Busting The Myths On PLA

Posted on August 3, 2020 | by Althea | Leave a Comment

There is a lot of ambiguity around PLA, so let’s clear that up…

PLA is not a magic solution,

But it is still a pretty good one.

Polylactic Acid or PLA comes from renewable resources. You may have heard of Biobags, which can be made from PLA. This cornstarch-based, biodegradable thermoplastic is less impactful on the environment, compared to other plastics. It is useful as a substitute to petroleum-based plastics like PET.

But… it is not a magic solution to the plastic problem. There are both pros and cons to its use.

Pro’s

Made from renewable raw materials.
It takes less energy and this produces less greenhouse gas to produce PLA, compared to fossil-based plastic
Resistant to organic solvents and does not release toxins – this is very important as it means no toxic fumes are released when oxygenated.
PLA is also typically used at 100%, not as an additive.
Easy to work with and requires less energy to transform
Inexpensive

Con’s

A LOT of corn is used in its production. Can we continue to farm large quantities of corn for packaging when there are people that are starving? Is this ethical?
Limited use in the consumer space
The disposal is not easy. It is also confusing, the specialised recycling services required are not always available to consumers.
Lastly, it is NOT easily recyclable or compostable.

A big problem with PLA products is that they are disposed of as plastics. When PLA is mixed in with other plastics, this affects the quality and resale value of the recycled materials and damages equipment. Even though it is recyclable, it does not go into your home recycling bin, as would a milk carton. This is because it is indistinguishable from PET plastics.

There is a lot of time spent looking into new alternatives to packaging, like moulded pulp etc. however, many of the products used today that are recyclable or compostable are not disposed of correctly. With all of this talk around eco-packaging, why does revolutionary sustainable packaging continue to pile up in the landfill?

Compostable?

Due to the definition of ‘compostable’, it can be tricky to understand the afterlife of PLA. It is compostable material, but only in industrial environments.

Sadly, PLA is not home-compostable, without the intense heat of industrial composting, bioplastics won’t degrade on their own in a meaningful timeframe. Typical backyard compost piles do not have a high enough temperature or moisture level to fully break down PLA. To properly dispose of PLA plastics, you have to send them to a commercial facility. These facilities use extremely controlled environments to speed up decomposition. However, the process can still take up to 90 days.

When PLA ends up in landfill (an environment with little to no light or oxygen), they can still take 100 to 1000 years to decompose. As PLA products do not usually reach the industrial composting sites, they end up contributing to the rapidly growing landfill pile. Whilst, there are around 150 Industrial Composting and Organics Recycling facilities in Australia, many people do not have access to these facilities.

In the landfill environment, the biodegradable products break down anaerobically, meaning without oxygen, which creates methane-producing bacteria that begin to decompose the waste and generate methane. Some landfills collect methane that is produced in their landfills and use it to create electricity, but most do not.

Biodegradable?

There is also a lack of information around definitions such as biodegradable. There are concerns in regards to the requirements necessary to label something as biodegradable. Requirements surrounding leaving “no toxic residue“ are unclear, as they may break down but might also be filled with toxic chemicals.

Also, the amount of time the product takes to biodegrade is ‘a reasonably short period of time’, what does that mean? Some businesses use the phrase ‘Made with biodegradable plastic’. Since they are not technically saying it is biodegradable there is nothing stopping them. These loopholes highlight some serious issues.

The confusion around PLA

There is some ambiguity around PLA, as it is not a polyacid, but rather a polyester. Confusion surrounding the compost-ability and the biodegradability of PLA makes it difficult to understand. Uncertainty from consumers also comes from the difference between the indistinguishable types of plastics they are using.

PLA is a bioplastic or a bio-based plastic and is the cheapest and most common source of bioplastic.

Bioplastics are not new, they have been around for at least 100 years, and are currently being used in many different industries, from packaging to health care. PLA is one bioplastic that can be produced from manufacturing equipment that already exists, thus making it more cost-efficient to create.

Why haven’t I heard about PLA?

A plausible reason for the lack of PLA seen is the uncertainty behind its durability and usability in the consumer space. In the plastics market, it has a few limitations. It does not perform well when exposed to everyday environments like heat, moisture, sunlight. The material degrades faster than most other plastics, so PLA will not hold up in environments such as a hot car or in a microwave. Unfortunately, PLA is not durable enough to be used in most consumer products.

