In the last century we shouted en masse that plastic was fantastic . In recent years we have known better now that the oceans appear to be full of plastic waste. Yet plastic is also sustainable. We need to explain that.
What is plastic?
From toothbrush to garden table - if you take a look around you will be amazed by everything made of plastic. Plastic is an artificially manufactured plastic that can be molded into any shape. They also discovered this in the 1950s, after which plastic was produced en masse. The first Barbie doll and the first Lego block also date from that time. We understand the enthusiasm from the last century. Because plastic is versatile, lightweight and also cheap to make. Without plastic there would be no toys, rain gear, telephones, cars or artificial hips. In addition, plastic packaging prevents (food) waste, ensures a long shelf life of products, it is hygienic, reusable and can - under certain conditions - be recycled again and again.
Good protection
We want our soapies to remain well protected during transport, but also in the shower or on the counter. And for this we consciously choose plastic bottles - made from 100% recycled plastic, that is. Plastic provides a good barrier against external influences, so that the wonderful scent and other positive properties of our products are well preserved in the bottle. In addition, the hard plastic ensures that the bottle can withstand a blow and will not leak or fall apart. This way we prevent a lot of waste - both during transport and at home. So if you accidentally drop your favorite soapie in the shower, no worries!
Less emissions, less freight traffic
Plastic packaging is lightweight and takes up little space - which is good for freight traffic and emissions. We also package our products as compactly as possible. This means many more soapies fit in the truck.
Not all plastic is fantastic
Despite all the advantages of plastic, it has one major disadvantage: it does not perish! When plastic starts to wander, it has an eternal life on land or - which is usually the case - in the sea. In 1997, Charles Moore discovered the plastic soup in the North Pacific Ocean. We now know that all the world's major oceans are full of plastic waste, whether or not shredded into microplastics. Cleaning up is a hell of a job and as long as the influx of even more plastic waste does not decrease, it will also be a matter of mopping with the tap open. We know something about that!
100% recycled plastic
All Marcel's Green Soap bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic. Recycling plastic is a good way to prevent more plastic from floating into the sea. And there is enough plastic on our planet. New plastic is really not necessary! We collect household plastic waste and process it into 'new' plastic bottles, without giving it a nice color. The light gray color of our bottles is the color of recycled plastic, so we do nothing about that! So whether you like that color or not, it is certainly sustainable. And - good to know - recycled plastic can also be reused.
Pssst... curious how our bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic? Find out here.
Reusable and refillable
Because (recycled) plastic is robust and lasts a very long time, you can also easily reuse it. This also applies to our soapies! For many of our products we have refills - packaged in recyclable plastic - with which you can refill the bottles. This saves money and freight traffic and prevents the mountain of (plastic) waste from growing even larger.
| Nice to know: with our refills we have reduced plastic use by more than 33.5 thousand kilos in 2023, because the refills are significantly lighter than the bottles. And then we haven't even mentioned the reduced emissions due to the impact of more compact and lighter packaging material... so keep refilling those bottles! |
Microplastic free
Microplastics are anything but fantastic . Microplastics are created by the disintegration of plastic and the wear and tear of clothing and car tires. It has now been established that microplastics are everywhere: on land, in the sea and in the air. Unfortunately, microplastics are still deliberately added to products, for example to improve the structure or properties. Of course we do not participate in that. All our products are therefore of course 100% microplastic-free.
Easily recyclable
Not only are our bottles made from 100% recycled plastic, they are also easily recyclable. Sounds logical, you might say. However, not all packaging is easily recyclable. In fact, two-thirds of plastic packaging in the supermarket is not recyclable (source: NOS ). This is how Marcel's Green Soap ensures that packaging is 100% recyclable:
Mono material
Most of our packaging is made of mono-material. This means that it consists of one type of plastic. If packaging consists of multiple materials or types of plastic, it is not recyclable and will still end up in the incinerator. Of course we want to prevent this. That's why we do everything we can behind the scenes to get all our products in mono material. We are already well on our way, but this has not yet been achieved for a number of our refill bags. The available mono-material bags do not yet meet quality requirements - and we do not want to compromise on quality for a more sustainable choice. Then the products are not purchased and we still miss our goal!
Washable labels
We like to keep it clean, even when it comes to recycling our packaging. Our labels are therefore easily washable so that the plastic does not become contaminated and can therefore be recycled effortlessly. You do not have to remove the label yourself, the waste processing company will do that. So is your favorite bottle of Marcel's Green Soap empty? Throw it with the cap and label in the plastic waste or - and this is the most sustainable and economical - refill it!
