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In 2012, the REEP process was born, composed of two elements. The first is an ablation resistant, erasable paper that "just seems like a nice quality paper compatible with existing laser printers and copiers". The second component, a device resembling an office multi-function printer, contains a laser that can erase the page, removing the toner from this re-engineered paper. This also saves the contents of the page, including any of the user's annotations, and presents the page ready to be used again. Now, rather than buying reams of office paper and paying for storage, distribution, scanning, collecting, and shredding, customers now buy the REEP service that provides cost savings without any upfront investments.

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A new circular approach towards paper use in the digital era

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In 2012, the REEP process was born, composed of two elements. The first is an ablation resistant, erasable paper that "just seems like a nice quality paper compatible with existing laser printers and copiers". The second component, a device resembling an office multi-function printer, contains a laser that can erase the page, removing the toner from this re-engineered paper.

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REEP - The Digital Office Paper Solution

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REEP is inspired by the vision of a more circular world. Focusing on the world of paper, our vision calls for a reusable paper system.

Today, copier paper, for instance, is used just once. As a result, virtually all copier paper is sourced from fresh tree fiber, exacting a heavy toll on our planet's resources. REEP has developed an innovative new technology which enables a reuse model for paper.

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REEP is inspired by the vision of a more circular world. Focusing on the world of paper, our vision calls for a reusable paper system. Today, copier paper, for instance, is used just once. As a result, virtually all copier paper is sourced from fresh tree fiber, exacting a heavy toll on our planet's resources.

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Medium-life bulky products

So far DSM-Niaga have targeted their efforts on the top 10 items found in landfill which often happen to be bulky with a typical use life of around 10 years. So far, they have found commercially scalable solutions (manufacturing technologies in their case) for mattresses, carpets, and furniture. They invite manufacturers of other top landfill items to join in a redesign effort, just like the mattress firm Auping did after a connection made via the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Fully recyclable carpets

The first product DSM-Niaga took on was the carpet. As already stated, carpets are composed of a complex, tightly bound array of chemicals. In their pure form, many of these compounds are unsafe to humans, with an estimated 50 toxic substances present in European and US carpets, including carcinogens and mutagens. Because of the difficulties in separation and recovery, the material flow for carpets is wasteful and polluting with less than 1% of materials recycled into new carpets:

DSM-Niaga has developed a carpet material which can be recirculated in an effective and economically viable way. The carpets are created out of single or simple combinations of materials, either pure polyester or a mix of polyester and polyamide, or wool. In the latter case, the two layers are bound together with a reversible adhesive. The holistic design means value is preserved and production costs are reduced for the next generation of carpet products.

There are other benefits, such as indoor air quality, through the elimination of carcinogenic, endocrine, and volatile organic compound emissions; as well as reduced water and energy resources in the production process. The new carpet is also lighter, making transport and handling easier. In early 2017, DSM-Niaga partnered with Mohawk, the second-largest flooring maker in the US, and the first company to incorporate DSM-Niaga system into its own production processes.
Fully recyclable mattress

Every year, it is estimated that 35 million mattresses are disposed in Europe and 20 million are disposed in the US. Seeing a great opportunity to capture some of this lost value, DSM-Niaga partnered with Auping a large Dutch mattresses manufacturer, to develop a modular and fully recyclable mattress.

A common argument to get rid of your mattress is that the comfort layer is worn out. Niaga-Auping's modular mattress allows such components to be easily swapped.

The mattress is made from six components all of which can be replaced when comfort, hygiene or other factors demand (see image below). The components include: a comfort layer, springs, the backing material, zippers. All are designed to be easily separated and replaced through reversible connections like yarn, Velcro and DSM-Niaga's reversible adhesive.

Auping offers the mattresses to hospitality and consumers via a product sale and lease option. The lease options include a maintenance contract for hospitality. This way, hotels are offered the option to only pay for the mattress when the bed is used, and all components will be washed and/or replaced when needed for quality or hygiene reasons. Consumers pay a fixed fee per month, and Auping will take the mattress back for recycling at the end of life.

