When we launched our first omega-3 product in 2017, an algae-based spray called Nothing Fishy Here, we were proud that it did not need a box. Then we learned that retailers wanted one, so shoppers had somewhere to read about the product. Rather than add to the pile of packaging waste, we went looking for a box that could give something back. This is the story of that box. The spray has since been discontinued, but the thinking behind it still guides how we approach packaging.
What was the plantable box made of?
We found a small company making plantable boxes by hand in California from 100 percent recycled paper pulp. The boxes were made one sheet at a time using reclaimed water, with no added chemicals, dyes or additives, so they could go straight into a garden.
Which wildflowers grew from it?
Each box was embedded with a mix of non-invasive wildflower seeds: sweet alyssum, catchfly, Siberian wallflower, black-eyed Susan and baby blue eyes. Bury the box in a garden bed or a pot, water it, and the flowers grow where the packaging used to be.
Why did we choose flowers for bees?
We picked wildflowers that support pollinators because native bees are in trouble. A 2017 status review by the Center for Biological Diversity found that among North American and Hawaiian native bee species with enough data to assess, more than half are declining and nearly one in four (347 species) is imperiled and at increasing risk of extinction. The same review names agricultural intensification, including habitat loss and pesticide use, as a primary driver. Bees pollinate many of the crops we eat, so their decline matters for our food supply as well as for nature.
Was it worth the cost?
Earth-friendly packaging usually costs more than the alternative, and as a young company cost mattered to us. But we felt the problem of packaging waste was too important to ignore, and we hoped that offering a better option would encourage shoppers to ask for more from other brands too. When enough customers ask for better packaging, companies listen.
What we do now
Our omega-3 today is Head & Heart, 500 mg of DHA from algae in capsules, still made without fish. You can read about how we think about packaging and sourcing today on our sustainability page, and about the testing behind every product on our 5 Nation Standard page. For more on choosing a plant-based omega-3, see how to get vegan omega-3 and our omega-3 industry report.
