From Bleached White to Natural Brown: Why Even Small Packaging Changes Make a Difference
Packaging might seem like a small detail, but it makes a real difference to the planet when it’s only used once. From the very beginning of manufacturing the coloured powder for Quality Coloured Powder myself, I’ve tried to avoid plastic wherever possible. For our 5kg bags, I’ve been using paper sacks made in Victoria by Australian Multiwall Bag Company for several years now, and recently I took another step forward.
Why Kraft Paper?
I switched from white bleached paper sacks to natural brown kraft paper. The white sacks were neat and attractive, but that appearance came with a hidden cost: more bleaching, more processing, and greater resource use.
Kraft paper, by contrast, is simpler. It requires less energy to produce, involves fewer chemicals, and has a lower environmental footprint overall. While it may not look as polished as the bright white packaging, it reflects the values I want Quality Coloured Powder to stand for: sustainability over surface gloss.
Small Steps, Meaningful Change
I believe these small packaging changes make a difference. They may not transform the world overnight, but each decision adds up. Choosing kraft over bleached paper is one more way to reduce environmental impact and show that conscious choices in business matter.
The Ongoing Challenge
Of course, this journey is not complete. For my smaller 100g and 1kg bags, I still rely on plastic because I have yet to find a workable alternative. I previously used compostable cellophane for the 100g bags, but unfortunately they proved too fragile and often broke during transit, which created more problems than it solved.
Can You Help?
This is where I’d like to invite you into the conversation. How can we move away from plastic in smaller packaging without compromising strength and reliability?
If you know of strong, sustainable alternatives that could work, I’d love to hear your suggestions. Progress is rarely perfect, but it is always worth pursuing, and with shared knowledge, we can move further, faster.
