There's a lot to consider when it comes to a sustainable lifestyle. Since the goal is to lessen the impact of our environmental footprint, we have to open our eyes to different methods and try thoughtful steps that can support our journey. One of the simpler ways to achieve the goal is by using compostable and biodegradable products. These are a go- to for anyone who wants to change their approach to waste, and a very effective way to help the environment. But, what is the difference between them two? Hazel is here to let you in on the know-how!
‘Biodegradable’ refers to any item which breaks down and decomposes in the environment while ‘compostable’, is specific to an organic matter that breaks down and brings beneficial uses such as the improvement of soil’s health.
You might ask, can everything be composted?
Pretty much anything that once lived or was made from a living thing can be composted as long as they have natural components and are non- toxic. Just like our products - and our packaging!
So hands on and let’s learn how to compost at home!
Indoor composting
There are different techniques for indoor composting but today we will share about composting with an indoor bin. To do this, find a lockable container, drill some holes in the bottom and place it on top of a tray. First, fill it up with soil (up to one- quarter of the high of the container), add green food scraps (no meat or dairy) for nitrogen supply, shredded brown matter (like our cards/boxes/mailers) for carbon supply and make sure it is a little bit damp for the decomposing organisms to do their work. Once per week, mix it and add more soil to it - once the bin is full, leave it closed for about a week to make sure everything has been decomposed before using the soil!
Outdoor composting
Now, if you have a big yard, you can use the same method like the indoor one but with a bigger container or in a section of your garden. However, outdoor compost needs a little more of your attention since it cannot get too wet. Make sure you have a good cover for it, that there is drainage in place and if it sits directly above the soil, that there is a shallow trench around it to lead water away from the compost pile.
And last but not least, you can just purchase a composter kit online, it’s THAT easy now.
Now, let’s break down how you can compost our products!
PACKAGING
Eco Friendly Box
Depending on the size of your order, you’ll get a recyclable and compostable box which allows you to reuse/repurpose the box as you like or turn it into scraps and put them in your home composter.
Compostable Mailer
For smaller orders, we use a compostable mailer from noissue, a sustainable packaging company that supports businesses like ours. Their mailers are healthy for the environment as they are
printed with soy based ink - which makes them also VEGAN!
To compost the mailers, all you have to do is to make sure that there are no more adhesives from your compostable mailer that aren’t compostable—such as plastic tape, conventional stickers or shipping labels. Now you are ready to pop them into your compost container and let the decomposing organisms do their magic.
noissue did a deepdive on this on their website, but you can also watch a fun quick video of this explanation here!
PRODUCTS
Our products are made with TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers that are derived from nature. All standard TENCEL™ Lyocell fiber types have been certified by TÜV Austria Belgium NV as biodegradable and compostable under industrial, home, soil and marine conditions - they can fully revert back to nature and, as our products are also dyed with a plants through an organic process, no toxic chemicals will leak into the soil.
Make sure you trim all of the synthetic snaps and labels (in case we needed to add to import to your country) that are attached to the clothes, threads and elastics. Once this is done, cut the clothes into small pieces and they’re ready to be thrown to your composter.
So, it isn’t so hard after all, is it?
Composting when things’ cycle comes to an end, is part of taking full responsibility for our impact on
the environment. The products, the process, reusing, consuming less, exchanging, repurposing, and etc, are all part of our responsibility.
If you’re on your way to doing better for the earth, we hope this blog helps you make
your composting journey worthwhile!
-Please let us know what you want to know more about Hazel next!
