Sustainable packaging
We use recycled marketing and packaging materials with minimal packaging approaches where possible, ensuring you receive a quality product bundled with care. Sustainable packaging is how we are supporting zero waste initiatives outlined by the US EPA. By prioritizing eco-friendly materials and practices in our marketing and packaging, we are taking tangible steps toward a more sustainable future.
Coffee bags
Our coffee bags carry the same 12 oz. of coffee as grocery store brands, but with less packaging. Look for the Biotrē™ logo on your bag—made from plant-based, renewable, and compostable resources, including wood pulp and sugar cane.
Reduced Environmental Footprint: Biotrē bags are made from plant-based resources and other materials that can break down more easily than traditional packaging. This reduces their impact on landfills and contributes to lower overall environmental pollution.
Renewable Resources: Biotrē packaging often includes materials derived from renewable plant sources. Using renewable resources helps decrease the dependency on fossil fuels and minimizes the carbon footprint associated with the production of packaging materials
Protection Against Oxidation: Biotrē bags are designed to protect coffee from oxygen, which can degrade the quality of the coffee. By preventing oxidation, these bags help in preserving the freshness, aroma, and flavor of the coffee for longer periods.
Moisture Barrier: These bags typically offer a good barrier against moisture, which is crucial for maintaining the quality of coffee by preventing mold growth and spoilage.
Biodegradability and Compostability: Biotre Film, an earth-friendly, heat sealable, barrier material was developed after two years of testing. It is made from 60% (by weight) renewable wood pulp, which is biodegradable. Third party testing* confirmed that nearly all of the wood pulp portion will disintegrate into healthy backyard/ home compost over 84 days. The remaining 40% (by weight) of the bag is Polyethylene (PE) with an additive that is designed to make it disintegrate significantly faster than standard plastic.
How to compost our coffee bags: To dispose, remove the valve before placing the bag in your home compost. After 12 weeks remove any remaining bag material and throw away in your trash.
*ASTM tests D-6868 and D-6400
Compost your coffee grounds
Coffee grounds can enhance your soil and represent one of the simplest types of food waste to compost. Moreover, for those who drink coffee daily, there's a consistent supply of grounds to contribute to your compost bin or pile.
Nitrogen Content: Coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen, an essential element that acts as a green material in the compost. Nitrogen is a crucial component of the proteins needed for soil organism growth and helps in the formation of plant tissues. By adding coffee grounds, you're effectively balancing the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N ratio), which is vital for efficient composting.
Microbial Activity: The nitrogen in coffee grounds feeds the microorganisms in the compost pile, speeding up the decomposition process. These microorganisms break down organic matter into humus, a nutrient-rich material that improves soil health.
Soil Structure Improvement: Coffee grounds help to improve soil structure. When added to compost and then mixed into the soil, they can enhance water retention, drainage, and aeration, making the soil more hospitable for plant roots.
Reduced Waste: By composting coffee grounds, you're diverting organic waste from landfills where it would decompose anaerobically, producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This practice supports waste reduction and promotes a more sustainable, circular approach to resource use.
Worm Attraction: Earthworms are beneficial to compost piles and gardens because they aerate the soil and speed up the composting process by breaking down organic matter. Coffee grounds are known to attract earthworms, thus enhancing the ecosystem of your compost pile and garden.
Disease Suppression: Some studies suggest that coffee grounds have natural fungal properties that can suppress certain plant diseases within the compost. This can result in healthier soil and plants.
Odor Control: Coffee grounds can help absorb and eliminate odors in your compost bin, making it more pleasant to maintain. Their rich, earthy smell can mask unpleasant odors that sometimes come from composting bins.
pH Balance: While fresh coffee grounds can be acidic, used coffee grounds are generally near neutral pH. When added to compost in moderate amounts, they should not significantly alter the pH of the compost or soil, making it suitable for a wide range of plants.
It's important to note that while coffee grounds can be a beneficial addition to compost, they should be used in moderation. They should be part of a balanced compost mix that includes a variety of green (nitrogen-rich) and brown (carbon-rich) materials to ensure a healthy, effective composting process.
Coffee bag labels
The label on our coffee bags is made from brown, unbleached natural fibers (like wood pulp). The 100% recycled natural kraft paper offers a range of environmental, economic, and aesthetic benefits, making it a preferred choice for our business and consumers focused on sustainability.
Environmental Impact Reduction: By using recycled content, the need for virgin fiber from trees is significantly reduced, leading to a decrease in deforestation and habitat destruction. This contributes to the conservation of biodiversity and helps combat climate change by preserving forests, which are crucial carbon sinks.
Energy and Water Savings: The production process for recycled paper generally consumes less energy and water compared to making paper from virgin pulp. This results in lower environmental footprints for products labeled with 100% recycled kraft paper, aligning with global efforts to reduce resource consumption and waste.
Waste Minimization: Utilizing recycled paper for labels helps in diverting waste from landfills. By giving a second life to paper materials, the cycle of waste production is interrupted, which is a fundamental aspect of circular economy principles.
