Precision Color Graphics certified for pet food pouch compostability

Precision Color Graphics Ltd., a petfood packaging company, earned Biodegradable Products Institute certification for its Ecoterah petfood pouches and bags. 

The Ecoterah multi-layer pouches and bags for petfood can contain several paper layers, a water-based adhesive and a biopolymer sealant. The inner film is made with an earth-friendly alternative to petrochemical-based films, and the carbon-neutral biopolymer is made with 100 percent annually renewable plant resources, according to the company. 

The certification assures that the Ecoterah packaging products meet American Society for Testing and Materials D6868 and D6400 compostability standards. The Biodegradable Products Institute promotes the use and recycling of biodegradable polymeric materials via composting, and certification is awarded after third-party laboratory testing. 

Weatherchem progresses on pet food packaging sustainability initiatives

Petfood packaging company Weatherchem announced it is making significant progress toward its goal of becoming "landfill-free."
During 2012, the company says its efforts will focus on reducing the weight of its recyclable packaging closures to save material usage and shipping and fuel costs. One of Weatherchem's closures will use 20 percent less plastic, with production cycle times cut by 25 percent to save electricity.
In addition, the company previously installed new electric presses that consumed 30 percent less energy and 800,000 fewer gallons of water annually than the old ones. A new "chiller" to cool interior spaces was also installed to cool interior spaces using 40 percent to 45 percent less energy. The company also began recycling pallets, shrink wrap and corrugated paper to reduce landfill content, which led to creation of 24 tons fewer in 2011 compared to 2007, despite doubling business volume during that time. 

Eco-dogs.com launches web-based storefront for pet owners interested in natural, organic, green products

Eco-dogs.com has officially opened its web-based storefront, according to co-founder Marion Elledge, who said that "the goals of eco-dogs.com are to introduce pet owners to natural, organic, eco-friendly products available on the market today, provide insight into how they can support a more sustainable environment by using these products and offer holistic, grain-free, gluten-free petfood and treats that are a much healthier choice than those carried in your local grocer." 
Initial items listed in the web store include pet products like Cycle Dog, Ecollargy, Wagging Green, and Earth Dog collars and leashes, which are made of organic materials such as soy, hemp, 100% cotton, 100% wool and bamboo. Other items for sale are constructed from things like recycled inner tubes, recycled billboards and recycled plastic bottles. "It is important to us to bring awareness as to how people can involve their pets in their eco-conscious efforts to prevent global warming and guarantee a sustainable environment," said co-founder and Vice President Roger Franklin

Honest Kitchen re-launching trial-size packaging

The Honest Kitchen has re-designed the packaging for its trial size boxes of petfood to replicate the full-size, eco-friendly boxes for which the company is known.

“The size and dimensions of our new trial sizes have been designed with the canned-food customer in mind,” said company founder Lucy Postins. “We really want to help stores promote the versatility of our products and we’re expecting that many stores will situate our new trial size boxes in the canned food aisle to introduce The Honest Kitchen as a whole food alternative to canned food. The trial size boxes also work well next to freezers to complement a raw food diet.”
The company’s new trial size packaging holds four ounces of dehydrated, whole food ingredients for pets and will hydrate to make one pound of fresh food. The company is also anticipating that the new trial size boxes will be used as a meal-on-the-go for traveling pets. The mini boxes will be available on stores shelves in March.

Kaytee Products chooses recyclable packaging for natural petfood line

When Kaytee Products Inc. launched Nature’s Benefits, a natural petfood line for birds and small animals, the company used vibrant graphics and sustainable packaging to make the products stand out.
Kaytee’s design agency, Directions Inc., came up with the concept of using the emotional bond consumers and their pets have to market the petfood line on store shelves, through cartoon artwork with natural colors and muted tones.
“The design foundation is built on the visual cue of the natural-looking Kraft substrate, which underscores the key positioning of the product,” said Aria Grant, Directions art director. “Rich animal photography is juxtaposed against a backdrop of environmental foliage, all on a palette of visually textured fiberboard. In a snapshot, the package visually describes the benefit of natural nutrition.” 
Directions worked with Great Northern Corp.'s StrataGraph web-based manufacturing operation to print  the cartoon images on the Kraft paperboard packaging product without sacrificing print quality. The StrataGraph process used UV inks and UV dry-trapping of inks and coatings to create a high-quality printing look while keeping the paperboard's folding-carton structure in-tact. The result, according to Kaytee, was packaging made from 100% Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood sources, which is fully recyclable or can be used by consumers for their pets “to tunnel and burrow in,” as the back of the cartons suggest.