Where can PLA be used?

PLA plastics are often used for plastic films and food containers, as they are safe for all food packaging applications. Although, it has a low glass transition temperature, so it is unsuitable to hold hot liquid. Furthermore, it is not watertight. Some of the most common uses include plastic films, bottles, and biodegradable medical devices. These products are expected to biodegrade within 6-12 months.

A solution?

It is so important to give consumers all of the information they need. Businesses can claim they are biodegradable or compostable, which is great, but what does that mean and what should the consumer do? Adding in a postcard explaining what to do with the packaging after use or supplying infographics is a helpful addition to your package.

What You Need To Know About Bagasse

Posted on August 3, 2020 | by Althea | Leave a Comment

Bagasse – the real deal.

Paper pulp, moulded pulp, wood pulp – what’s the deal? Research shows that the Molded Pulp Packaging Market is likely to surpass $4.3 billion by 2026. Now is the time to look into the truly sustainable resource that makes moulded pulp products – bagasse. With myriads of misinformation, it is more important than ever to get the facts. Bagasse is a waste product of sugarcane, that is, the fibre remaining from sugar processing.

In the search for genuinely sustainable packaging, this is an opportunity that has gone unnoticed. With approximately 80 cane-sugar producing countries, there is so much potential to make better use of the fibrous residue known as bagasse.

We have access to a much more sustainable alternative.

Sugarcane is a fast-growing staple product, using waste from agriculture is a smarter option. This waste by-product is already being produced, rather than specifically farming materials such as wood, which take many years to grow. Bagasse also requires much less input to create the same amount of pulp compared to paper. At RooCreate, we are reusing waste materials from the environment, so not to add MORE, and utilise what is already there.

Never heard of it?

Bagasse is commonly used as a filler for paper or fibreboard. Bagasse is the eco-friendlier alternative to paper as well, it looks and feels like wood paper, but only takes 1 year to grow and harvest. This compared to paper, which can take up to 20 years to grow.

This recyclable and compostable marvel is exactly what you need in your eco-packaging.

Key benefits of bagasse

Using bagasse protects forests and its production requires fewer toxic chemicals. Less energy and water is used to make the product, all this, in turn, plays an important role in helping Australia achieve its Renewable Energy Target.

Businesses need to utilise rapidly renewable sources. Bagasse uses lower energy-related emissions, which help to contribute to lowering global warming. It requires less energy in the manufacturing process because it is just the fibre remaining from sugar processing. Using it as a material for packaging removes the need for transporting the bagasse away. If bagasse were left to rot, it would break down and release greenhouse gases, particularly methane, which is 27 times more dangerous to the ozone than carbon dioxide.

Importantly, it is durable and unaffected by extremes in temperature, which make it a useful material in the consumer space. Notable factors of bagasse include:

microwave and freezer safe,
can handle hot liquids up to 120 Degrees Centigrade
oven safe up to 220 Degrees Centigrade.

Practical Benefits

Practical benefits include space savings. Being nestable and stackable reduces storage costs as much as 70%. Protection is another benefit, bagasse gives superior shock and vibration cushioning. In addition, bagasse can be engineered to your specifications, the option of custom design is a great advantage. It offers price stability, minimal dependence on volatile price fluctuations of oil, gas and resins gives you a long term price guarantee. It also comes at a lower cost than other protective packaging options e.g. foams and thermoformed plastics.

Products made from bagasse do not need a PLA lining because it is naturally oil and leak-proof, making it both home-compostable and industrially compostable. Bagasse is a great composting material, so giving it a second life as packaging is great for the environment.

Environmental Benefits

Bagasse does not need any labels, like biodegradable, that tend to be misleading. It is both home-compostable and industrially compostable. It is a best-case scenario that the products end up in your home-compost, but they could also end up in the recycling (as they look most similar to paper products), become incinerated and lastly end up in a landfill.

It is important to note that industrially composed materials are no better if they are also being put into landfill. Home-composting is where you can make a difference. Composting reduces methane production (a major source of greenhouse gas) and provides a series of economic and environmental co-benefits.

Bagasse has many uses outside of packaging as well, it is a major contributor in the bioenergy sector – accounting for over 60% of Australia’s dedicated bioenergy capacity. There are also projects working towards using bagasse as biomass for ethanol production.

