today, the challenge is how to translate this learning, to clarify sustainability in packaging

Let’s say for example, a package claims that the company is 100% wind-powered…what does this really mean and how does the message get carried through to the consumer? In other words, what is the real value or tangible benefit of this claim, and why should consumers care because there is a real (not perceived) knowledge gap. 

Marketers and designers must communicate with authenticity, transparency and sustainability ~ in a language that consumers understand and find meaningful to their small steps on a daily basis toward becoming environmental stewards.

Thus, the subject squarely centers around education through communication and lifestyle change/shift.
In the business of brand design, visual imagery has become an emotional “short hand” to trigger consumer buying motivations and purchase responses, so it is key to learn how to translate the new green vocabulary into valid nomenclature.

Sustainable is defined as indefinitely viable, capable of maintaining productivity or usefulness in the long term.

Sustainable design, graphic or otherwise, seeks to reduce impacts on the environment by relying on the use of renewable resources, among other measures.

So, how do we impact this reality?   Moreover, can we?

Again, consumer education and clearer labeling may help pressure the corporations into action. Perhaps if the consumer really understood who's claims were sincere, this would become a beneficial point of difference to drive the corporations to making the investments. The corporations who had the foresight to invest in removing trans fats before there was pressure to, found themselves in a profitable position once the consumers were educated better.

Another route would be some sort of government incentive to go green.

The real world shopping environment

The consumer has contact with packaging every day and contributes to the growing problem of waste through packaging.  Our research has found that not only do consumers want to simplify their daily lives, they do not want or need all the unnecessary packaging that their brands come in; they perceive it as extraneous to the product.

Packaging is also an easy target for legislature, as I mentioned earlier, that the FTC is now involved in creating mandates around the validity of claims.

And, there are some glaringly obvious disconnects: e.g., food with a 6 month shelf life in packages that last 6,000 years!!

So now you not only have solid waste but also greenhouse gases!!

Reducing the environmental footprint of packaging requires the cooperation of the entire value chain.

According to Andrew Savitz, author of The Triple Bottom Line, breakthrough Innovation is needed in at least four areas:

 - Packaging Materials
 - Packaging Design
 - Recycling
 - New Businesses

Lastly, in terms of brand icons as cultural nomenclature, a new consumer language has been created and it speaks of clarity in protecting the environment, shifting conspicuous consumption to mindful consumption, thus reducing our footprint, creating a healthy balance between consumerism and capitalism, and caring for our living earth.

Jackie DeLise is Vice President New Business & Brand Development of Zunda Group LLC.  Zunda Design Group creates brands that inspire, by designing visual identity and packaging that evoke emotions and connect consumers to their brand, ultimately captivating attention and purchase intent at retail.  Jackie can be reached at j.delise@zundagroup.com.

Taza Chocolate

Taza Chocolate is a relatively new brand on the chocolate market.  The company is based in Massachusetts and makes stone ground chocolate which is offers in a variety of flavors/configurations.  The stone ground chocolate is made using the method of traditional Mexican stone ground chocolate.

Taza's chocolate is unique - but so is the whole company from the products to their packaging.  The company makes a very distinct organic stone ground chocolate it sells in the form of a small disc.  The disc chocolate is sold in beautifully simple packaging that resembles wax paper in form.

The packaging for Taza's chocolate discs is so simple it makes it unique and it stands out on store shelves from a distance.  People are intrigued and want to know what the product is - its a very successful form of packaging.

Taza uses post-consumer recycled materials for its packaging whenever possible and all of their packaging and shipping supplies are 100% recyclable.

The company was founded by Alex Whitmore and Larry Slotnick (of Zipcar fame) with a simple goal make wonderful minimally processed chocolate in the Mexican stone ground style.

The chocolate is delicious.  Larry sent me some samples to try and boy is it good.  If you've never had stone ground chocolate its a totally different experience.  The chocolate looks like any other chocolate but its taste and texture is where it really shines.  The texture of Taza Chocolate in your mouth is initially almost gritty but has it develops it turns into a wonderfully pure and rich chocolate experience.

I especially liked their latest Chocolate Mexicano Stone Ground Chocolate with Guajillo Chili. 

A number of companies are combing chocolate with chilies but none are doing what Taza did with this combination.  The chocolate is warm and satisfying in the mouth with a slight hint of the Guajillo Chili its like a fine wine - the flavors are perfectly balanced.  A fine wine is a good analogy for Taza's Chocolates - their experience in chocolate making from Alex is akin to a french wine's master wine maker - that kind of talent sets the product aside from the rest.

Taza Chocolates are available directly from the company or a wide range of specialty food retailers across the country including Whole Foods Market.  I'd recommend checking their products out - in addition to the new Chili blend, my favorite is the Chocolate Mexicano with vanilla bean.

SIRA Technologies Food Sentinel System Thermal Barcode for Packaging

California -based SIRA Technologies is working with researchers from the University of Rhode Island Chemistry Department on a revolutionary packaging barcode technology which can alert consumers and retailers whether a product has been exposed to adverse conditions - affecting its safety.

If you have ever wondered whether the milk in your grocer’s refrigerator might have gone bad or if you left the pre-packaged meats on your kitchen counter too long, then a partnership between two University of Rhode Island chemistry professors and a food safety company will soon put you at ease.

Barcodes created by SIRA Technologies for use on refrigerated food products will incorporate an ink that will be rendered nearly invisible when conditions indicative of contamination exist, the ink will turn red and the barcode will be rendered incapable of transmitting data when scanned.

“We’ve all heard about people who have been sickened by contaminated food in recent years,” said Brett Lucht, who, along with colleague William Euler at the University of Rhode Island, developed the polymer that is added to the barcode ink to make it change color.

“Our partnership with SIRA Technologies is creating a smart packaging system that will prevent thousands of people from getting ill.”

The URI researchers began studying thermochromic pigments – those that change color at certain temperatures -- a decade ago when a cookware company sought a polymer that could be added to its products to make them change color when they were too hot to touch.

The heat-sensitive material they developed turned from red to yellow at 180 degrees Fahrenheit (the temperature at which a person would suffer a burn) and back to red when it cooled. That polymer generated interest from more than 100 companies that sought to incorporate it into dozens of different materials, from specialty fabrics to health care products. None of the companies, however, were willing to incur the added costs of refining the polymer for their specific uses.

But when Lucht and Euler modified their discovery into an irreversible polymer – one that does not revert to its original color after changing – SIRA Technologies took notice.

Bob Goldsmith, chief executive officer of the company, said that SIRA had developed a barcode that could sequester pathogens from animal blood and quantify the colony of pathogens with colored organic beads until the color emerges to activate the barcode and report the contamination.

The company’s subsequent search for an irreversible thermochromic ink led them to partner with URI in what is now trademarked and patented as The Food Sentinel System.

According to Lucht, other thermochromic indicators are commercially available, but they are expensive and they lack the archival feature required by regulatory agencies to track and trace products on a global scale. They also rely on human examination to judge whether the product has been rendered unsafe for consumption.

The cost of the SIRA Technologies barcode with the URI polymer will be less than four cents each.

The new packaging barcode technology has the potential to improving supply chains and in turn reducing wasted product and packaging.