Ocean-Bound PET & a New Twist on a Sana Classic

We’re excited to announce the long-awaited arrival of our updated 110mm reclaimed ocean-bound plastic pre-roll tube.

Our 110mm pre-roll tube, available in a plant-based hemp biocomposite or reclaimed ocean-bound plastic, has always been one of our signature products. Its unique design stands out in a crowded sea of pop-top pre-roll tubes and helps customers maximize the shelf-appeal of their products.

Our redesign of the 110mm reclaimed ocean-bound plastic pre-roll tube achieves a 32% material reduction and an improved functionality of the child-resistant locking mechanism.

The 32% material reduction was gained by transitioning to an ocean-bound PET plastic from an ocean-bound HDPE plastic. The material transition and resulting material reduction also allowed us to achieve more competitive pricing.

Why ocean-bound plastic?

Ocean-bound plastic is defined as plastic waste within 50 kilometers of the coast that has escaped traditional waste streams and entered the environment. Ocean-bound plastic also includes plastic waste that has made its way to the coastline, waterways, nearshore, and deep sea.

We view ocean-bound plastic as a stranded resource. On top of being a post-consumer recycled material, our goal in using this stranded resource is to bolster the demand for ocean-bound plastics and the infrastructure required to remove this waste from the environment.

To date, with the help of our incredible customers, Sana Packaging has reclaimed over 500,000 pounds (250 tons) of ocean-bound plastic. 

What is HDPE?

HDPE stands for “high-density polyethylene” and is a number 2 plastic. More specifically, HDPE is a thermoplastic polymer made from petroleum and is known for its high strength to density ratio. Some products commonly made from HDPE include milk jugs, shampoo bottles, cutting boards, and piping.

What is PET?

PET stands for “polyethylene terephthalate” and is a number 1 plastic. Like HDPE, PET is also a thermoplastic polymer made from petroleum. PET is known for its stress crack resistance, chemical resistance, and air transfer resistance. Some products commonly made from PET include water bottles, food packaging, and fibers for clothing, carpeting, and rope.

Why PET?

So why did we transition from an ocean-bound & reclaimed ocean plastic HDPE to an ocean-bound & reclaimed ocean plastic PET? Simply put: impact.

While both PET and HDPE make excellent packaging materials that maximize the shelf life of perishable products, like cannabis, there are some notable benefits to PET from an impact perspective.

PET is the most commonly used plastic in the world, and as a result of being the most commonly used plastic, PET has the most robust recycling infrastructure across the globe. This means that PET products have a higher chance of being recycled than products made from any other type of plastic.

A recent Green Peace study shows that 100% of Americans have access to material recycling facilities (MRFs) that accept PET and PET has the highest recycling of all plastics in the United States. For reference, HDPE has the second highest recycling rate of all plastics in the United States.

Touted for its tensile strength, PET is also known for being lightweight and versatile. It is these characteristics of PET that allowed us to achieve a 32% material reduction in the updated 110mm ocean-bound & reclaimed ocean plastic pre-roll tube.

It is no wonder that PET is the preferred packaging material in the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries.

Sustainability is about tradeoffs

Since PET is the most commonly used plastic and the most widely recycled plastic, is it bad to use other types of plastic?

Simply put: it depends on your definition of sustainability and the metrics you track to measure impact. Sustainability is about tradeoffs and there are no silver bullets when it comes to “sustainable” materials and mitigating the impact of single-use packaging.

As a sustainable packaging brand that uses plant-based, reclaimed, and recycled materials, our use case for using any type ocean-bound & reclaimed ocean plastic is simple: supporting the end-market for post-consumer recycled plastics supports the recycling infrastructure for plastics and helps bolster the demand for recycled materials.

In fact, one of the single best things a company can do to support recycling is to use recycled materials. Recycling only works if there is a robust end-market for recycled materials.

So remember: sustainability is about tradeoffs and every silver lining has a touch of grey.

Contact us if you’re ready to discover the real impact your packaging has on the environment, and if you’re ready to build a long-term relationship with a cannabis packaging supplier you can trust. It all starts with a conversation!