Four eco-warriors you need to know about…

Posted on June 4, 2020 | by RooCreate | Leave a Comment

We absolutely love hearing stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things for our planet. It inspires us to press on with our own mission and gives us hope for the future. We hope these change-makers will inspire you to thread a little more gently and consume a little more consciously – after all, the health of our planet depends on it.

Tim Silverwood.

Tim Silverwood, Bondi surfer and ocean guardian, is the founder and CEO of Take 3 For The Sea. Take 3 is an initiative aimed at creating small, manageable changes in behaviour, that, when multiplied by the masses, will have a lasting impact. The name of this not-for-profit organisation explains its mission – take three (or more) pieces of rubbish from the beach or ocean, every time you leave. Take 3 estimates that their global community now extends to around 150,000 people around the world who have, together, removed more than 2 million pieces of plastic from our shores. You might recognise Tim’s story from the award winning eco-documentary, Blue, where he featured alongside some other heavyweight environmentalists.

Harriet Spark.

Harriet spearheaded the incredible environmental initiative, Operation Straw. The project aims to tackle the huge problem of plastic pollution in our oceans by starting with one seemingly inconsequential item – the plastic straw. Part of Operation Straw involves a fun yet eye-opening activity called “strawkeling”, which takes place on Sydney’s northern beaches. Participants snorkel around Manly while gathering up the many hundreds of straws that collect in and around the cove. In doing so, they not only reduce plastic pollution, but also gather important data about…

Brianne West.

Brianne is the woman behind cult beauty brand, Ethique, a New Zealand based business that creates “beauty bars”. These compact bars are made using totally natural ingredients and are intended to replace bottled shampoo, conditioner and soap – and they actually work! From humble beginnings, Ethique has now prevented more than 400,000 cosmetic bottles from entering into landfill. Ethique is also certified climate neutral and uses planet-friendly ingredients that are drain safe. At Roocreate, we had the pleasure of working with Ethique to create a fully biodegradable Advent Calendar. You can check out the project here.

Suzanne Haddon.

Last, but certainly not least, is our very own Founder & Director, Suzanne. Suzanne is a true ocean-lover who is passionate about marrying excellent design with slick and sustainable packaging. Suzanne is deeply passionate about living a sustainable lifestyle and has made it her mission to help brands do the same – which is exactly why she founded RooCreate! By offering unique packaging solutions for businesses, and simple yet sustainable experiences for consumers, Suzanne is shaping the future of our planet, one biodegradable clamshell at a time.

As Margaret Mead famously said, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has’. Do you know an environmental activist or everyday eco-warrior who inspires you to live a more sustainable life? Let us know in the comments below!

6 Tips to Greenify Your eCommerce Packaging

Posted on March 19, 2020 | by RooCreate | Leave a Comment

If your business is operating from a sustainability standpoint, making your packaging more sustainable should be a top priority this year. Packaging material makes up about 10% of carbon emissions. By making slight improvements in your packaging process and procedures, will make a significant impact on our environment and your bottom line.

In this article, we share 6 simple ways you can do right now to make your eCommerce packaging environment-friendly and more attractive to your customers.

1. Use 100% recycled materials

Our main goal is to use eco-materials for your shipping needs, be it a paper mailer envelop or eco mailer box. We want to shift to recycled content and move away from virgin fibre paper. Using eco-friendly packaging materials made of 100% recycled paper saves 50% of greenhouse gas emissions from producing paper made from excess raw materials. Much of these emissions come from chopping down trees and converting them to virgin fibre. Switching to a recycled paper mailer can minimise carbon emissions and trees chopped down.

2. Repurpose and reuse your packaging

You probably receive inbound shipments placed in corrugated boxes and mailers. If it’s something you can consider (and if it doesn’t affect the customer experience), try saving these boxes and reusing them for consumer packaging. This helps reduce one hundred per cent on emissions and resources needed to produce a new package. Make sure reusing and repurposing boxes works for your brand as well.

3. Lessen your packaging materials

Striking a balance between creating a great customer experience and using environment-friendly eCommerce packaging solutions can get tricky. If you can come up with a thoughtful unboxing experience without using excess materials, it would be a significant step towards reducing packaging waste.

It may help to review your packaging and see if you’re using too many layers of materials (tissue paper, notecards, stickers, ribbons). If you have two notecards, can it be possible to include one and print on both sides? Are you able to remove one layer of packaging paper while still giving your goods enough protection?

