Paving the Way for “Green” Packaging

Amidst the economic downfall caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, some businesses are thriving.  With products being sold, also comes their packaging. While plastic remains common, many Filipino businesses are taking the “greener” path. Let’s take a look!

The Compostables

Introducing…compostable containers with lids for food products made from plant-based, recycled materials. They return to the earth and go straight to decomposition, especially when disposed properly.

Aside from being oven-friendly and microwaveable, they are favorable to the growing plantito/plantita community for their plant babies as well. With meals being delivered to our doorsteps, it’s a good habit to develop that we can reuse such packaging and not just quickly fill our trash bins.

Then there’s sugar cane food containers, mailers made from cassava, and plantable paper, which can be used as ‘thank you’ cards for customers – who knew, right?

The All-Naturals

Natural packaging components made from materials such as pandan and buri leaves are also making a comeback. Sustainable shops like Reef Picks, sell handmade buri boxes which can be used to package small items such as accessories and the like. 

For the food industry, on the other hand, a local café made news for its resourceful pizza packaging. The BrickOven Café said goodbye to the traditional pizza box packaging for their very own tampipi pizza packaging. And it is gorgeous!

This proves an answered call of stewardship towards our environment and support for our local weaving industry. You go, BrickOven!

The Recyclables

Who says packaging should be part of your business expense when you can recycle old boxes or paper materials you have lying at home? It can be paper bags, shoe boxes, magazines or newspapers.

For Slo Store, they believe in recycling their old paper materials to secure their items for delivery.

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Meanwhile, Papel de Letra is a paper store providing beautiful paper options made from recycled paper. 

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These solutions provide alternatives to our typical packaging ideas. Additionally, they open possibilities to explore our surroundings for more sustainable packaging.

We’ve seen these businesses do their best to create change. We as individuals, on the other hand, can take this as motivation to follow such good habits.

By showing appreciation for these efforts, we can create a ripple effect that can serve as an invitation for large corporations to do the same. If small businesses can be innovative and resourceful, then they can, too!