Packaging made from algae. Is this the future? We'll explain how it works.
Two years ago, we got in touch with Notpla. A startup from England dedicated to making packaging from algae. A complex process that involves a lot of development and raises questions like "what is truly sustainable?" and "when will this be proven?".
These are questions we ask ourselves every day. "What is the power of algae?" It is so versatile that we are constantly looking at how we can best use this extraordinary organism for a healthier world.
Notpla turned out to be a company that truly commits to a healthier world and continues to amaze us with algae-based solutions. For us, it was a "no-brainer" to join forces and bring this wonderful solution to the world.
At plnktn., we want to set a standard that inspires other companies to do better. We therefore invest in more expensive packaging, but this significantly reduces our negative impact.
Our situation
Through the subscription model, customers receive a new supply of algae supplements every X weeks. Currently, we send 70% of our total package volume via letterbox packages. Packages that we will now replace with algae packaging. Not a small number of our packages, but tens of thousands of packages annually! This means we can truly make an impact.
Product information
The cardboard currently consists of 30% algae. Notpla is continuously innovating to increase this percentage, but currently, this is the best ratio in terms of quality & sustainability.
Impact
The environmental impact per package is 70% lower compared to conventional cardboard. For us, this was the reason to switch immediately. The impact of the packaging on the earth has been measured across 5 categories:
- Climate warming potential
- Biogenic global warming potential
- Acidification potential
- Eutrophication potential
- Human toxicity potential
"A cradle-to-grave LCA, conducted by University College London in 2022, compared Notpla cardboard with conventional virgin pulp paper. The results showed that Notpla cardboard has 88% less global warming potential (GWP) and 70% less impact in all environmental impact categories studied. By using seaweed by-products instead of virgin pulp, we prevent 4 tons of trees from being cut down for every ton of seaweed by-product used in Notpla paper."
Costs
Our costs have increased by choosing algae packaging, we are honest about that. If we want to bring about industry-wide change, then openness and accurate information are important. Our costs were €0.34 and have almost doubled to €0.60 per package. Many entrepreneurs would be shocked by this, but this is the reality of a change that is gaining momentum.
We believe in embracing and investing early in more sustainable initiatives, and therefore we compromise on our profit. Precisely to stimulate change instead of waiting until it is cost-effective enough to consider a sustainable solution.
If you want to know more about the implementation of our packaging, want to get in touch with Notpla, or are just enthusiastic about algae?
You can reach us at info@plnktn.com
Feel the power of Algae 🌱