​As Seattle became the first city in the US to ban plastic straws this summer, the concern over single use plastics and non-biodegradable packaging is growing fast. Social media feeds are inundated with scenes of marine animals struggling through debris, and islands made up of trash are swirling in the oceans. It’s pretty hard to change habits once they are formed, and in a busy world convenience usually wins out over concerns for environmental sustainability. But these 7 products are leading the way to innovate eco packaging, and maybe reduce some trash in our landfills while they’re at it.

​This slippery green stuff is an extremely versatile material and can be used for more than just the wrapping for your sushi. Evoware is a company that takes advantage of this substance, and by collaborating with seaweed farmers they have been able to develop a packaging material that is 100% biodegradable. The packaging dissolves in warm water, leaving behind no trace (and can even act as a natural fertilizer for plants!). Without any preservatives their material has a shelf life of two years, which is pretty good for a packaging solution that is completely organic.

​Next time you host a birthday party or family cookout, take stock of all of the paper and plastic materials that get thrown into the trash. When organizing big events like these it’s always easier to simply throw things away then spend hours washing plastic utensils. Luckily, this scenario finally has an eco-friendly solution. “Free The Seed” utensils are created by Australian based DB packaging and are made from organic materials. The materials dissolve naturally when they are disposed, regardless of soil conditions.  The packaging is 100% organic and is made from post- harvest rice fiber, which makes use of a substance that would otherwise be discarded.  The cost saving materials are inexpensive to make and are the perfect solution for those concerned with waste.

When we think of a liquid item like hand soap or shampoo we usually imagine it to be in a plastic container. It's only logical- isn’t it? But new innovators have developed a way to make bottles out of recycled newspaper and cardboard, lined on the inside with a layer of very thin recycled plastic to hold the liquids. Lots of companies are catching on to this new design, including L’Oreal who created a water resistant paper bottle that uses an interlocking design rather than glue to hold it together. 

​Nasty Styrofoam egg cartons can never be broken down once they are introduced to the environment, so it’s better to avoid them when possible. Marian Obando did just that when she developed a method to hold free-range eggs with one strip of newspaper. The paper is folded into a way that secures the eggs and prevents them from cracking against each other, and a strip of cardboard in the middle holds everything in place. 

​Organic soap is a real treat, but one that can sour when you throw away the packaging only to realize that it is made from plastic or other materials that don’t biodegrade. That’s why Pangea Organics developed a way to incorporate organic seeds like thyme or basil into the boxes of their 100% plant based soaps. All you have to do to plant your own herb garden is slip off the label, soak the box in water and plant it in the earth.
 

​The next time you order late night hot wings to the house during a midnight craving, imagine it arriving in these neat to-go boxes! Joann Arellos invented these boxes in an effort to create a sustainable and efficient way to transport delivery food. No need for plastic bags and Styrofoam containers, these boxes are made from cardboard are held together with a series of cords.  

Are you the type of coffee drinker who craves a bite of something sweet alongside your morning brew? This edible cup from KFC might be the perfect packaging for you. The cups are made from sugar cookies, with a coating on the inside of heat resistant chocolate. The paper on the outside is also made from sugar, and is printed with edible ink. The idea is that as the chocolate coating melts the customer can eat the cup, enjoying their coffee and their sweet treat all in one (and leaving zero waste behind).
 
 
We love to see the many ideas that are out there, and the changes that are being made to the packaging industry! At SSI packaging industry, we are always thinking about the future. Our experts can guide you towards making the right choices for your packaging needs, and help you increase your eco-friendliness by streamlining your process.

​For any questions feel free to contact at (804) 649-1111 to speak with a representative or view our products to find out more.   

There’s nothing like a cold craft beer!  It’s estimated that craft beers sales are growing at 15-20 percent annually.  In 2015 craft beer sales exceeded $22.3 billion.  With all of this growth and competition how does a micro-brewer stand apart from the crowd?  Sure, you can have a great brew, cool labeling, and a hot social media campaign, but being sure your brews are served fresh will keep customers and local taprooms coming back for more.  Clearly displaying accurate date coding on your bottles will let everyone know you take brewing seriously.  

