From the very start of Avital's Apiaries back in 2010, plastic has been an issue. Even before I knew what it was doing to the oceans, even back when I thought everything tossed in the recycle bin really was recycled, plastic didn't feel right to me.
The Body Butter that has become so popular started in glass jars, and quickly transitioned to sturdier, lighter tins. Soaps have always been wrapped in paper or paperboard boxes, with occasional special bars wrapped in biodegradable shrink wrap.
When I introduced a Hand & Body Lotion, there was long, hard thought about the container to use. Plastic is lighter, unbreakable, costs less, and comes in a variety of colors. Glass is expensive, heavy, breakable... and a lot better for the environment. I went with glass.
I can't avoid plastic entirely. The glass lotion bottle still uses a plastic pump. I made body scrubs in plastic tubs for a time (because glass in the shower is just... no), but then we came up our Scrub Bee, and got rid of the plastic jar.
When I tried to switch lip balms to slide-top tins, however, there was rebellion among my fans. Nope. People do not want to stick their fingers in the tin. So I went back to plastic and made sure the tubes were recyclable.
That was then. This is now.
I've found a source for the paperboard tubes at a reasonable price. I'm having a fill tray machined just for this size tube so that filling will be tidier. The tubes are larger than the current plastic tubes, so I'll need to redesign the labels. While the price will be higher than for the current lip balms, you'll get twice as much lip balm.
The best part is that they are totally biodegradable. Toss them in the compost. Take them camping, or running, or skiing or biking. If you lose the tube, no worries. It will disintegrate and return to nature.
There's a few months' worth of work before we can roll them out, but we want you to know what's coming down the pike. If you ever have any suggestions for how we can improve, let us know.