More and more, consumers are starting to understand the importance of not only what they buy, but also how it’s packaged. An eco-friendly cleanser doesn’t really help the environment much if the empty container is not recyclable. And I am often shocked by how many layers of paper and plastic I have to get through to reach a jar of moisturizer. I’m not the only one. The New York Times reported last year that 40 percent of women surveyed said that environmentally friendly packaging was part of their decision when shopping for makeup.
These considerations were certainly in my mind when I started selling Sirona Springs handmade soap. In the first year of business, I packaged the soap in cardboard boxes made from 70% post-consumer recycled paper, along with printed labels. These were fine, but I always wished that the soap bar were more visible. Truth be told, soap color and design is what inspires me. But a more visible bar that still stayed clean and safe on the shelf meant some kind of plastic and I wasn’t comfortable being the conduit for more plastic ending up in a landfill. Then I found a solution!
About a year ago I started using a new packaging system sold by National Shrinkwrap and featuring a shrink wrap made from Biolefin, an oxo-biodegradable plastic. This means that in the presence of oxygen and sunlight or heat, the plastic breaks down and changes into products that are then able to be decomposed by natural soil microorganisms like bacteria, fungi and algae. Because of these characteristics, this plastic will break down even in a landfill (where enough heat builds up) or if accidentally introduced into the environment as litter (due to the action of the sunlight with oxygen). And if you have recycling in your community, it can be tossed into those bins, too!
As a soapmaker, this system has allowed me to package my soap in a professional-looking way that is still quick and easy to do. It comes with everything I need to wrap each bar quickly and then shrink down the film. The result is a clean, protected bar of soap that shines on a retail shelf.
Customers can now see exactly what the bar looks like before buying it. For a product like handmade soap, where each bar is unique, that’s an important consideration. I use the optional perforated shrink wrap so that customers can still sniff the scent. And the wrapping is flexible, so no matter what size or shape (or what bits stick out of the top of the bar), it’s covered!
Gift sets are so easy to make now! I just wrap several bars together, or add an accessory, and I have a gift anyone would love to receive!
Using this plastic wrap also means that I was able to stop using adhesive labels. Now the label is printed on plain paper, which is also recyclable (and much less expensive than a sticky label). And finally, the smaller footprint of each individual bar (without a box around it) means that we can pack more bars into each mailing container, making shipping more efficient, too.
*FREE SHIPPING*: Since we love the biodegradable Biolefin wrapping so much, The Nova Studio recently became a “rep” for National Shrinkwrap Machines. We like to think of ourselves as an “order liaison.” We help you pick the best system for your needs (perforated or non-perforated, what size machine, what gauge film to get, etc.). And, if that wasn’t enough, by placing your order through The Nova Studio, we will also pay the shipping for you (within the continental US). It generally saves you about $25. You can read more about it HERE. Please contact us if you have any questions or if you are ready to place an order. As the tag line for National Shrinkwrap succinctly states, “It’s a Big World. We’ll help you shrink it!”
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