Basically I am doing a research project into climate change and energy within sustainability, and to cut a long story short discovered a fairly new, highly renewable and biodegradable material, this being bamboo fibre composites. The new bio plastic is a mix of bamboo fibre and a resin derived from soy beans, to produce the plastic composite material. This uses very little energy during production. Bamboo grows at an exceptionally fast rate, yearly harvest is possible to produce the fibre. Finally the material biodegrades and puts natural nutrients back into the ground once disposed of. There are many uses for this fantastic material, some of which I am trying to find. Currently many automotive manufacturers are using or planing to use this natural material for interior or exterior panels, but there are far more uses than these.
This is where this question comes in, as consumers and buyers I need your help. There is a huge rate of energy and resource consumption, within the manufacture and use of disposable items such as those listed in the question. Even small polystyrene products such as fish and chip forks, even wooden ones are no where near as good as what bamboo composite ones could be. For a little extra cost, say no more than a 25-50% increase in price, bamboo could make a huge impact.
Many Thanks,
Dan.
What you are describing sounds like some eco-friendly, bio-degradable planting pots being sold in our area. Let me tell you why some folks are being hesitant to buy what is currently being sold for plants: 1) there is concern about the resin/glue and coloring dyes; few are buying the "environmentally sound" label until they know more about the product. 2) there is little or no information about how long one can expect the pot to last on the packaging. They do happen to be cheaper than many of the plastic pots sold although they have a slick look to them. The people I see buying them are doing so only to hold gift plants and/or short lived ornamental.
That said, you are going to have to have enough publicity and/or labeling that people feel safe using them. Those that care most about the environment also care about their own health. There are a number of folks with serious and not as serious dollars to spend that would spend the extra for a healthier alternative for humans and then the environment.
If your product is going to be sold first in the up-scale market, then there must be some level of assurance that it is going to last through the life of the event for the purposes it is being used for. I see semi-monied folks buying a dozen or two actual metal ware with coordinating plastic handles at box discount stores for their functions; basically to be used as a semi-disposable with that all important color coordination aspect. (Summer plastic ware, informal patio party ware, and summer party accessories now change color by the year.) It must also be functional and if 25% more expensive at least as resistant to breaking as the expensive plastic ware.
If your product is to move out of the up-scale to the lesser-scales – it must be washable. Often it is the lesser scale folks who choose the more expensive plastic ware (from utensils, to dishware and plates, to serve ware, and even party tablecloths without felt backing) because it is more functional and reusable; it saves money over the more lesser quality somewhere between half-way the the first to the end of the second event. At minimum, the utensils must stand up through the first use; the beverage holders to heat and acids found in juices and wines; the plates to heat, oil/fat, and acids found in a full range of foods; and the serve ware to use when food is prepared up to 24 hours in advance in addition to the requirements of the plates. To get a wider acceptance, being able to be washed, even if it is hand washed in typical hand washing dish soap and a hot water rinse, would be even better; marketing the Re-use capability could be a plus too. Color could be an important factor and food staining could be even more critical.
If you could address some of these issues while touting, convincingly, that it doesn’t have any related chemical issues – you could have something even if it does cost 25% more. For the masses, you might be able to market to some place like Starbucks as an alternative available for purchase. Or, if you could get them advertised in one of the celebrity magazines – the type that say S0-N-So is using and you too can buy it at. Still being able to re-use them at a cost par to the better plastic types let alone 25% more is probably going to be a key.
I would.
References :
No. Unless they came also with a quality upgrade.
References :
I’d pay a little extra. Perhaps ten percent.
References :
You consider a 25-50% cost increase a little extra? That’s ridiculous. If that’s the case, I will continue to buy normal polyethylene or polypropylene plastic silverware. Let the seagulls at the dump figure out how to get rid of it.
References :
Probably not. Such a product may biodegrade in aerobic environments such as in a compost heap but in the anaerobic environment of a landfill, they are likely to last centuries if not thousands of years.
References :
What you are describing sounds like some eco-friendly, bio-degradable planting pots being sold in our area. Let me tell you why some folks are being hesitant to buy what is currently being sold for plants: 1) there is concern about the resin/glue and coloring dyes; few are buying the "environmentally sound" label until they know more about the product. 2) there is little or no information about how long one can expect the pot to last on the packaging. They do happen to be cheaper than many of the plastic pots sold although they have a slick look to them. The people I see buying them are doing so only to hold gift plants and/or short lived ornamental.
That said, you are going to have to have enough publicity and/or labeling that people feel safe using them. Those that care most about the environment also care about their own health. There are a number of folks with serious and not as serious dollars to spend that would spend the extra for a healthier alternative for humans and then the environment.
If your product is going to be sold first in the up-scale market, then there must be some level of assurance that it is going to last through the life of the event for the purposes it is being used for. I see semi-monied folks buying a dozen or two actual metal ware with coordinating plastic handles at box discount stores for their functions; basically to be used as a semi-disposable with that all important color coordination aspect. (Summer plastic ware, informal patio party ware, and summer party accessories now change color by the year.) It must also be functional and if 25% more expensive at least as resistant to breaking as the expensive plastic ware.
If your product is to move out of the up-scale to the lesser-scales – it must be washable. Often it is the lesser scale folks who choose the more expensive plastic ware (from utensils, to dishware and plates, to serve ware, and even party tablecloths without felt backing) because it is more functional and reusable; it saves money over the more lesser quality somewhere between half-way the the first to the end of the second event. At minimum, the utensils must stand up through the first use; the beverage holders to heat and acids found in juices and wines; the plates to heat, oil/fat, and acids found in a full range of foods; and the serve ware to use when food is prepared up to 24 hours in advance in addition to the requirements of the plates. To get a wider acceptance, being able to be washed, even if it is hand washed in typical hand washing dish soap and a hot water rinse, would be even better; marketing the Re-use capability could be a plus too. Color could be an important factor and food staining could be even more critical.
If you could address some of these issues while touting, convincingly, that it doesn’t have any related chemical issues – you could have something even if it does cost 25% more. For the masses, you might be able to market to some place like Starbucks as an alternative available for purchase. Or, if you could get them advertised in one of the celebrity magazines – the type that say S0-N-So is using and you too can buy it at. Still being able to re-use them at a cost par to the better plastic types let alone 25% more is probably going to be a key.
References :