Potato starch wrap
Biodegradable and compostable... a great alternative to traditional clear poly wrap.
Plastic. We’ve all seen the damage it is causing to our environment.
Understandably, it’s made consumers and businesses alike more conscious of how it is used around them.
In our industry polywrap is ideal for direct mail. It’s lightweight, strong, weather resistant and cost effective. But, with the growing concerns on plastic consumption, many end recipients are now perceiving traditional polywrap negatively, What is often not realised is that our standard polythene wrap does have environmental merits – it’s produced using less raw materials than traditional LDPE poly, and is thinner so degrades quicker. And, it is recyclable, although this is dependent upon each local authority’s recylcing facilites. In most cases this is using carrier bag collection points, often found at supermarkets.
But, at KJS we’re always keen to ensure we can offer our customers choices, especially when it comes to sustainability. We’ve been working with our suppliers to find mail wrapping solutions that are easier to dispose of and minimise and reduce the amount of waste going into landfill.
We’ve run tests on our polywrapping lines and, as a result, we’re happy to announce we can now offer potato starch based polywrap.
What is potato starch based poly?
- Potato starch poly is produced using biopolymers consisting of starch originating from potato products and waste from the food industry
- Fully compostable in just 10 days, it is designed to break down in a composting environment by natural means into simple elements; carbon, oxygen and hydrogen
- Potato starch poly can be placed in home composting or food waste bins
- There is no need for it to be recycled. If it does go to landfill, through biodegration, it will simply return to nature instead of creating a visible litter trail
- Certified as being fully biodegradable and compostable according to the European Standard` EN13432, which was set up to regulate products to be disposed of in composting sites, ensuring that the resulting compost is commercially acceptable
Potato starch poly is an environmentally responsible alternative to other wrapping options
- It’s strong and robust, making it ideal for catalogues, brochures and magazines
- Biodegradation takes place as soon as micro-organisms are present, and the process is acelerated when the temperature is increased – perfect for compost sites or landfill
- The frosty and silky finish is noticeable different to clear polythene. We believe it gives the perception of being a premium product and helps to draw attention to its environmental credentials!
- It’s important to print a notice on the pack to ensure your recipients know how to dispose of it
What price do you put on the environment?
We can't get away from the fact that the raw material cost of starch poly is higher than traditional clear poly. But sending out the right impression to your customers is priceless. Being seen to be making ethical and sustainable changes, such as the materials you're choosing to mail out your catalogue or magazine, can only help to build their respect of your business .
And, the good news is we’ve already seen the cost of potato starch come down and we believe over time, as demand increases it will help to drive prices down further.