Reduced Pollution: The process of recycling paper tends to produce less pollution compared to making paper from new materials. This means fewer airborne and waterborne pollutants, contributing to cleaner air and water.
Support for Recycling Industries: Choosing recycled paper products supports the recycling industry, encouraging the development of more efficient recycling technologies and systems. This economic incentive is crucial for enhancing recycling rates and innovation in waste management solutions.
Shipping cartons
Our shipping cartons are custom-fitted for coffee, which results in less material used and less wasted space. We use custom-fit corrugated paperboard packaging because it offers a combination of protection, cost efficiency, sustainability, and customer satisfaction.
Reduced Damage: Custom-fit packaging snugly encloses the product, minimizing movement inside the box during transit. This significantly lowers the risk of damage from shocks, vibrations, and impacts, ensuring that the product reaches its destination in the best possible condition.
Material Efficiency: Tailoring the size of the packaging to the product eliminates the need for excessive packaging materials, such as additional cushioning or filler. This not only reduces waste but also optimizes the use of resources, contributing to more sustainable packaging practices.
Cost Savings: Custom sizing can lead to significant savings in shipping and material costs. Smaller, optimally sized packages weigh less and take up less space, allowing for more efficient loading and potentially lower transportation costs. Additionally, by using just the right amount of material, you're not spending extra on unnecessary packaging.
Environmental Impact: By minimizing the use of packaging materials and optimizing the size of the packages, you reduce the carbon footprint associated with the production, transportation, and disposal of excess materials.
Improved Logistics: Custom-fit packaging can improve the efficiency of warehousing and transportation. More products can be packed into a given space due to the reduced size of each package, optimizing storage and shipping capacities.
Easy to recycle: Shipping cartons made from corrugated paperboard are also easy to recycle. You can be take your shipping cartons to a recycling center or place them in curbside recycling pickup bins for collection. From there, the boxes are delivered to a paper mill, which will process them and form many of them into new corrugated board.
Packaging inserts - paper
Our packaging inserts are thoughtfully included, with the intention to educate our customers and be saved or recycled. We use Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper, which comes from forests that are managed with consideration for the environment, wildlife, and local communities.
Sustainable Forest Management: FSC certification ensures that the forests from which the paper is sourced are managed sustainably. This includes protecting biodiversity, water quality, and ecosystems, contributing to the conservation of forests for future generations.
Reduced Impact on Global Forests: By promoting responsible forest management, FSC certification helps to combat deforestation, forest degradation, and the loss of habitat critical for biodiversity.
Climate Change Mitigation: Sustainable forest management practices encouraged by FSC certification contribute to carbon sequestration, helping to mitigate climate change by absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere.
Community Support and Rights: FSC certification requires that the rights of indigenous people, local communities, and workers are respected. This includes fair labor practices, safety protocols, and the protection of traditional land rights.
Educational and Economic Opportunities: Sustainable forestry practices under FSC certification can lead to more stable and long-term economic opportunities for local communities, including jobs and educational programs related to sustainable development and environmental stewardship.
High-Quality Products: FSC certification does not compromise on the quality of the paper. It often meets or exceeds the quality of non-certified paper, suitable for a wide range of uses from high-end publications to everyday office paper.
Encourages Innovation: The demand for FSC certified products can drive innovation in sustainable forestry and paper production techniques, leading to more efficient and environmentally friendly practices.
Packaging inserts - ink
The paper we use for our packaging inserts use sustainable ink made from vegetable and algae. Sustainable ink offers several benefits over traditional petroleum-based inks, both environmentally and health-wise.
Reduced Environmental Impact: Sustainable inks are derived from renewable resources, which means they have a lower carbon footprint compared to conventional inks made from fossil fuels. The production and disposal of vegetable and algae-based inks result in fewer greenhouse gases and pollutants, contributing to the reduction of air and water pollution.
Biodegradability: Inks made from vegetable oils and algae are more biodegradable than petroleum-based inks. They break down more easily in the environment, reducing the risk of long-term pollution and making them a safer choice for printing on recyclable and compostable materials.
Lower VOC Emissions: Sustainable inks typically emit lower levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the drying process. VOCs are harmful to both the environment and human health, contributing to air pollution and respiratory problems. Lower VOC emissions mean improved air quality and safer working conditions in printing facilities.
Renewable Sources: Vegetable and algae oils are sourced from crops that can be replanted and harvested in a sustainable manner. This contrasts with the finite nature of petroleum, ensuring a more sustainable supply chain for ink production.
Enhanced Safety and Health: Because they are made from natural sources, sustainable inks are generally less toxic and safer for people to handle, especially in environments like schools, offices, and homes. This can lead to a decrease in health risks for workers in the printing industry and for consumers.
Improved Product Compatibility: Sustainable inks are often more compatible with a wider range of paper and packaging materials, including recycled and food-grade substrates. This compatibility can enhance the recyclability of printed materials and support the use of more sustainable packaging solutions.