4. Enhance your void fill and dunnage

Use eco-friendly materials for your void fill and dunnage. There are void fills made of paper, mushroom, and cornstarch. You can also use corrugated bubble to add a layer of protection for goods placed in a tight space. Recycled packaging paper is an excellent choice for filling larger spaces.

5. Make your shipping labels more sustainable

Outbound eCommerce packages need shipping labels. However, if you release 1,000 packages every week and are using traditional labels, you’re generating approximately 400 pounds of rubbish a year with your release liners. Shifting to zero waste liners is one way to eliminate waste. It also lowers your emissions since release liners are post-consumer waste.

6. Use soy-based or water-based inks

Unlike petroleum-based inks, soy-based and water-based inks are more eco-friendly, and it makes recycling paper or carton much easier. Besides being safe for the environment, soy inks can produce brighter and sharper images as opposed to traditional inks.

Need more tips to make your business more sustainable and better for the environment? Get in touch with the packaging design experts at RooCreate. Call us at +61 467 057 640 or send us an instant message at hello@rooland.com.

Why A Great Unboxing Experience Matters for Your Brand

Posted on March 10, 2020 | by RooCreate | Leave a Comment

Unboxing Eco Packaging — Photo by The Creative Exchange

We’re all familiar with the excitement that comes with opening presents on Christmas Day. What makes the experience memorable is the thrill of discovering what’s underneath the nifty wrapping, and savouring the moment.

An attractive, well-thought-out presentation of consumer items play a significant role in establishing a pleasurable ‘unboxing’ experience. Through the years, unboxing has gone a long way from being a seasonal pleasure to a necessary marketing tool for eCommerce businesses.

eCommerce experiences are not complete without the satisfying unboxing of packages. And if you want to set a great impression on your customer, you need to think of a way to get them psyched about getting their hands on your product.

And this is where you’ll need the power of a curated unboxing made possible by an impressive product packaging and presentation.

Here are some good reasons why you need to invest in a solid unboxing experience for your product:

1. It’s a great vehicle for expressing your brand story.

If you aren’t maximizing your unboxing experience, you’re missing out on an opportunity to tell the world about your unique brand story.

Besides providing a pretty face for your product, unboxing has more to do with crafting your brand’s narrative in a creative way. And your narrative should tell your customers why they should choose your product over your competitors.

In other words, your unboxing must clearly show the reasons why your customers should care about your product.

An effective brand identity communicates the following:

How your brand became what it is today
What you’re aiming to become
Your competitive edge over other brands in your industry
The value you want to offer your customers

Fine-tuning your unboxing experience will set you on the right path to creating a powerful brand message. It’s also tangible proof of the values you uphold as a brand.

Most importantly, a well-curated product unboxing lets your customers know that you value your interactions with them, and this forges trust overtime.

2. It establishes customer loyalty.

Long-term relationships with your customers are necessary for a profitable business. In the eCommerce space, customer loyalty is the strongest force that attracts success. And building loyalty requires brands to create positive first and last impressions.

Product delivery is the last point of interaction your customers will have with your brand and your last chance to create a remarkable impression, so make it count.

In a competitive playing field such as the retail market, you’re up against dozens of brands offering the same products/services. What distinguishes you from the competition (and what tugs your customers back) is the ‘wow factor’ you deliver.

You might have a groundbreaking product that can solve your customers’ problems, but it’s tough to leverage on this if you don’t offer them a unique unboxing experience. And you can take advantage of an awesome unboxing so you can put your brand at the forefront of your customers’ minds.

3. It gives your product the chance to go viral.

Crafting a memorable unboxing experience entails cost. Justifying the expense may not be easy when your package might only be seen by a limited number of customers. But what if your product has the potential to be seen by a wide range of audiences?

In the social media sphere, this is a real opportunity available for all brands. The topic ‘unboxing’ has a huge following on sites like YouTube. There are channels dedicated to the unboxing of certain products that have earned millions of following.

People just get a kick out of unboxing products. Some of them watch such videos to live vicariously and engage this desire, may it be unboxing the latest iPhone or the newest addition to the Adidas sneakers.

That said, a video of someone unboxing your product can be a way to tap into new markets. The chances of getting viral are endless, so it will serve your brand well to create a rad packaging.

