Endless lifecycle. Glass bottles and jars create a continuous recycling loop.

Glass is inert. Infinitely recyclable. Reusable. Contains 100% natural materials. Making it the ideal choice for sustainable practices.

In its earliest form glass begins as sand — the main material used in the production of glass.

Sand is transformed into a liquid state in high temperatures by glass bottle manufacturing companies. Once melted, sand cannot return to its original state. Its structure is permanently changed — converted into something new. As it cools, it will never form a complete solid. It remains in the state between solid and liquid — known as an amorphous solid. The molten glass is then poured into a mould, producing shaped glass bottles.

Silica sand is fine white sand free of chemicals used to form a clear glass. Silica sand can be mixed with several other materials—soda ash (sodium carbonate). Limestone (mostly comprised of calcium carbonate). And cullet (furnace ready, recycled, broken, or waste glass – which aids in the lack of raw or new materials needed).

United & Free vessels are made from milk glass. All our glass is SGS tested.

REPURPOSE or recycle at accepted facilities

Second chance. Reused materials. No unnecessary plastics.

Post-consumer recycled materials, referred to as PCR, is material that is made from the items that consumers recycle, in this case, we use plastic. At this time the lids of our vessels are made from 50% PCR plastics. We chose 50% PCR due the type of mechanised closure of our vessels. At the time of manufacture, 100% PCR had not been tested and there was concern the products would spoil, and we would run the risk of waste of raw agricultural material and shipping emissions. We are currently innovating with our supplier to manufacture closures that are made from 100% PCR materials. We expect to manufacture 100% PCR lids by mid-2022!

RECYCLE at accepted facilities 

Upcycling sugar production waste. Creating a closed-loop cycle.

We’ve upcycled the waste from sugar production into our outer packaging. Giving it a second life.
The manufacturing process of sugar creates a by-product (otherwise unusable) known as bagasse. Sugarcane bagasse is renewable—it is the fibrous residue of the sugarcane stalks after juice extraction. Biocycle notes that “Every 1,000 tons of sugarcane processed produces approximately 100 tons of sugar and generates approximately 250 to 270 tons of bagasse.” Unused bagasse waste in its raw form is either burned at facilities or collects as waste—causing detrimental environmental impact. The environmental aspects of concern include global warming potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, and photochemical oxidant creation. This waste can be harmful to humans, animals, and ecosystems, if not utilized properly.

In a recent interview in the Economist, Matt Kaplin discusses how a team of researchers have devised sugarcane bagasse solutions as an alternative to the plastic-coated coffee cup — which could solve a large number of waste issues. Kaplin notes that bagasse has been tested by researchers for years and when buried in the ground, bagasse decomposes within months. It is important that the bagasse outer packaging be disposed of in the proper compost streams and not in the landfill. The process of composting is a specific process that does not occur in landfills. The composting process requires oxygen and good ventilation. Landfills are mainly sealed with no air getting in. Incorrectly disposing of the bagasse could lead to unnecessary gas emissions from uncomposted items with the item not fully breaking down in the correct stream.

Our sugarcane bagasse is SGS tested. Our packaging follows the SGS chain of custody certification of FSC-certified paper, paperboard, and pulp. All parameters comply with the requirement stated in the Food and Drug Administration Regulations.

COMPOST in accepted facilities – remove the tape, dispose of in garbage.

Extended lifecycle. Breaks down in the right conditions.

Made from cellulose (wood or cotton pulp) and acetic acid.

With our minds on sustainable practices, we choose the material for our tooling very diligently. We decided on a bioplastic named cellulose acetate. Made from cellulose, the pulp from wood or cotton, and acetic acid which is derived from vinegar (the component that gives vinegar its pungent and sour taste), we have a material that will give us longevity and durability for its use before returning to the cycle of the earth.

While there are products made from cellulose acetate that can be recycled with paper, such as cameras and video films, our combs are not currently able to be either recycled or composted by local facilities. Cellulose acetate is a bioplastic and breaks down into cellulose fiber given enough exposer to UV radiation, saltwater, or acids, however, it does require these certain conditions to be met to properly degrade. Our current composting facilities do not have the means to handle this type of breakdown. This means that currently, the best way of household disposal is through the garbage.

We are searching for the best materials that can suit our needs, we feel confident in using cellulose acetate for its longevity and durability, these aren’t single use products meant to be discarded but products that are meant to keep for its time of usage. That it is not made from petroleum sources so when it does break down it will degrade to natural fibers. Lastly, once it reaches its lifetime of use and it's ready to be discarded, you can send it back to us to recycle ourselves into second-life products.

Our tooling products are not meant to be purchased, throw away and repurchased, in a short cycle. They are products that are built to last the time of their intended use and at the end of their life cycle return to the earth creating a minimum amount of wastage.

How to repurpose… return to us.

100% post-consumer waste. FSC certified.

The paper for our comb pouch comes from 100% post-consumer waste. FSC certification means that we are buying our paper products from vetted suppliers who must meet FSC standards.  FSC certified products come from forests that are managed responsibly and in a sustainable way.

The paper is thick and tactile meaning it can be reused to store your product. This product is easily recyclable for everyone.

How to repurpose - Recycle at a depot or in a multi-stream curbside or multi-family recycling program where paper is separated from containers.

Made in Vancouver.
 

TBD

Water activated.

Know as water activated tape, our tape is made from kraft paper and activated by applying water to the adhesive side of the substrate. This tape is durable, making it a great alternative to standard plastic shipping tape.

How to repurpose - Recycle at a depot or in a multi-stream curbside or multi-family recycling program where paper is separated from containers.

Made in Canada.
 

Our shipping fill is a bio-based foam material. It’s made from 100% corn and is environmentally friendly. The fill protects your products from damage when being shipped to your destination.

How to repurpose… certified compostable in the backyard and commercial facilities. This product can be disposed of in your sink with water.