Tom's of Maine is a business with a social mission of being environmentally sustainable, and as such they are researching the viability of using potato starch packaging. Specifically, they are looking to use non-genetically modified, below food-grade potatoes, which means they would normally be considered waste. While potatoes are the largest commodity in Maine's agricultural industry, similar technology could be applied to a variety of other waste products, especially wood, waste paper, sugar corn, grass and grain.
This will not only cut down on millions of potatoes thrown away each year, but will also serve as a more sustainable packaging solution. However, since Tom's of Maine is a personal care company, they face a unique set of challenges as their products are often kept in high-humidity areas like bathrooms. This does present an exciting opportunity for other sectors, like the food service industry. Tom's of Maine remains enthusiastic and optimistic about potato starch packaging technology.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Potato Starch Packaging
- Using potato starch as a biodegradable packaging material presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
- Non-food Waste Products
- Exploring the use of other non-food waste products such as wood, waste paper, and sugar corn for packaging offers a disruptive innovation opportunity to reduce waste and create sustainable solutions.
- Humidity-resistant Packaging
- Developing packaging solutions that are resistant to high-humidity environments, like bathrooms, presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for industries such as personal care and food service.
Where This Applies
- Personal Care
- The personal care industry can leverage potato starch packaging technology to reduce waste and enhance sustainability in their products.
- Food Service
- The food service industry can explore the use of potato starch and non-food waste products as packaging materials to minimize waste and improve sustainability in their operations.
- Packaging
- The packaging industry can embrace the use of potato starch and non-food waste products as innovative and eco-friendly packaging materials to meet consumer demands for sustainability.
