Switching to sustainable packaging has been a desire of ours for well over a decade now – we have just been waiting for the technology to catch up. However we are continually innovating and doing what we can to find a viable solution. Here is a glimpse into our journey to plastic free:
You may have seen some compostable bags appearing across other brands, however many of these are industrial compostable bags, meaning they don’t actually break down in a personal compost bin. Our preference is for clear home compostable bags, which is a technology that is still in its early days.
Throughout 2019 we trialled several new compostable packaging options. This testing takes place over a period of months to ensure it can withstand our product’s ‘best before date’ across a wide range of ingredients, from very dry quinoa to oily LSA. We also trial this packaging at the high temperatures that we face during an Australian summer, and a cold, damp environment, should you wish to freeze your goodies.
Our conclusion from this testing is that we are yet to find a suitable home compostable packaging solution that we believe is the best option for both longevity of our products and for our customers. Throughout last year and this year, we are looking at other sustainable packaging options including recyclable as well as exploring an ambitious returnable/refillable solution…stay tuned for more on this later in the year.
Rest assured, we are seeking a sustainable solution, whether it be recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable. While we can’t promise an exact date of when to expect home compostable packing in your pantry just yet, we do have a dedicated team working tirelessly to research and trial this project!
While we work towards a better packaging solution, we are also exploring other ways to minimise waste:
- 44% of our floorspace at H2G House is comprised of fill your own bulk bins, which includes 60% of our product range. We encourage customers to BYO containers or use any of the reusable jars we offer.
- We launched Refillosphy 1.0 in March 2020. This is our zero-waste solution to refillable bulk liquid products. Our aim is to make the refill process easier and more enjoyable for our customers. This small instore trial allowed us to gain valuable feedback from our customers and staff, helping to refine our idea. This led to Refillosophy 2.0 a few months later. We plan to create Refillosophy 3.0. an even more user-friendly system with weigh and pay technology. Currently on-tap instore are natural dishwashing & laundry liquids as well as disinfectant and bodywash. We hope to launch more liquid products on tap throughout 2021.
- Most of our products are also available in bulk sizing with resealable packaging. This allows our customers to reduce the number of individual packets they buy and minimises packaging waste. It also works out to be cheaper and saves freight costs on multiple deliveries.
We are passionate about supporting our customers no matter where they might be on their journey to a more sustainable lifestyle and look forward to expanding our zero-waste homewares range!