Bottomline

Let your imagination run free when it comes to developing a remarkable unboxing experience. There are many options you can explore that’s consistent with your budget and you can scour the internet for a variety of inspiration.

If you need help with the nitty-gritty work of putting together a great unboxing for your product, from conceptualisation and planning to for the right packaging materials and printing the actual package, we’re here for you. RooCreate specialises in helping businesses create an amazing brand experience for their customers that result in customer loyalty. We also create packaging design boxes for a wide range of products.

For inquiries, call us at +61 467 057 640 (Wollongong) or (206) 480 1137 (Seattle). You can also send us an instant message.

Creating Eco-Friendly Packaging for Sydney and beyond

Posted on September 6, 2019 | by RooCreate

Eco friendly gift packaging, Sydney — ***RooCreate is an eco-friendly packaging company, headquartered south of Sydney, Australia.***

RooCreate provides eco-friendly packaging in Sydney, as well as all over Australia, the US and beyond.

After its successful launch in 2018, RooCreate has seen tremendous growth. The first year of the company has seen the production of eco-packaging for both local and global brands in the food and clothing industries.

At the helm of RooCreate is our founder and creative director, Suzanne Haddon. Suzanne’s palpable love for the environment fuels her decisions and actions, in and out of the office.

“I believe a hundred percent in helping the environment and doing amazing design, and I think the two can meet in the middle,” Suzanne says.

Tracing Roo’s Roots: How RooCreate Came to Be

Suzanne Haddon, founder RooCreate — ***RooCreate Founder and Creative Director, Suzanne Haddon***

Resulting from her 25 years of work in the creative industries as an advertising and brand strategy maven, Suzanne saw how crucial it is for businesses to improve their product design to minimise their ecological footprint.

Reaching for the chance to improve her own industry, Suzanne established RooCreate with one mission in mind: to eliminate waste. At RooCreate, we want to make it easier for businesses to make smart, simple and sustainable choices for their packaging.

Being eco doesn’t have to mean compromising on design. As a leading packaging agency serving Wollongong and Sydney clients, our team has extensive knowledge in working with recycled and biodegradable packaging.

Custom printed eco-friendly mailer boxes Sydney — ***RooCreate desires to encourage businesses to help curb the waste problem in Australia.***

What’s It Like Working at the Roo

***RooCreate is a team of creative individuals with a passion for sustainable design and helping the environment.***

RooCreate enjoys it’s Wollongong lifestyle, being located 90 minutes south of Sydney. When we are not busy creating eco-friendly packaging, our team focusses on its work-life balance. Since a fresh approach is needed towards every project we deliver, it is important to keep our creative juices flowing.

Likewise, Suzanne exemplifies it in her daily ritual – priming her mind and body to take on the day. Before facing a wave of workload, she heads out on a dawn patrol.

“I get up everyday at 5:30 in the morning. I check surf — I go out and surf. Making sure that I make the time, as it is so important to me. It gets you moving and motivated,” Suzanne shares.

Riding the waves and greeting the first break of light in the morning amps up her vigour and creativity as she heads to the RooCreate headquarters. “I come in and I just start hitting the list. We dish everything up and then I take a favourite project that I will take through to the whole process.”

Similarly, Suzanne’s mentorship of her team at RooCreate helps everyone unleash their potential through various projects.

“I love teaching and I love inspiring. I love getting the team to the next level. They see it as well and I give them a lot of encouragement and belief in their work. For me, I come in and say, ‘Yep, love it! Change that.’ ‘How can we make this better?’ We come in and we try to figure out a way that it can keep moving,” Suzanne explains.

While working with her team, Suzanne’s fresh approach to open communication allows everyone on the team to hone their skills. We always strive for excellence to achieve personal development and client satisfaction.

Getting stated: Creating an Eco-Packaging with RooCreate

RooCreate desires to lead more businesses to the path of increasing sustainability. From conceptualizing product branding and design, designing pouches and labels, or manufacturing eco-friendly packaging (boxes or bags), our packaging design experts are ready to help you with your project. Our packaging design inspirations can guide you in creating the final design that best resonates with your brand identity.

First, if you’re thinking about starting your own packaging project you will need to consider the item you’re packaging. Will it get wet? Does it touch food. Next, you will need to consider the size and weight of the item. Will you be sending the item through the mail?