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So far DSM-Niaga have targeted their efforts on the top 10 items found in landfill which often happen to be bulky with a typical use life of around 10 years. So far, they have found commercially scalable solutions (manufacturing technologies in their case) for mattresses, carpets, and furniture.

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Did you know that waste is largely a result of the way in which products are designed? A bountiful world in which products and materials are regained is merely a matter of design. Changing our design mindset is all it takes to keep materials alive.

redesigned products

We envision a future in which our economy is restorative and regenerative by nature. One that honors material value and reuses materials, again and again. The designs of the future are simple, clean, and reversible. This makes working and living environments healthier for both people and planet.

Learn more

Niaga® is a purpose-driven DSM brand that redesigns products in partnerships to future-proof value chains and industries one step at a time. Our frontrunner partners are showing the world it can be done and inspiring others to follow suit. We're grateful DSM has shown great commitment to our technology, our team, and the future we envision.

Pushing for the radical change that's needed in manufacturing requires boldness. Our courageous partners go against the grain and do things differently. They are willing to be radically transparent about the materials they use. This openness is a collective effort and is essential if we want to achieve an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design.

Get in touch if you have questions or would like to know more.

contact us

© 2020 DSM-Niaga. All rights reserved.

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Did you know that waste is largely a result of the way in which products are designed? A bountiful world in which products and materials are regained is merely a matter of design. Changing our design mindset is all it takes to keep materials alive.

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Design for recycling - The story of mattresses

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Dow is partnering with Fuenix for the supply of a new feedstock made from recycled plastic waste, to produce new Dow polymers. The process breaks down mixed waste plastics into their original form to manufacture virgin polymers. The polymers produced will be identical to products from traditional feedstocks and can be used in the same applications.

Dow technologies

Dow offers products to support the recycling of previously hard to recycle products, for example, with the use of RETAIN™ Polymer Modifier multi-layer barrier films can be recycled. Dow's work in this area is broadening the mix of plastic waste that can be recycled and allowing recyclers to enhance the quality and therefore value of the recycled material and end-use application.

Dow is passionate about advancing recycling capabilities. We design products for recyclability. We innovate recycling technologies. We find new ways to incorporate recycled content into the resins we sell. All to increase the amount of plastic recycled and reused worldwide.

In addition, as a founding partner of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, Dow helped initiate the Store Drop-Off program for hard-to-recycle plastics in 2017. Today, more than 30,000 products carry the How2Recycle logo.

AGILITY™ CE, the first of Dow's new polyolefins portfolio to incorporate a percentage of post-consumer plastic waste. It is manufactured for use in shrink films, as secondary packaging for transporting packs of cans or bottles. The material's formulation consists of a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) compound into which up to 70% postconsumer plastic waste is incorporated, while ensuring the consistency of the material and functionality for its final application.

Our portfolio and activities include:

Products that can be easily recycled

Compatibilizers that offer the recycling of non-compatible material combinations

Innovative resins to allow combinations with recycled content without losing functional performance or significantly increasing weight

We're also helping to develop options for improving the quality of recyclate from flexible packaging defined by:

Economics and implementation speed

Enabling partnerships (recyclers, OEMs, NGOs)

Regional infrastructure for plastic recycling

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Dow is partnering with Fuenix for the supply of a new feedstock made from recycled plastic waste, to produce new Dow polymers. The process breaks down mixed waste plastics into their original form to manufacture virgin polymers. The polymers produced will be identical to products from traditional feedstocks and can be used in the same applications.

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Missed opportunities

Today, most brands focus on the first sale of an item. In other words: they miss out on big opportunities to capture additional value in the secondary market and deepen their engagement with customers at the same time. This status quo prevails because most companies don't have the IT expertise and resources required to set up logistics and build out the right web experience. As a result, the value of items is often lost in landfill unless recycled or sold secondhand by a third party at the item's after-use-stage.

Platform Innovation

Trove gives companies access to their own products in the secondary market by offering a platform that makes it easy for brands to buy back and resell used items. The platform provide brands with the technology and logistics to develop customisable resale channels that allow companies to gain access to the secondary market (see infographic).

