Packaging Partnership (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )
tainable products. All of their packing materials are made up of 100 percent post-consumer recycled materials, can be recycled again back into paper products, and use only renewable energy resources during the production and manufacturing processes. Their recent partnership with the Living Ink Compa- ny takes their sustainability another step further. Ink and ink cartridges are unsuspecting but ubiquitous polluters wreaking havoc on the environment. Every year, more than 375 million ink cartridges are thrown away creating thousands of tons of plastic pollution in our landfills and oceans. The ink inside these cartridges also contain a cor- nucopia of harmful chemicals and dyes that are incredibly damaging to the environment and surrounding wildlife. “Carbon black” is aptly named for the significant amount of carbon used in its pigment. In fact, manufacturing just one ink cartridge produces 10.5 pounds of green house gasses and carbon emissions, while one toner cartridge produces around seven pounds. This new partnership isn’t the first time EcoEnclose has decided to branch out into more sustainable packaging accouterments. In 2019, EcoEnclose announced they were rolling out zero waste stickers and liners to reduce their waste output even more. Just like their main paper pack- aging, these stickers are also made from 100% post-con- sumer recycled materials. This makes them an eco-friendly alternative to traditional single use and non-biodegradable stickers and liners that are made from silicone and plastic based materials. Now made from all biodegradable materials and con- taining no dangerous and toxic chemicals in their pigment, every single part of EcoEnclose’s packaging materials can be reused and recycled—but also won’t harm the environ- ment it’s not. The Living Ink Company The Living Ink Company, a fellow Colorado-based com- pany, announced their partnership with EcoEnclose in June of 2020 to little surprise but big excitement—there had been talks of a partnership between these two pro- gressive companies for some time. EcoEnclose was one of the first companies to allow the Living Ink Company to trial their product while providing pivotal feedback. This relationship became a full-on alliance which helped solidi- fy EcoEnclose’s place in creating packaging that is entirely 100 percent environmentally friendly and recyclable, even down to the ink. The Living Ink Company was founded by Scott Fulbright and Steve Albers, two Cell and Molecular Biology Program PhD students at Colorado State University. In 2013 they began to experiment with algae to create pigment. Their first algae-based ink product was used in pens, for which they created a kickstarter in 2016 that generated $60,000 in funds. This initial success pushed them towards experi- menting with printer ink, thus creating a revolutionary and
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August 10, 2020
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