Free Range Eco Naturals changes name, implements many 'green' initiatives

Free Range Eco Naturals Dog Treats Inc. changed its name as one of several initiatives the petfood company has undertaken to become more environmentally friendly. 
As a part of these initiatives, Free Range relocated from Brazil to pastures in Argentina, where use of additives like steroids and hormones is forbidden, according to the company. Free Range also moved its corporate headquarters and warehouse facilities to Shelby Township, Michigan, USA.
The new offices are designed to have more "green" features, such as low-VOC wall paint, automatic light sensors, recycled carpeting, paperless inventory management system and a waste and recycling program. In addition, every package is biodegradable, compostable and recyclable, and have wild grass labels printed with soy ink, the company claims.

Petfood part of a world 'going green'

Sustainability. Eco-friendly. Green. All buzzwords used -- though not consistently or backed by any common definitions or standards -- to describe products and practices that are supposedly kinder to the environment and, some believe, the health of humans and animals (including pets).
Yesterday AdAge.com announced that the US Federal Trade Commission will likely be releasing new "Green Guides" very soon to at least direct, if not regulate, how companies use marketing and packaging claims related to sustainability and environmental impact.
These new guidelines may help establish some standards and common definitions, at least in the US, which could go a long way in helping consumers sort through such green claims. Because if one thing is certain, it's that consumers (and probably most marketers) could really use some clarification.
In "World Gone Green," an article in the August issue of Food Technology (published by the Institute of Food Technologists, or IFT), Krista Faron of Mintel breaks down the latest research on what US consumers think about sustainability. Much of this research applies to consumer packaged goods, including petfood.
Some highlights:
Self-reported "green" purchasing behavior has changed dramatically just since 2006 and through 2007, though it has plateaued since. Just four years ago, 12% of consumers surveyed by Mintel were labeled as "True Greens": people who regularly purchased green products. By end of 2007, that figure had more than doubled, to 27%.
Mintel forecasts sales of natural and organic foods and beverages in mass retailers excluding Walmart and natural channels to increase 4.8% this year and 6.1% in 2011. (For natural and organic petfood data, see the latest research from Packaged Facts.)
That's the good news. The bad news, Faron says, is the high point for sustainability appears to have passed, at least in terms of spending patterns.
Much of the article discusses green marketing and labeling claims and just how confusing or even invisible these are to consumers. Faron argues that perhaps better visibility, awareness and definition of claims could have an influence on spending patterns and purchasing behavior.
The other point that stands out is that price is still a huge factor in whether consumers will respond to green claims and actually buy the products. This is especially true during tough economic times but appears to have always been the case: Like petfood, green products overall seem fairly recession-proof. Mintel's research shows green purchasing behavior has remained "remarkably similar in the boom times of late 2007, recessionary climate of October 2008 and January 2010 and, most recently, in June 2010," Faron writes.

Faerch Plast launches new petfood packaging products

Faerch Plast launched a range of products for packaging petfoods that are a low cost environmental alternative to tins, according to the company.
The containers are produced from Ampet, an ambient polyethylene material developed by Faerch Plast for the packaging of ambient products. The company claims its new containers allow more than 99% of the raw material to be reused with only 1% waste. The new packaging material is lightweight and does not taint the taste of the petfood, according to the manufacturer.

Fresh-Lock zipper spool recycle program helps companies go green

The Fresh-Lock Zipper Spool Reuse and Recycle Program has helped petfood companies become more environmentally friendly and reduce waste.
The program allows participants to send old spools, on which Fresh-Lock zippers are wound, back to the company in the original shipping cases, at no charge. The spools are then inspected and washed, and recycled into new, single-use spools.
Since the program began in the fall of 2008, 165 tons of solid waste have been eliminated and 90,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions have been prevented, according to the company.

Purina brands raise awareness about recycling cans

To demonstrate the recyclability of petfood cans to consumers and celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, Purina’s Friskies and Fancy Feast brands created the “Together We Can” campaign.
The program brought together artists nationwide to create artwork out of used Friskies and Fancy Feast cat food cans and other materials.

Zuke’s goes green

Zuke’s announced it is helping protect the environment by using eco-friendly petfood packages, alternative energies for its offices and offering eco-incentives to its employees.