In 2017, Yerdle Recommerce (as it was called then) partnered with Patagonia and Eileen Fisher to launch resale programmes, enabling both companies to capture more value from their garments - resulting in increased profits, enhanced customer engagement, and lower environmental and social cost per item. By offering used products, brands can also attract new customers who wouldn't otherwise be able or willing to pay full price.

Benefits & Opportunities

Create new sources of revenue/profit from resale - in some cases allowing brands to capture the same margin on the second sale

Extend the number of item use-cycles

Engage new customers who seek more affordable prices

Extend customer engagement through the sell-back process

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Today, most brands focus on the first sale of an item. In other words: they miss out on big opportunities to capture additional value in the secondary market and deepen their engagement with customers at the same time.

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We do the hard work behind Circular Shopping. Get access to a new consumer behavior. See the Cycle of Circular Shopping and our Partnerships.

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We do the hard work behind Circular Shopping

Take control of your brand and become a part of the fastest growing consumer behavior in the United States. See the our Cycle of Circular shopping, https://trove.co.

Get access to a new consumer behavior
Extend the reach of your brand to new customers without sacrificing premium positioning. Customers want their premium and luxury brands to have purpose and to stand behind the sustainability and quality of what they make.

Founded as a California Benefit Corporation, Trove was birthed by individuals who strongly believe that sustainability is the only way forward for retail. We’re driven by that mission, one that helps our brand partners succeed and the world thrive.

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Overview

The challenge - The rapidly growing takeaway food sector results in many single-use plastic containers being discarded every year. Recycling is generally impractical due to contamination caused by food residues, so takeaway packaging most often ends up in landfill. Reusable containers should be implemented wherever possible, but this is sometimes not practical, leaving a proportion that remains single use.

The solution - BioPak's compostable foodservice packaging made from renewable plant-based materials offers a partial solution for the foodservice items that remain single-use.

What makes it circular? Simply substituting a compostable alternatives is not circular on its own. By also providing a collection and composting service, BioPak has created a circular system, ensuring that packaging and importantly, the food it contains does end up being composted thus contributing to the preservation of healthy soils.

What are the benefits? BioPak has made its compost service available to more than 2000 postcodes across Australia and New Zealand. Since launch, 200 companies have joined together, diverting 660 tonnes of compostable packaging and food scraps from landfill and creating 66,000 bags of nutrient rich compost.

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The challenge - The rapidly growing takeaway food sector results in many single-use plastic containers being discarded every year. Recycling is generally impractical due to contamination caused by food residues, so takeaway packaging most often ends up in landfill. Reusable containers should be implemented wherever possible, but this is sometimes not practical, leaving a proportion that remains single use.

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We know that when you're running a food business, running out of packaging is not an option. Our cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform utilises accurate, real-time data across all products at all locations throughout Australia and New Zealand. We monitor and analyse trends in demand to ensure we always have at least one month's worth of your stock, guaranteeing you'll never run out.

We also know how important it is to receive your orders in full, and on time, so we dispatch all orders on the same day they are received, with free same day delivery to metro areas and BioPak subsidised freight to remote locations.

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We know that when you're running a food business, running out of packaging is not an option. Our cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform utilises accurate, real-time data across all products at all locations throughout Australia and New Zealand.

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At BioPak, our vision is a world without waste. Our sustainable packaging solutions are designed for a circular economy where there is no waste. It starts wi...

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Rethinking packaging: why we design for the circular economy

The Earth's resources are not limitless. Unfortunately, our collective appetite for consumption and convenience is depleting resources faster than the Earth can renew them.

We need to move away from the current linear economy where materials are extracted, turned into products, then ultimately 'thrown away', to one where materials are treated as precious resources to be continually used within a circular system.

Foodservice packaging represents a huge opportunity to move towards a circular economy model and close the loop on waste by producing packaging from plants that can be composted and returned to Earth as soil food which can be used to grow more plants. Compost also helps improve soil quality and retain water which in turn makes the land more drought resilient.

Which is why our packaging is designed for a waste-free circular economy.

