Problems like pollution, global warming, and climate change pose a serious threat to the plants, animals, and people that inhabit this planet. Saving the earth and its precious ecosystems will require effort from people at all levels of society. Thankfully, consumers have been making changes on their own to help ensure that their activity is greener and less harmful to the environment.
This is done, in part, by purchasing products made from more sustainable and eco-friendly materials. To keep competitive in a market with increasingly eco-conscious consumers, it’s important for companies to be aware of and consider shifting towards these materials.
Bamboo
One of the best choices for an eco-friendly material to use in products is bamboo. Because bamboo grows so quickly in a multitude of different environments, many consumers are looking for bamboo products. Additionally, bamboo is a beautiful wood, so even consumers who are less eco-conscious are searching for more of this material. Replacing what is taken for manufacturing is a rather simple and quick process. Harvesting bamboo doesn’t even require the use of harmful pesticides. There are many bamboo based products to look at producing, including furniture, textiles, flooring, and even toothbrushes.
Silicone
Not all eco-friendly materials are nature made. Silicone, a synthetic rubber, is actually a much safer material to use for a wide array of products than plastic. Plastic contains harmful chemicals like BPA that pose threats to human beings as well as the broader environment. Silicone shares similar properties to plastic but does not contain these harmful chemicals.
Additionally, many reusable silicone products are replacing their disposable plastics counterparts. For example, silicone straws, silverware, and resealable bags drastically cut down on the amount of plastic thrown away after lunch.
Many companies are choosing to follow this trend as well and are finding new uses for silicone. To make the production process easier and more efficient, consider looking for silicone mixing equipment suppliers. The right mixers can go a long way in improving your manufacturing processes to produce silicone products that are much safer than their plastic counterparts.
Cork
Another completely sustainable material that many different products can be created from is cork. Cork is created by removing bark from the cork oak tree. The cork oak tree is Mediterranean, native to southwest Europe and northern Africa.
Because the bark can be removed from the trunk and branches without killing the tree, the cork simply grows back after being harvested. It takes about nine years for the cork to grow back enough to be harvested again. With an average lifespan of 200 years, the tree can continue releasing breathable oxygen back into the atmosphere for centuries. Cork is also completely biodegradable. Cork-based products include wine corks, floor mats, wall covers, handbags, flooring, and even umbrellas.
Bioplastic
Another material that is becoming increasingly popular as a replacement for harmful plastic is something known as bioplastic. Bioplastic isn’t created from petroleum or synthetic chemicals. Instead, it is created from far more eco-friendly and sustainable sources such as corn, potatoes, and sugar cane. Because bioplastic is created from plant life, it breaks down faster and more safely than plastic and other synthetic materials. Bioplastic feels like real plastic and can be used to make cutlery, bags, tableware, and nearly anything else that can be made out of plastic.
The environment faces some serious challenges this century. The manufacturing practices companies directly impact the health of the planet. To combat the threats it faces, consumers and companies should begin moving away from products that harm the environment and start purchasing and producincing products made from safer and more sustainable materials. The list above is only a starting point.