June 18, 2010—Steelcase Inc., a global office environments manufacturer, announced that the company will begin shipping select products with EcoCradle packaging, a bio-based material made from agricultural byproducts developed by natural composite materials company Ecovative.
Currency ready-to-assemble laminate casegoods will be the first Steelcase product shipped using the new packaging. The announcement was made during NeoCon world’s Trade Fair at The Merchandise Mart, Chicago.
Composed of agricultural byproducts such as cotton seed hulls and mushroom roots, this packaging requires very little energy to produce since the material is grown, not manufactured, says Steelcase.
The entire creation process uses approximately one tenth the energy used to manufacture traditional synthetic material. Moreover, it’s completely compostable, returning nutrients to the soil in approximately 30-45 days.
Material choice and transportation constitute Steelcase’s two greatest product impact areas. Therefore, says the company, packaging plays a central role in delivering on its sustainability goals.
Over the last year Steelcase and Ecovative worked to develop a variety of iterations, adjusting forms, agricultural byproduct mix, and processes to ensure it would meet rigorous performance standards. Ultimately, EcoCradle passed Steelcase’s extensive sustainability assessment as well as performance testing in quality, durability and humidity following the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standards.
In addition to its environmental benefits, this approach to packaging creates economic potential for farmers by giving them a way to sell rather than dispose of agricultural byproducts. EcoCradle’s business model is structured to support regional economies by sourcing locally grown materials for the packaging.
For more information, see the Steelcase Web site.
