Why The Earthcycle Blog?

At Earthcycle we are excited about this new forum that will not only give you more information about our company and why we love what we do, but more importantly, provide you with more information about eco-responsible packaging.

This blog is aimed at you, the consumer, and how the information that we provide to you can help you make wise choices when purchasing food and other products that require packaging.

Let’s face it, in today’s health conscience society – in particular right now with the panic surrounding the H1N1 virus – you want to feel your food is wrapped safely from any possible contaminants as it’s shipped.

That includes from the farm or factory where it’s produced to the supermarket where you buy it, and then into the back of your car alongside your kids, their muddy soccer equipment or even the wet dog. Packaging is important for your health and safety, and at Earthcycle our goal is to make it safe and healthy for the environment too.

Earthcycle’s environmentally responsible packaging is made from a natural and renewable resource, palm fiber, which is left over when the palm fruit is harvested for its oil.

I first came across this use for palm fiber shortly after moving to Malaysia in 1997. My view of the country’s lushness was clouded by plumes of smoke, the result of land clearing and burn-off from the semi-annual palm fruit harvest. Sometimes the smoke was so bad, that schools, airports and ports were closed and residents advised to stay inside.

A few years later I began working with the Malaysian government, which was intent on finding a solution to the problem. One of their ideas was to turn the leftover palm husk fiber, normally bound for a bonfire, into packaging.

I loved the idea, but before I could help make it happen, I needed to move back to Vancouver, Canada for family reasons. Instead of letting the idea fade away, I worked on it in my own backyard, by researching the need for different types of eco-responsible packaging in North America.

By the end of 2004, I obtained the North American exclusive distribution rights for Malaysia’s palm fiber packaging, lined up investors, , a partner factory in Malaysia, a warehouse in Seattle, and an office in Vancouver. In 2005, Earthcycle Packaging Ltd. was born!

Earthcycle packaging is now used by a wide-range of retailers such as Trader Joe’s, Wal-Mart, Wegmans, Aldi’s, Whole Foods, Publix, , Kroger, Sobeys and Loblaws .

At Earthcycle, our goal is to provide smart, purpose-driven alternatives, to educate our stakeholders, and to lead with each of our own purchasing and packaging decisions to help protect the natural world that sustains us.

Stay tuned to this blog and the rest of Earthcycle.com for frequent updates on our activities, products, consumer tips and the latest news on the eco-responsible packaging industry.

Have a great day, and don’t forget to compost and recycle whenever you can!

-Shannon