Knowledge – TradesAndSource https://www.tradesandsource.com EcoFriendly Packaging Expert Thu, 21 Mar 2024 07:09:28 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.tradesandsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/cropped-Favicon-32x32.png Knowledge – TradesAndSource https://www.tradesandsource.com 32 32 Paper and Kraft Paper https://www.tradesandsource.com/2024/01/29/paper-and-kraft-paper/ https://www.tradesandsource.com/2024/01/29/paper-and-kraft-paper/#respond Mon, 29 Jan 2024 14:15:38 +0000 https://www.tradesandsource.com/?p=2170 Read More]]>

Paper And Kraft Paper

Our paper products, like coffee cups, lunchboxes and more, are made from the pulp of sustainably grown trees. While some of our paper products are bleached, others are bleach chlorine free, and if they’re branded or coloured, they’re printed with water and soy-based inks right here at Cape Cup. This also allows us to keep our products 100% compostable and as natural as possible. Kraft paper products, growing in their popularity, are brown in colour and incredibly strong, making them a top choice for food and beverage packaging. Thanks to the high density of its fibres, kraft paper has a high resistance to tearing. This high fibre density also ensures that packaged products – almost always food – come into less contact with oxygen, keeping them fresher for longer.

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Bamboo https://www.tradesandsource.com/2023/12/12/bamboo/ https://www.tradesandsource.com/2023/12/12/bamboo/#respond Tue, 12 Dec 2023 18:02:00 +0000 http://themes.kadencethemes.com/virtue-premium-3/?p=152 Read More]]> Bamboo is an evergreen, simple grass that grows abundantly without the use of pesticides
or chemical-based fertilisers and doesn’t need any fancy irrigation systems to thrive.
Bamboo can store up to 1.5 times more carbon than trees, and thanks to its strong root
system and extremely rapid growth, bamboo is considered to be a powerful soil protection
and land restoration crop.

Although it is most found in its native climate of warm, moist tropical regions, bamboo can be found in a diverse variety of climates, ranging from cool mountainous regions and highland cloud forests to hot tropical areas.

Bamboo has been used for everything from building materials to food and is incredibly versatile. Testament to its popularity as a top sustainable choice, bamboo has a specific tensile strength that rivals steel, and a higher specific compressive strength than wood and even brick or concrete.

Bamboo’s big sustainable wins:

  • Fast growing
  • Stores up to 1.5 times more carbon than trees
  • Compared to wood pulp, bamboo releases 30% less carbon in the cutting and mill pulp process
  • It is possible that durable products made from bamboo are potentially carbon negative
  • Bamboo produces 35% more oxygen than trees, when comparing identical sections of land
  • The ultimate renewable resource: some species of bamboo, like the Chinese Moso variety, can grow up to 90 cm every day, which means it’s growing at a whopping 4 cm per hour!
  • Easy processing means a higher volume of finished product, with significantly less production waste
  • Unmatched sturdiness in end products

Making Bamboo Paper

Bamboo paper is made in an almost identical way to regular or kraft paper, although it presents many advantages. Bamboo is great for forming cups, and in the production of bamboo cups, very little water is necessary.

In many cases, the bamboo pulp does not need to be treated with chemicals for bleaching, as would be the case with wood, as the unbleached bamboo pulp itself produces a pleasing soft colour.

For further comparison, when cups made from wood pulp become soft when filled with hot water, bamboo cups gain strength. Further fortified with a compostable coating, this means that bamboo products can confidently be used for hot liquids, as well as cold and warm food and drink.

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PLA https://www.tradesandsource.com/2023/09/30/pla/ https://www.tradesandsource.com/2023/09/30/pla/#respond Sat, 30 Sep 2023 09:43:16 +0000 https://www.tradesandsource.com/?p=1 Read More]]> PLA is 100% bio-based and is made from corn sugars and starches. First, the corn is milled, and the sugars are fermented to form lactic acid. The lactic acid is then polymerised (a process that involves reacting molecules together in a chemical reaction) to create pellets of PLA – aka Poly Lactic Acid. These PLA pellets are sent to factories around the globe to be turned into the sustainable packaging products many companies are opting to use these days, and for several important reasons. For starters, PLA is sturdy, food-safe, completely industrially compostable, and serves the aesthetic of those looking for transparent packaging. The only limitation PLA has, is that it’s best used for cold food and beverages as it is not heat resistant.

Some of PLA’s big sustainable wins:

  • Made from sustainable natural materials
  • Sustainable production that results in a 75% reduction in CO 2 emissions in comparison with oil plastic production
  • Certified compostable (according to EN-13432) because of its ability to degrade to at least 90%, within 90 days, in an industrial composting facility.

CPLA, a heat-resistant version of PLA, is also made from corn sugars and starches. The key difference to PLA, is that with CPLA, talc is added to the production process, causing the PLA pellets to crystallise to create Crystalised Poly Lactic Acid. The result is a fully compostable, heat-resistant (up to 85°C) bioplastic consisting of around 70 to 80% PLA and 20 – 30% talc.

How to correctly dispose of our PLA products

While composting, the PLA material will decompose and leave only carbon (CO2), water (H20) and biomass. Interestingly, the CO2 released during the PLA decomposition process is the exact amount that the original plant material absorbs during growth. At the end of the process, the compost can be used to add nutrients to soil or as an organic fertiliser.

An alternative option is to decompose PLA products using anaerobic digestion. In this process, biogas is created.

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Why You Should Storing Food in Aluminum Cups https://www.tradesandsource.com/2019/12/11/alucup/ Wed, 11 Dec 2019 18:34:00 +0000 http://themes.kadencethemes.com/virtue-premium-3/?p=464 Read More]]>

The way food is stored a big impact on its safety. As more individuals become aware of outbreaks of foodborne illness, there is an increase in demand for safe and dependable storage containers. A recent blog post mentioned the top benefits of using aluminum foil cups.


Different aluminum foil cups

There are many sizes and forms of foil cups to meet different demands. The most popular shape of foil packaging is a square or rectangular one, which is ideal for carrying foods like sushi, wraps, and sandwiches. Products like cosmetics or small devices can also be stored in these containers.

There are also circular and oval-shaped silver foil containers for individuals who require a more specific container. These are frequently employed to retain liquids like soups or sauces. Consider utilizing a triangular-shaped silver foil container if you need to preserve something delicate, such as baked products.


Why use aluminum cups?

Aluminum cups are among the most popular choices for preserving food due to their many top benefits. Aluminum containers are lightweight and portable, to start with. As a result, they may be easily stored and won’t take up much space in a refrigerator or pantry.

Second, metal is a superb conductor of heat. This means that it effectively maintains heat, making it perfect for storing foods like soup or stew that will be eaten cold.

Third, aluminum is a fantastic material for food storage since it can withstand acidity and salt content. They come in various sizes and forms, so you may select one that perfectly meets your needs.

Aluminum cups are weatherproof, which leads us to our next topic. As a result, they will last longer than traditional food storage containers, which can deteriorate over time.

Overall, aluminum food storage cups are an excellent choice. Among other benefits, they have a long shelf life and are resistant to deterioration.

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