Our Packaging and the Environment!
A little history.
When Summer Naturals launched online back in 2006 we would collect reused boxes from the local off licence and supermarket, wine bottle boxes were the perfect size for a 5 litre bottle of vinegar. The amount of damages we had in those wine boxes was, well damage and even loss was a regular thing. We sold powdered ingredients like Bicarbonate of Soda andCitric Acid in heavy duty paper bags, we also saw a lot of damages, it became quite clear that packaging was going to be a problem.
We wanted to use packaging that was as environmentally friendly as we could possibly make it, we used and still do use brown paper as void fill, we also wanted to keep prices down and packaging is expensive. We found that after a few years that we couldn’t get very many cardboard boxes from the supermarket as used cardboard can be sold for recycling.
Today we buy in cardboard boxes but we also reuse boxes when we can. We did have to start bagging down into plastic bags, these bags are fully recyclable. We looked at biodegradable packaging bags, unfortunately a pile of Citric Acid in a customers cleaning cupboard simply doesn’t work and so recyclable plastic bags seem to have held up well through the delivery services and help us to keep our prices down for our customers.
A few tips for reusing the packaging that our products are sold in.
Empty Bicarbonate of Soda Bags: I have been using these as cloches after I have planted seeds. Turn the bag inside out, dust off any residue.
Empty White Vinegar Bottles: I use these a lot in the garden, they can be chopped down to make soil scoops, chopped down to use as plant pots or as trays for under plant pots.