One of the first things that may have caught your attention about Glass Ladder & Co. is that we have a strong focus on eco-friendly, intentional, cruelty-free manufacturing for each and every product. However, being sensitive to our eco-friendly mission delves far deeper than the product itself. Did you know we consider how our packaging impacts the environment, just as much as our products themselves? We aim to ensure that every part of our process from production to shipment is done in a way that is safe for people, animals, and the environment.

Embracing eco-friendly and animal-friendly choices is absolutely a process! It takes time to continuously research and test better methods. We've spent most of 2019 working on finding better packaging alternatives. Take a closer look at some of the key packaging components, what they are made from, and why we made those choices! If you have any feedback or suggestions we always welcome these! We are constantly working to evolve and better our materials and methods.

Dust Bags

Many of you have seen or received our new dust bags that are now included with every purchase! These bags are made from a silky fabric that is created from 100% polyester. We do not use real silk in creating these bags because silk is not cruelty-free. According to PETA, for every pound of silk that is made, over 3,000 silkworms are killed to create this material. Silky polyester is a safe alternative that does not cause harm to animals in its creation! The pull strings for these bags are also made from cotton and coated with wax, as opposed to a commonly used material polypropylene. While polypropylene is commonly used because of durability, this dangerous polymer/plastic combination can create toxins released into the air and the environment. Not to mention that it can have harmful effects on foods or other daily household products. Did you know that polypropylene is commonly used in everything from butter containers to car batteries? Just because it is widely used, doesn't mean it's an eco-friendly option. Using the cotton and wax combination offers similar stability, without all the harsh consequences on the environment.

Packing Slip Holders & 4" x 6" Inserts

These packaging materials are made to give you a clean and organized experience when you receive your order. But we also ensured that these are printed on a recyclable material with none of the glitter and frills that can limit the ability to recycle these inserts! In addition to the material itself being recyclable, all of this material is printed with UV printing. UV (ultraviolet) printing uses a specific type of ink that is not solvent-based. This eco-friendly ink does not dry or absorb into the material the same way that typical ink does. The UV lights are strategically placed to dry the ink quickly. UV printing is also unique in the waste that is produced. Most printing processes end up wasting ink because not all of it can be used. Because of the way the ink is created and printed, 100% of ink that is purchased, is used. This means no wasted or harmful materials, safe ink compositions, and an all-natural way to dry the ink without the chemicals required for it to absorb into paper!

 

Starch "Plastic" Bags

That heading may be a little bit misleading. While we refer to them as "starch plastic" bags for the sake of simplicity, they actually are not even made from plastic! Our plastic bag packaging is actually made from corn starch bio-plastic! While this is not something we can replace 100% of the time, we do ensure we are making this replacement option whenever possible. You can tell which of our bags are made from corn starch bio-plastic because they are marked with the sticker pictured here! 

 

It's no secret that plastic bags are not great for the environment or animals. Using a starch-based plastic eliminates petroleum usage, increases the biodegradability of the material, and reduces the carbon footprint left as a result of typical plastic production. Starch-based plastic is unique because of its durability, temperature tolerance, water-resistance and the diverse ways that it can be made to function the same as harmful plastics without the consequence.This versatile material is made from corn starch and compostable plastic materials. Other recycled plastics can also be used within starch plastics to further maximize thee environmental sensitivities that should be considered when using plastic packaging.

 

This material is compostable, recyclable, and even biodegradable. Our personal recommendation is to recycle or compost since the cycle will be much faster than the biodegradable route. 

 

Tissue Paper

Did you know that tissue paper is eco-friendly? There are lots of great ways to recycle tissue paper or even re-use it! from its ability to be used multiple times, to an easily biodegradable or recyclable material, however, you choose to recycle it you can feel confident that the world around you is safe while doing so! As a general rule, tissue paper can be recycled and is usually biodegradable as long as there is no glitter on this material. The company we use for our Tissue Paper is focused on sustainable packaging. They use soy ink for any printing, as well as FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified acid free paper to ensure only the most environmentally friendly materials are used.

As an added benefit, a portion of all profits made by this company are contributed to global reforestation!

 

 

Stickers

Similar to our tissue paper, we pay attention to certain details to ensure that our stickers are as eco-friendly as possible! These are also printed on acid-free paper that is FSC certified, and utilize a safe soy ink for all printing! If you are not familiar with it, soy ink is a substitute for traditional ink that is made mostly from soybeans! Soybeans are broken down into an oil that can be used to create a safe and sustainable ink alternative. Most ink is made from a petroleum-based combination that can be harmful to animals and even our atmosphere. While there are other alternatives for ink, like using vegetables, soy ink allows you to use a variety of color options that are not available in many other ink alternatives.

Boxes

We use recyclable cardboard! Most of the time cardboard can be recycled unless it is stained by food/oils or if it contains glitter. (As a general rule, if it has glitter, it can't be recycled, unfortunately). Each and every box used can be broken down and recycled to ensure we continue to protect our environment with materials that are safe to make and safe to dispose of!

 

With every piece of our product design, packaging, and shipment process we consider the environment, animals, and YOU! Keeping your world clean, safe, and cruelty-free keeps you and your environment as clean as possible. We are always continuing to take more strides towards expanding and exploring eco-friendly packaging and manufacturing alternatives. We'll be sharing more soon on the best ways to recycle or re-use these packaging materials, so be sure to check back!

 

If you have questions about our current process, shoot us an email at support@glassladderco.com!