Long Live Food Packaging!

Did you know that saran wrap was invented three years after we opened our doors at Ernest? It’s had a long history as the go-to for bundling up last night’s leftovers, but in the new, greener plastic economy we continue to engineer solutions that are friendlier to Mother Earth. Thankfully, nature is taking matters into its own hands — here are some natural materials that are completely recyclable packaging products!

Don’t put your eggs in one basket. Put them in one carton of hay.

Photo courtesy of Greener Ideal.com

Everyone is familiar with eggs housed in cardboard boxes and clear plastic containers, but they often end up outside of the recycling bin. Polish designer Maja Szczypek has created eco-friendly, completely biodegradable packages out of heat-pressed hay to bypass the recycling issue altogether. Eggs are kept fresh naturally, the cartons require less manufacturing and can be produced in bulk. Plus, when you’re done, you can simply break apart the carton and put it right back from where it came.

From below sea level, into your home

Photo courtesy of Felix Pöttinger

Seagrass (that stuff that’s often strewn across ocean shores) is much more than debris from under the sea. Designer Felix Pöttinger created a biodegradable material called POC, which uses seagrass fibers to protect food. The material is antibacterial, which increases the shelf life of many foods. The process is pretty innovative: by breaking down the seagrass, pressing it into a mold and baking it, the material becomes sturdy enough for packaging while remaining 100% biodegradable.

Plants are stronger than you think

Photo courtesy of Be Green Packaging

Be Green Eco-Friendly Food Packaging supplies eco-friendly packaging containers to restaurants and small business, which means their products have to be durable. Their completely plant-based products come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and are made with fibers from all sorts of plants including bamboo. From supermarket trays to sushi holders, businesses can choose packaging that meets their precise specifications while helping the environment.

At Ernest, sustainability and eco-friendly innovations are at the core of what we do. We strive to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible so we can protect what’s important — like Mother Earth.

Check out our white paper, Ernest and Smart Cups, to see how we found the perfect packaging for an eco-friendly client and changed the drinking game.