These are all questions our packaging experts will walk you through to make sure you are creating the right packaging for your business.

Whether your business is located in Sydney or located further abroad, RooCreate is here for you. Our friendly team is ready to help you make the switch to eco-friendly pacakaging.

Let’s start a conversation about your project!

In the media: Wollongong businesswomen reach great heights as women with Altitude

Posted on June 20, 2019 | by RooCreate

** This article was originally published in the Illawarra Mercury on June 4 2019. Story and photography by Greg Ellis.
Click here to read the full story.

Wollongong business women are among the winners of 2019 Altitude Awards presented in Sydney on Saturday.

Catherine McMillan, of Lotus Wellbeing Centre, took out the Strategic Connector Award and Emma Queen, of emmaqueen.com.au, won the Digital Dynamo Online Award.

In 2018 Suzanne Haddon, of RooCreate, won the Purpose Driven Entrepreneur Altitude Award. And Ms Queen took out the Digital Dynamo category for Women with Altitude. “This is the second year running I have won that category” she said.

“I’ve been attending their networking meetings for 18 months and also run collaborative workshops with them. Winning makes me feel that my expertise in all things digital, including social media, websites, strategy and in my business coaching has come to fruition. It is also great as I write books. Being able to walk my talk in small business feels authentic to me. I love what Women with Altitude are creating. Their support is ongoing and immense”.

The recognition for Ms McMillan came a week before Lotus meves to 50 Crown St above Thai Carnation. She said it was great to be recognised after being out networking for many years which has helped her and her business so much.

“The community involvement I have done is basically because I love it. I get a lot of joy and pleasure out of meeting new people, helping our community and helping the environment and all the things that I do. So the award was like a pat on the back,” she said.

Ms McMillan said it was great to sit on a table with other Illawarra women in Sydney and share in each others success.

She said it was a wonderful feeling for all of the Illawarra finalists to have so much local support.

“The women from networking are not just my networking friends. They are my friends. They are the people who have my back and pick me up and encourage me”.

The awards recognising local achievers are presented by Women with Altitude.

They are held annually to acknowledge those who have made outstanding contributions as business owners, community contributors, employees, creative thinkers and leaders.

In 2019 120 finalists from NSW/ACT were chosen from more than 400 businesses who entered 24 award categories.

Other Illawarra finalists were Nicola Xanthopoulos, of Nicola’s Tutoring, at Blackbutt in the Soaring Solo Award category. And Stephanie Meades, of Life Wellness Co at Thirroul, in the Purpose Driven Entrepreneurs Award category.

In the Media: Suzanne Haddon named Innovative Business Woman of the year

Posted on May 11, 2019 | by RooCreate

** This photo was originally published in the Illawarra Mercury on May 10 2019. Photography by Greg Ellis.
Click here to read the full story.

We are proud to announce that the founder of RooCreate, Suzanne Haddon, has recently received an award from the Illawarra Women in Business for her innovative packaging design platform. Suzanne’s dream to make packaging smart, simple and sustainable has inspired all of the team at RooCreate.

Moulded pulp cardboard – the latest material in eco design

Posted on May 5, 2019 | by RooCreate

Truth be told, sustainable design isn’t always about developing new materials. Often, it’s about utilising what we already have in new and creative ways. That’s why we’re calling moulded pulp – the material used to make the humble egg carton – the latest in eco design.

Moulded pulp is manufactured using recycled paper and cardboard, making it a smart, simple and sustainable packaging option for any business looking to minimise its environmental impact. And, while the humble egg carton may not necessarily look the part, we’ve been sure to elevate this age-old material into something truly eye catching. Our eco clamshell boxes, made using moulded pulp from recycled cardboard, are the ultimate packaging solution for the brand that cares about both ethics and aesthetics. So what makes moulded pulp such a great packaging option? And how have we managed to take it from design zero to design hero? Let’s find out…

It’s made with recycled materials.

Choosing packaging that’s made from recycled material is far less resource-intensive than packaging that uses virgin materials. It not only saves trees, but also requires far less water and energy. Packaging made from recycled paper and cardboard also produces up to 90% less by-products such as chemical wastes. Rest assured, our eco clamshell boxes are made using recycled cardboard and are chlorine-free.

It’s 100% recyclable.

