Sustainable product design has to start with better materials.
Our base-line criteria:
Non-toxic, meaning we prohibit the use of toxic chemicals regularly included in plastics production including: dioxins, PFAs, bisphenol-A, and pthalates (see Why Non-Toxic);
Preferred bio-based, made from plants, biomass, or plant waste;
Must not persist in the environment for years after use, in most cases this means certified compostable;
In the near term, must work on existing equipment and inside current supply chains;
Must be scalable, or have a plan for scaling up production sustainably to match demand – our global pollution problem is massive;
Must be affordable though this does not mean same price as the current toxic and polluting alternatives, which are heavily subsidized.
