In the past I would get frustrated with all the empty space in packaging and the large amounts of packing material that would come with something that I had purchased. My frustration would grow when I went to dispose of the packaging and it couldn’t be recycled and had to go into a landfill…this would make me so sick.
When launching Viable Creations my top goals were to create products that were environmentally friendly and ensure the packaging material was as eco-friendly as possible. My intention is to supply products in a package that can be re-used. My ultimate goal is to have zero waste but have found that this will not always be possible. I’m happy to share that we came very close to the “zero waste goal” with our 5-pc Culinary Tool Set packaging. The following is a breakdown of how we achieved our goal for this product.
For starters the cardboard canister that your tool set arrives in is 100% recyclable. Better yet you can even compost the container. During the design phase of the canister we hoped many people would find it attractive enough to keep around and use it for other purposes. The canister is the perfect size for a bottle of wine, so the next time you are headed out the door to a party, you can present the host or hostess with a bottle of your favorite wine in this unique box. We do suggest you make sure the bottom is reinforced. One customer told us this is the perfect container to store their paintbrushes in. With its tall height she is able to store her various sized-dry artist brushes in a stand-up position. These are just a couple options and we are sure there are many more! Tweet us or post to our InstaGram what you have done with your canister at #viablecreations.
The next component of our packaging for the Bamboo Tool Set is the reusable cotton muslin bag. This bag not only protects your spoons during delivery but also is intended to be reused for many purposes. Its versatility makes the options seem endless of what you can do with it. We first recommend you machine-wash your bag with your normal wash.
As posted on our FaceBook page here are a few of our favorite ideas for the reuse of your bag:
• Bulk Food Shopping – To reduce the use of plastic bags from the bulk food isle, the Viable Creations’ reusable bag is perfect for your beans, grains, nuts and dried fruits.
• Produce Shopping – The Bamboo 5-PC Culinary Tool Set reusable cotton bag is perfect for lemons, limes, apples and medium sized fruit. Remember to take your reusable bag with you next time you are shopping to replace the plastic bags.
• Vegetable Crisper – Cotton muslin bags can actually prolong the life of your produce. Dampen the Viable Creations cotton bag squeezing excess water from it, place lettuce leaves in your bag in the vegetable drawer for longer-life and crisper lettuce. In addition to lettuce you can use your bag for carrots, celery, green onions and many other vegetables!
• Not just food…the reusable cotton muslin bag is not just for food shopping and storage. This bag is very versatile and can used for many more things, including:
- Travel bag for jewelry
- Crayon sack for kids craft center
- Small toy tote for the car
- Spare changes satchel
The last component of packaging that was used in our design-in order to protect your reusable cotton bag and the canister from the natural vegetable oil your tool set was treated with-we had to place the tool set in a cellophane bag. Check your local recycling guidelines to see if you can place in your recycle bin. This will be the only component that may need to be disposed of in the trash.
We hope you have found these tips helpful and continue to enjoy your Culinary Bamboo Tool Set! We will continue to post tips-techniques and sustainable living ideas and solutions on our social media site…follow us to stay up-to-date!
-D.S.