"Aren't all seed packets made out of paper anyway?"
"What makes YOUR packaging more planet-friendly than other companies?"
"Isn't this just an attempt at greenwashing?"
Well, our packaging has had some serious thought put into it and it's high time we gave it the spotlight it deserves!
So what makes it planet-friendly packaging...?
For one, all of our boxes and envelopes are made from recycled paper and cardboard.
Secondly, nothing we use is produced by using harsh chemicals, this includes our envelopes and boxes but also our labels and even our printing ink.
Thirdly, our printing ink is water-soluble, which means it's not as durable but it means it is an incredibly planet-friendly alternative.
Finally, ALL packaging padding is wood kiln or recycled paper padding.
Yes, the majority of seed packets are made from paper, but some are plastic and some are plastic-coated to protect the packaging and seeds.
A lot of the packaging contains harsh chemicals to make brightly coloured attractive-looking packaging.
So in comparison, yes we do believe that packaging which is 100% recyclable and compostable, harsh chemical & plastic-free deserves the title of being planet-friendly.
Recyclable Plastic Products
Since opening we have wanted to provide our customers with a planet-friendly method for sowing seeds, the best solution for this is DEFINITELY using old plastic vegetable containers.
2 x mushroom/tomato trays from the supermarket can be used to make a perfect propagator, but not everyone buys these things or likes making things, plus it's difficult to do this on a larger scale for bigger plots and outdoor spaces.
We have scoured high and low for a planet-friendly propagator, we have tried:
Mini biodegradable pots - these were good but too expensive, difficult to move around and took up too much space.
Fibre/cardboard pots - these were very difficult to germinate seeds in because they retained too much moisture
Coir pellets - these dried out very quickly so were difficult to keep moist enough for seed germination.
The collective problem with all of these was that they required the heating to be on in the house/greenhouse or a heated mat to be warm enough as well.
So for the time being recycled plastic propagators remain the best way to germinate seeds.
However, we will remain an environmentally responsible business by ensuring that all plastic sold is recycled and recyclable.
By giving our customers the option of returning this plastic to us to dispose of responsibly and to ensure that our customers understand how to recycle these products.
We have great aspirations of creating our own biodegradable propagator in the future and we feel confident that more and more plastic-free alternatives will become available soon too! So when we say for the time being, we mean it!
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