Choose compostable packaging

(english below)

Being an eco-responsible brand doesn't just mean choosing organic cotton and plant fibers (linen, Tencel, wool) to manufacture our clothes. It's also a more global commitment by the company to try to do better, every day and in every area: water-based inks for prints, non-toxic dyeing of fabrics, regional manufacturing in Northern Portugal, donation of unsold merchandise to charities... (Read all our commitments)

That's why we're delighted to take the next step by eliminating plastic packaging from our e-commerce orders! We've chosen to work with Wastebased and Grounded Packaging, companies that offer compostable, agro-sourced envelopes. Here's how it works.

Agro-sourced composites
Agro-sourced materials (sometimes mistakenly referred to as bio-sourced materials, implying that they are biological in nature, which is rarely the case) are made from a mixture of products derived from nature: corn starch, PLA (polylactic acid obtained by fermentation of plant residues) and PBAT (a molecule derived from petroleum). The corn, sugar beet and sugar cane used to make starch and PLA come from renewable crops, which is a good thing. The molecules that make up PBAT are also natural, but they're not renewable in the sense that it takes millions of years for organic waste to turn into hydrocarbons. So why not do without this third component? Because it's essential to the rigidity of the final product and to the proper degradation of the envelope at the end of its life.

Compostable packaging
The wraps have been awarded both the HOME and INDUSTRIAL compost labels. After use, you can place them with your vegetable peelings in a dedicated bin or in your garden. Their molecules will gradually change under the action of living soil micro-organisms, transforming into vegetable compost in 3 to 6 months. Good news, isn't it? That said, it's also a good idea to reuse them several times before feeding them to the earthworms!

Why not choose recyclable packaging?
It's true, there are other options for eliminating plastic from your packaging. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and none is perfect. Cardboard, for example, has the advantage of being recyclable, but its production is quite energy-intensive. Thick tarpaulin envelopes (such as those offered by RePack and Hipli) are reusable... but plastic.

To be honest, there's no 100% perfect solution yet. But you can be sure that we'll be the first to change as soon as a miracle product appears!

Being an eco-friendly brand is not only choosing organic cotton and vegetable fibre (linen, Tencel, wool) to make our clothes. It is also a more global commitment of the company to try to do better, every day and in every fields: water ink for the prints, non toxic dye, manufacture in the north of Portugal, gift of the unsold products to not-for-profit organizations... (read all our commitments). That's why we are happy to reach another step by deleting all plastics of our packaging for our e-shop orders. We chose to work with Wastebased, and Grounded Packaging, companies which offers agri-sourced and compostable mailers. Explanations:

Agri-sourced components
Agri-sourced materials (we can also talk about bio sourced materials, which means that they are of organic nature, which is rarely the case) are made with a mix of natural products: corn starch, PLA (polylactic acid made by fermentation of plants residues) and PBAT (oil derived molecule). Corn, beetroot and sugar cane, components of starch, are all renewable, that's good! Molecules which compose PLA are also natural but not renewable. It needs millions of years so that organic waste transforms into oils. So why using this third component? Because it is essential to get the rigidity of the final product and a good end-of-life deterioration.

Compostable packaging
Mailers have the double label HOME and INDUSTRIAL compost. After using it, you can put it with your organic waste in a dedicated box or in your garden. Their molecules will slowly change with the action of micro-organisms living in the soil and transform into vegetal compost in 3 to 6 months. Isn't good news? That being said, it is also good to use them several times before throwing them as earthworms food.

Why not choosing recyclable packaging
It is true that other options exist to delete plastics from the packaging. They all have their pros and cons and there is no perfect solution. Cardboard is recyclable but its production is highly energy-consuming. Mailers in thick tarp (as offered by RePack and Hipli) are reusable but... they are in plastic. There is no 100% perfect solution yet. But be sure that we will be the first to change when this miracle product appears!