Cup To Package
By Jo Phillips
History has shown us that the climate has always changed and fluctuated, due mainly to natural drivers that control our climate system. We are all painfully reminded now that recent variations in the Earth’s temperature, weather events, sea levels and sea ice highlight the catastrophic change happening to our environment. Since the industrial revolution, humans have expelled copious amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, triggering an unnatural warming that has seen the Earth’s temperature rise dramatically over a short period of time. Many say they are doing their bit but saying is totally different from doing. How do the copious cups of coffee many drink daily in non-reusable cups help our world? Find out more in Cup To Package
Although fluctuations are part and parcel of our Earth’s history, we are rapidly approaching a point where irreversible changes are occurring for not only us but for future generations. What we do within the next few years, will have a massive impact on our planet’s future and many brands talk about ‘green’ initiatives very few truly put money where their ‘words’ are. But one company that does follow through is definitely the scent brand Floral Street.
A handful of perfume companies are really working with producers of natural ingredients to have traceable and sustainable content in their fragrances, for example, the ingredient company Robertet have developed a long-term relationship with an Australian supplier that is dedicated to the sustainable development and production of sandalwood – for every tree that is cut down, 12 seeds are planted.
This means that Floral Street perfumers feature sustainably sourced Australian sandalwood in their scent Sparkling Electric Rhubarb as this is just one of many ingredients that have in the past been over-harvested and exploited in many growing regions around the world.
But it goes so much further. Each floral street fragrance comes beautifully boxed inside a groundbreaking pulp carton with an embossed lid, made from renewable, high-quality recycled fibres from responsibly managed forests. A totally recyclable and biodegradable box and a first for the world of fragrance.
Interestingly the process takes only one minute so not only is it a green set of materials it is quick to make so less energy is used.
The pulp used is from waste paper coffee and tea takeaway cups, with the plastic lying taken out and used for making energy, wastewater is cleaned and recycled and any waste pulp is composted at local farms.
Part-recycled water is added to the precision-weighed fibre inside a pulper.
The diluted pulp is taken to the thermoforming machine which forms the fibres according to a custom mould
Mechanical and renewable energy is applied to the mixture
Heat is added and the pulp is pressed in several stages
A specialist dye is blended in, using an Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) bleaching process.
So from used takeaway cups to beautifully designed packaging which is biodegradable and printed with vegetable and soy-based inks and the card and glass fragrance bottles are widely recyclable.
The programme for sustainability extends past packaging. The home fragrance collections include 100% plastic-free scented reeds in widely recyclable FSC-certified packaging. There is a real ethical focus for the brand based on reuse, repurpose, recycling and upcycling runs through the whole brand from harvesting the responsibly sourced ingredients through the whole supply chain to the end product.
Since the industrial revolution, humans have expelled copious amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, yet as we can see it is up to each and every one of us to contribute in some way to our behaviour, and where we choose to buy from in order to help our beautiful planet heal.
Find out more about Floral Street.com Here
If you enjoyed reading Cup To Package why not read Art of the Industrial Age Here
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