The Brewers Association recommends that date lot code be clearly coded to aid with marketing freshness, but more importantly traceability for brewers, distributors, importers, and consumers.  According to the Bioterrorism Act, brewers are required to insure traceability of their beer. Brewers must keep internal records of the specific ingredients, including manufacture lot numbers that were used in individual batches.

Having clearly labeled lot coding benefits the producers, distributors, and the consumers.  The most vital role in lot coding is in the unfortunately event of a quality of safety recall.  While brewers to there best to prevent recalls, it is essential to be prepared for them.  Empowering retailers and distribution chains to utilize a first-in first-out strategy will ensure that stock stays fresh
Allowing consumers to understand the shelf life of beer educates the public about the industry, but more importantly about how brewers value freshness and transparency.

According the Brewers Association, there are several best practices for coding craft beer*:
    •    Standard or Gregorian Date package date coding
    •     “Best by” dating
    •     Julian date coding
    •     Unique company specific date coding

SSI packaging group are date and lot coding specialists.  We have coding solutions for the smallest of brewers in the country to the largest.  For bottle and can lot coding our Jet2NEO continuous inkjet printer by Leibinger, and our .UNO system by ink.jet are both compacts and economical.  The Jet2NEO has a unique Sealtronic system that prevents the ink from being exposed to air, and therefore preventing clogging and additional maintenance between product runs.  The .UNO high resolution system features ink cartridges from HP and is a great turnkey solution for brewers.

When it comes to case coding for craft brewers, print image and code accuracy is key for successful distribution and sales.  Simple to use and maintain case coding systems from SSI Packaging Group include:

    •    Inc.jet .UNO
    •    Inc.jet . core
    •    Evolution 1 BY Digital Design

Of course, SSI Packaging Group is your complete warehouse solution as well with thousands of warehouse supplies in stock every day.  From boxes and carton sealing tape, to high speed lot coding systems for bottles and cases, at SSI Packaging Group “we help you pack an track your image”®

The Jet2neoS has all the features of the Jet2Neo, but it designed for smaller fonts and higher production throughput.  The Jet2neoS has a smaller nozzle that is 60µ, which is perfect for extremely fine print.  As a standard in the inkjet world, the Jet2neoS is a rock solid solution for you CIJ needs - parts, food and beverage, metals, plastics, packaging, and much more.  

Due to the smaller 60 µm nozzle size the Jet2neoS helps save on ink and solvent with every use.  This reliable CIJ system can print more than 120 million characters from a single bottle of ink.  Solvent consumption is decreased with the Jet2neoS by using its patented solvent recycling system that saves 50% of solvent.  Plus, the system uses only 30 watts of energy, that’s about 1/3 of a 100W light bulb.

Like all LEIBINGER small character inkjet systems, the Jet2neoS utilizes the Sealrtonic nozzle seal.  The Sealtronic system prevents air from entering the system and drying out the ink or the gutter.  Therefore, after long shut-down periods, the Jet2neoS is ready to print within seconds.

Learn more about the Jet2neo and the Jet2neoS at:
http://www.ssipackaging.com/jet2neo.html

Ice bags from SSI Packaging Group will cool off the coming hot summer days and keep your customers coming back for more.  Nothing is worse in the dead of summer than getting ice for an event and having the bags break or leak.  As packaging specialist for over 40 years, SSI Packaging Group has searched for the best ice bags around.  These bags are tough enough to prevent unexpected tears and leaks, but light enough to promote outstanding clarity.  You can order them printed with unprinted.

These durable ice bags hold up to 25 lbs of ice.  This is the perfect size for convenience stores, food service industry use, restaurants, and the hospitality industry.  Our ice bags are made from durable LDPE-metalloncence resin.  That come with twist tie enclosure, drawstring enclosure, on wicket dispensers, injection-molded plastic headers or as ice bucket liners.  

Call today to be ready for the hot summer rush ahead.

To order or for more questions, call 804.649.1111