We’re incredibly proud to share that our reusable nappy is the first in the world to be Certified Plastic Neutral by Plastic Bank. This certification reflects our ongoing commitment to sustainability, and our desire to protect our planet for future generations.
When plastic becomes a problem
Plastic gets a bad rap, but it is a helpful and necessary resource for many innovative products. For example, at EcoNaps, we use plastic in our nappy covers so they won't tear or fade even after hundreds of wash cycles.
The real problem with plastic is when it's used once and tossed away (common single-use offenders include plastic nappies, water bottles, coffee cups and drinking straws), especially when so many eco-friendly alternatives are available.
Here’s some not-so-rosy plastic pollution facts:
- One garbage truck full of plastic enters the oceans every minute.
- It’s estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.
- More than 350 million tonnes of plastic is produced each year, but only 9% is recycled (that means a whopping 91% of plastic waste ends up in landfill or the environment!).
Becoming Plastic Neutral Certified with Plastic Bank is our commitment to measure, reduce and offset the plastic it takes to produce every EcoNaps product.
Cleaner oceans and community opportunity
Our involvement with the Plastic Bank program not only prevents plastic from entering our oceans, it also provides individuals with a secure source of income that didn’t otherwise exist.
How it works is that community collectors gather ocean-bound plastic waste from beaches, riverbanks, neighbourhoods, and households. They’re then rewarded with digital tokens to spend on necessities like groceries, school tuition and cooking fuel. The plastic waste they’ve collected is recycled and reprocessed which reduces the need for virgin plastic. It’s a win for people and our oceans.
When you purchase any EcoNaps product, you help create lasting environmental, social and economic impact.
Our sustainability journey
In 2022, after months of testing and development, we launched our new and improved 2.0 cloth nappy made with a recycled plastic outer cover. While we do use some virgin plastic in our products, we’re working on ways to reduce this without losing the premium nappy quality and longevity you love.
To become Plastic Neutral Certified, we meticulously measured the plastic used in every EcoNaps product and can now offset that impact through Plastic Bank’s collection and recycling program.
The next steps
As a team, we’re proud of our sustainability achievements so far. Adding Plastic Neutral certification to the list, and being the first plastic neutral reusable nappy certified by Plastic Bank is something we’re over-the-moon about.
But our journey to do better doesn't stop here. Here’s a sneak peek into the other initiatives we’re working on in 2022:
- We aim to use 100% rPET in our products by the end of the year (we’ve already introduced rPET recycled fabrics into 90% of our product range).
- We will source our rPET materials from Plastic Bank facilities to help stop ocean plastic and improve collector lives in vulnerable coastal communities.
- We already create minimal fabric waste with our factories, but are looking to create a new product that can utilise any fabric offcuts.
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We’re in research and development mode to achieve our dream of creating a reusable nappy that is 100% plastic-free in 2023.
Changing the world can feel complicated, but everyday decisions do make a difference. Shop with a clean conscience knowing that every product purchased from EcoNaps contributes to empowering coastal communities and stopping ocean-bound plastic waste before it pollutes our precious planet.