We thought for Earth Day, we would take you behind the scenes for a look at a pretty cool packaging change we started rolling out a few years ago. Our manufacturing team went looking for a more sustainable alternative to the plastic foam that is used to cushion some products for shipping.
Imagine the foam inserts many companies use inside a box to keep a product from banging around while in transit, or to protect it when dropped or bonked or the outer box gets crunched – our team wanted a more sustainable solution for that. They found one right here in Wisconsin!
This molded pulp is made from 100% recycled materials and is again 100% recyclable itself. It’s made in our home state, which cuts down on transportation impacts, and nests together, which helps us save on transportation and warehouse staging space. And it is easily recycled by our customers after all the new gear has been unpacked!
Switching Source Four LED and ColorSource Spot products from foam to molded pulp reduced our foam usage by over 65,000 lbs (over 29,000 kg) in 2023 alone. As we introduce new products, we are also using this pulp instead of foam, making that savings even bigger. For example, ColorSource PAR, ColorSource PAR jr, fos/4 Fresnel 7”, Navis 100 and ColorSource Fresnel V have all used pulp from the beginning. Collectively, that is a LOT of foam we are no longer using annually.
This is one example of ETC’s commitment to reducing our impact on the earth. We continue working to find and make meaningful changes. We strive to make high quality products that last, and always intend to support those products well beyond their standard warranty period.