This article will help you understand more about the circular economy and why it matters for brands operating in the foodservice industry:

What is a circular economy

Benefits of a circular economy

What makes BioPak packaging circular

How foodservice brands can introduce circularity

circular economy

What is the circular economy?

Often referred to simply as "circularity", the circular economy reimagines the current linear take, make, dispose model and redefines economic growth focusing on positive society-wide benefits.

Leading circularity think-tank The Ellen MacArthur Foundation defines the circular economy as follows:

"In a circular economy, economic activity builds and rebuilds overall system health. It entails gradually decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, and designing waste out of the system. Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources, the circular model builds economic, natural, and social capital. It is based on three principles: design out waste and pollution; keep products and materials in use; and regenerate natural systems." ( source ).

What makes BioPak packaging circular?

BioPak packaging is made from responsibly-sourced, rapidly-renewable plant-based resources. After use, it can be disposed of in appropriate the organics recycling stream along with any remaining food scraps where it will biodegrade through the composting process and return nutrients to the soil and help grow more plants.

How can foodservice brands adopt circularity?

While there are many ways to move towards a circular economy, choosing plant-based compostable packaging and introducing organics recycling are two simple ways foodservice brands can introduce circular practices.

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Rethinking packaging: why we design for the circular economy

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The Earth's resources are not limitless. Unfortunately, our collective appetite for consumption and convenience is depleting resources faster than the Earth can renew them. We need to move away from the current linear economy where materials are extracted, turned into products, then ultimately 'thrown away', to one where materials are treated as precious resources to be continually used within a circular system.

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Nourishing Farms, Food, People & Earth

Driven by our mission

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Straus Family Creamery needs your bottles!

We are aware that some retailers are temporarily not accepting Straus bottle returns for a deposit refund. Please know that glass bottle returns are being accepted at the majority of stores carrying Straus organic milk, including Whole Foods, Safeway and Sprouts. If unsure, check with your local retailer. In the SF North Bay region, you can also return them to us at the Farmers' Markets.

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Learn More scroll TYPES Click to select a flavor! TYPES Click to select a flavor! TYPES Click to select a flavor! FLAVORS Click to select a flavor! TYPES Click to select a flavor! TYPES Click to select a flavor! Straus Family Creamery needs your bottles!

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Farms around the world are embracing sustainable practices and circular economy models that can help fuel and fund their farming as a part of the business. In this Flipside Science video from the California Academy of Sciences, Spurgeon and Darrah visit California's Straus Family Creamery. The farm's methane digesting technology turns cow poop into electricity that fuels the entire farm and their electric vehicle. Excess energy is returned to the grid for use by their neighbors:

Twice a day, the barns are flushed clean with recycled water, including water that has been recycled from the creamery. Manure from the barn is also scraped by tractor into a holding pond. From there, it goes through a separator, which separates solids from liquids. The solids are composted and the liquids are piped into a second pond that is covered with an enormous tarp. Under the tarp, the liquid manure is transformed by bacteria, through the process of anaerobic digestion. The result of this sustainable practice is renewable energy in the form of methane gas, carbon dioxide and a small amount of hydrogen sulfite.

The tarp that covers the pond captures the gas. It is then pumped to a combustion engine where it fuels a generator and creates electricity. The heat created in the process is used to heat water for the dairy. This 180-degree Fahrenheit water is used to clean barns.

When methane emissions are used, they aren't released into the atmosphere where they contribute to our changing climate. Learn more at CalAcademy, at Straus, and at PBS Learning Media.

Explore more videos about sustainable ideas, including solar panel walls that can recycle & heat greywater, turning waste to nutrient-rich soil, turning human waste into drinking water, keeping barn owls for pest control, opening tech-savvy hydroponic urban farms, and creating more green roofs in big cities.

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Powered by Poop at the Straus Family Creamery | The Kid Should See This

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Farms around the world are embracing sustainable practices and circular economy models that can help fuel and fund their farming as a part of the business. In this Flipside Science video from the California Academy of Sciences, Spurgeon and Darrah visit California's Straus Family Creamery.