Sadly, we live in a world where convenience trumps consciousness, which may well explain the the “single use” mindset that many of us operate in. Brands that are looking to augment their track record with the planet must think about their products’ journey from start to end. While non-recyclable products will spend the rest of their days in landfill (and probably outlive the people that created them) recyclable packaging can be given new life – over and over and over again. In fact, cardboard and paper can usually be recycled up to eight times before the fibres are too weak to recycle again. At this stage, the materials can be turned into compost where they will break down naturally. Our eco clamshell boxes can be recycled or even re-purposed at the end of their life. (They are pretty cute, after all!)

Seriously good looking.

Sustainable packaging has come a long way in recent times. As designers experiment with new and innovative materials, we’re seeing more and more designs that showcase exactly what sustainable materials are capable of. Thankfully, the brown box is no longer the only packaging option for the environmentally conscious brand! With a 285GSM paperboard and fully customisable sleeve, our clamshell boxes are proof of the fact that good design and sustainability are no longer mutually exclusive. Why not chat to us about including embossed lettering, stickers and/or labels to create the perfect presentation or gift box for your brand?

Is your brand thinking about making the switch to more sustainable packaging? Visit our products page to find out what we offer, or check out the fact sheet for more information about our clamshell boxes.

In The Media: RooCreate and Rooland team up to “Dream a Little Dream” with Lisa Burling

Posted on March 18, 2019 | by RooCreate

Founder Suzanne Haddon at the launch of ‘Dream a Little Dream’. Design work by Rooland. Eco gift packaging by RooCreate.

** This article was originally published in the Illawarra Mercury on March 18 2019. Story and photography by Greg Ellis.
Click here to read the full story.

From little things big things come and can inspire many.

All you need to do is believe it can come true and set manageable doable targets.

And then use your connections, resources, skills, knowledge and gumption to make each of them happen.

That was part of the message of a motivational book launch by Lisa Burling that kicked off the year at Illawarra Women In Business in February.

The Wollongong entrepreneur and former Illawarra Business Woman of the Year had spent much of 2018 on the project after deciding to write a book based on her own experiences of starting a business at a time of unexpected trauma and heartbreak.

She spoke of how that process led her to fulfillment and opportunity.

The book “Dream A Little Dream” is about sharing that journey from the heart and how living with faith and courage led Ms Burling to start and build a successful business that steadily grew to gain not only regional but national recognition.

Both the book and the presentation at IWIB was about sharing her own experience to help others lead the life they want.

Ms Burling saw it as a chance to give back and encourage other businesswomen to share their journeys by entering the 2019 Illawarra Women in Business Awards before entries close this Friday.

IWIB director Glenda Papac was one of many in the room moved by how Ms Burling with a very sick new born baby, and on Centrelink benefits, was able to turn unpredictable and tragic circumstances at that moment in her life around by daring to dream and working hard.

“Lisa’s story is inspiring,” Mrs Papac said.

“She has gone from a single mum of two babies surviving on benefits after her world unexpectedly fell apart to where she is now as the managing director of award winning LPBR and founder of the Dream A Little Dream Project.

“And now we can also add author to the list of her achievements”.

“I love Lisa’s ability to turn a challenge into a positive and more importantly something that can help others.”

“She shows us we can all do amazing things if we believe in ourselves and stick at it”.

Ms Burling spoke of many quotes that had helped her such one she read at 13 that said “a person’s only obligation is to fulfill their own destiny”.

She spoke of how whenever she feels defeated and deflated she remembers a Mexican proverb about being a seed and how “the most beautiful and amazing things can come when you have crap dumped on you”.

Other quotes were about not having to accept the story you have been handed because with determination you can change it. And about how when she was receiving benefits she was told to think of it as a helping hand she could let go of when she was ready. She also spoke about the importance to her of doing something if it felt right and how fortune favours the brave.

“Dreaming a little is the secret to creating a life you love now,” Ms Burling said.

“I absolutely live and breath that. And my life is an example of the social proof that it works”.

Wollongong mumpreneur recognised nationally as a rising star at the AusMumpreneur Awards

LBPR wins twice at the Public Relations Institute of Australia’s Golden Target Awards for NSW and is recognised in Wollongong on the same day

National win for Wollongong driven Girl Guides’ 60th anniversary biscuit drive campaign

Entries close in one week for 11th annual Illawarra Women in Business awards