Sustainable packaging is becoming a trend for companies, but some are taking it one step further. Their packaging actually gives back to nature whether it’s creating pencils you can plant or packaging produced with seeds. Here are three examples:
Eden’s Paper
Wrapping paper is one of the most wasted products ever. You put it on a present, and then it inevitably gets ripped up and thrown away. Eden’s Paper infuses theirs with seeds, so they can be planted and produce vegetables. The technology is actually very simple and has been around since the 1960’s. The seeds are placed between two layers of recycled paper. When you’re done with the paper, you plant it flat for the vegetables to grow in lines. Choose from carrot, broccoli, bell pepper, tomato, sunflower, onion, or chili peppers. You know what you’re getting because the paper has the veggie design printed on it using vegetable ink. Most seeds germinate within 2-3 weeks.
Botanical Paperworks
This company has been producing seed paper for two decades, and you can buy a wide range of paper products on their site, including wedding invitations, small boxes, and confetti. All the products are tested and approved by the USDA and CFIA, so they can planted in the US, Canda, the EU, UK, New Zealand, Australia, and other countries. Unless you specify a particular herb or vegetable, most of the products are embedded with wildflower seeds, including black-eyed Susans, bird’s eye, and snapdragon. When you plant your product, the paper composts, leaving the seed to grow. Botanical Paperworks counts companies as big as Starbucks and Sony as clients, as well as countless individuals.
Sprout
This company’s most famous product is their Sprout pencil, which is designed with a capsule of seeds. Once the pencil has been used down to the nub, it can be planted. Every part of the pencil is non-toxic and sustainable – it’s made from 100% natural clay, graphite, and PEFC/FSC-certified wood. Even if you’re worried your pencil won’t grow, be happy to know that all the seeds were selected specifically because they germinate easily. In 2019, Sprout rolls out its first growable makeup pencil in Europe.
