After one year of extensive research, Canada’s largest sustainable packaging company, Earthcycle, is unveiling its improved water-resistant packaging as part of its range of certified home compostable, recyclable and renewable products.
The new highly refined palm pulp formula means retailers, growers and re-packers across North America can now take advantage of Earthcycle’s new packaging for high-moisture produce, especially mushrooms, according to a press release from the Vancouver-based association.
“We set out to develop a packaging formula that works especially well with mushrooms, which are one of the most challenging produce items at any store because of the high water content,” said Shannon Boase, founder and president of Earthcycle.
“Through extensive research we’ve now developed a new formula that helps maintain the strength and integrity of our packaging under high moisture environments for even longer, without compromising our environmental credibility of the packaging. Our clients have also found that our new packaging formula extends the freshness and integrity of produce up to 10 days beyond the regular shelf life of 10 days.”
Made from the natural and renewable resource of palm fiber – which is cultivated in Malaysia to produce palm oil – Earthcycle produces its compostable packaging by turning the fiber into a pulp.
The pulp is then used to form any shape or size of packaging using standard vacuum-thermoforming tools.
“We’re very excited about Earthcycle’s improved moisture-resistant packaging because our mushrooms will now stay fresh even longer,” explained Rick Watters, manager of operations for Champ’s Mushrooms, which is one of the first companies to use the improved water resistant packaging.
“We love the fact that the packaging offers a consistent message with our organic mushrooms and that the consumer intuitively knows that the packaging is eco-friendly because of the natural look and feel of the material.”
According to Boase, the packaging provides an emotional connection to the consumer since it makes them feel good for doing their part for the environment.
Naturipe Farms, one of the world’s leading berry marketers, also believes the compostable packaging will appeal to its organic berry consumers given that they make every attempt to purchase natural, organic, sustainable, recyclable products.
The new water-resistant packaging is available across Earthcycle’s entire product line and will also be used to package additional fresh produce items such as avocados, tomatoes, asparagus, peppers, broccoli, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.
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