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Ecologic Brands Inc. is a United States company that specializes in creating eco-friendly packaging for consumer products. The products are made from sustainable materials and are designed to be recyclable or compostable. The company also provides branding and marketing services to help companies promote their environmentally conscious products.[1]
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sustainable consumer packaging |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | |
Key people | Julie Corbett President & Founder |
| Website | www |
History
editEcologic Brands was founded in May 2008, when entrepreneur Julie Corbett saw an opportunity to create an eco-friendly bottle to replace the ubiquitous rigid plastic containers and laminated paperboard cartons her family and community consumed. Growing up in Montreal, Julie's inspiration was the Canadian milk pouch, a clear lightweight pouch of milk that is placed in a reusable plastic carafe. She set out to create her own version of the Canadian milk pouch – a bottle that would minimize the use of plastic while maintaining functionality and convenience. The idea of a molded fiber shell allegedly came to Corbett when she opened the box her new iPhone came in, and the iPhone was nestled on a smooth, sturdy molded fiber tray. Corbett saw the opportunity to use molded fiber to shape a bottle, with a thin pouch inside.[citation needed]
Pulling from her knowledge of pulp and paper, Corbett designed a bottle that combines a rigid outer pulp shell (made mainly from old, corrugated cardboard boxes or “OCC”) with a thin inner plastic liner and re-sealable cap. She patented her technology and began to explore the market opportunity for her innovation. The bottle evolved into an eco-friendly replacement for milk, juice, laundry detergent, household cleaning products, and other high-volume liquid categories.[citation needed]
Ecologic's commercial introduction came in January 2010 when the company partnered with Straus Family Creamery for its first market test at Whole Foods Market in Northern California. The Ecologic bottle was used to package Straus Family Creamery Fat-Free Milk and was featured next to Straus' other dairy products for 6 weeks.[2] During that time, Straus’ Fat-Free milk experienced a 72% lift[clarification needed] and Fat-Free milk in the Ecologic bottle became the second bestselling Straus SKU (stock-keeping unit).
Ecologic's second customer, Seventh Generation, is a brand of non-toxic household and personal care products. Together they launched Seventh Generation Natural 4X Laundry Detergent on March 9, 2011. The company received press attention with this announcement, including a story in USA TODAY.[3]
In 2014, Ecologic Brands took over GreenBottle.[4]
Products
editThe Ecologic bottle uses proprietary technology to combine a rigid molded pulp outer shell with a thin plastic inner liner and re-sealable cap. The molded fiber shell is made from 100% post-consumer recycled material and is 100% compostable or re-recyclable with paper.[5] The inner liner is made of #2 or #4 BPA-free plastic and uses up to 70% less plastic than comparable plastic jugs.[6] The Ecologic bottle can be customized to a brand's specifications. Bottles are disposed of by pulling open the shell to separate the two components.[5]
The Ecologic bottle aims to replace rigid plastic containers, laminated cardboard, and glass for brands in categories such as:
- Beverages (dairy, soy milk, juice, wine)
- Home Cleaning & Laundry
- Food Containers (yogurt, condiments, oils & vinegar)
- Cosmetics
References
edit- ^ "Paper wine bottle? Ecologic Brands has it in the bag". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ "Milk in Paper-Pouch Hybrid Bottle Offered At Whole Foods | Greenbiz". www.greenbiz.com. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
- ^ USA Today, March 8, 2011
- ^ Mileham, Arabella (2014-04-15). "Paper wine bottle developer Greenbottle goes bankrupt". The Grocer. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
- ^ a b Ecologic Brands Our Containers page
- ^ Packaging Digest Archived 2010-05-13 at the Wayback Machine, February 1, 2010