News & Updates

Back in 2015, kids' toys conglomerate Lego announced it would be investing a large sum into a Sustainable Materials Center. Six years later and after testing over 250 PET materials, Lego has confirmed a suitable PET plastic alternative produced from discarded bottles. This discovery, made by a team of 150, is the first brick made from a recycled material that meets most of Lego’s requirements for its standard ABS bricks.

If the world continues on the same path, the amount of plastic dumped in our water ways is expect to double by 2025. We are on the verge of an irreversible tipping point according to a new study by researchers from Sweden, Norway and Germany, and our current waste management systems are no longer adequate to handle the amount of plastic waste consumer culture produces.

Research completed by Royal Society for the Arts (RSA) found on average 49% of clothing made by Boohoo, Prettylittlething, Missguided and Asos were made of polyester, acrylic, nylon and elastane, with only 3% of those clothes containing recycled plastics.

The strongest material on the planet, spider silk, is the inspiration behind a new plant-based plastic alternative, removing the challenges that come with the micro and nano structures of traditional plant-based plastic. This new, energy efficient method mimics spider silk on a molecular level and will result in a plastic-like free-standing film that can be composted at home.

End consumers are demanding more transparency when it comes to sustainability measures taken by large-scale organizations. To keep up with this demand and to support sustainable change in supply chains, companies like ORBIS, Litco International and PECO Pallets are implementing circular economy tactics when it comes to creating and recycling pallets.

Led by the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network in partnership with WWF and Greenpeace, this two day event garnered support for a global treaty that would be ambitious enough to match the scale and urgency of the plastic waste problem. Here are four key take aways from the virtual event.

This recent article from DownToEarth takes a deeper look at greenwashing in the fashion industry. Have a read to learn how to identify greenwashing.

Organizations all over the world are starting to see the necessity and potential of implementing circular business models. GreenBiz Group spoke with three companies embracing these practices at GreenBiz 21: REI, IKEA and Eileen Fisher. Whether its reusing, reselling or recycling, each company is adding one or more pillars of the circular economy to their business practices.

Shifting to a circular business model creates opportunities for companies to reach new customers, all while exciting and engaging their loyal base and having a positive impact on the planet. Check out four lessons these companies have learned from adding circular business practices below.

Each week edie compiles the top five sustainability wins in its Mission Possible: Achieving a Sustainable Future series.

Last week Procter & Gamble announced new packaging for its Gillette brand that will reduce their annual plastic output by 66 metric tonnes. With a goal of halving the amount of virgin plastic Gillette uses by 2030, this switch is a positive step forward. This is a powerful example of how large-scale organizations can implement strategies to reduce plastic waste without sacrificing quality.

Take a look at the other four sustainability success from last week in the article below.

Check out this feature on Jay in Chicago Business Journal's People on the Move!

We are proud to have Jay Tapp as the President and COO of Smart Plastic. With his lifetime of experience in the printing and packaging industry, Jay has been an invaluable leader since joining the team in 2019.

Under his guidance, the company had its most profitable year in 2020 and is on track for an incredibly ambitious 2021. We have immense goals for Smart Plastic and we know that Jay will stop at nothing to achieve them.