Plastic vs. Paper: Our New Seed Packs

Seeds of Change is switching out its seed packs to new reusable, recyclable envelopes. This state-of-the-art packaging requires less energy to manufacture, has a longer shelf life, and can be re-sealed to store unplanted seed or re-used for other purposes.

Why did Seeds of Change make this switch? It takes less fossil fuel and energy to make these plastic envelopes compared to our old paper envelopes. The new packs can be recycled as number one plastic, accepted by most recyclers. These new packs are therefore more environmentally friendly and have a smaller total carbon footprint than the traditional paper envelopes.

The packs can be re-sealed (in case all of the seed is not planted in one season), re-used, or recycled, rather than discarded after use. These new packs are therefore more user-friendly and allow you more flexibility in how you use them.

Hermetically sealed and unopened plastic packs remain fresh, per USDA requirements, for two years, much longer than traditional paper packaging. The new packs are therefore also superior for storing seed.

When we holistically examined the entire process of manufacturing, transporting, storing, and using this type of new plastic pack, we concluded that they had less of an environmental impact than our old paper envelopes, as well as superior performance and more user-friendliness. We are confident that this is the most functional and sustainable seed packaging available and that it is consistent with our twenty-year-old Mission. We trust that you will agree.

Photo captions: (1) Our new re-sealable, recyclable, plastic seed packs