Updated!
LKC is going into its fifth year in 2021. So much has happened in the past four years, we couldn't have dreamed of such growth. With growth comes some responsibility. We have been documenting our operations, facility, and waste now for quite some time, and we decided to really commit to reduce our waste this year.
Why We Use Bamboo In Our Diapers
Every Lighthouse Kids diaper comes 100% bamboo knit insert. Bamboo is a fiber derived from the Bamboo tree, it is considered the most sustainable crop in the world and will naturally decompose. Find out why we chose to use bamboo here. All of the Bamboo used in LKC diapers are OEKO-TEX certified which means every single fabric that touches your baby is 100% safe.
TPU vs. PUL
LKC proudly uses TPU instead of PUL for the waterproof backing of our diapers so that the fabric is more pliable and breaks down easily when finally disposed of. The manufacturing process of TPU is more earth friendly, as well as less harmful to the factory workers.
Say No To Plastic Bags
The biggest change has been getting rid of individual plastic bags that comes from the factory. Each diaper is wrapped for protection during shipment, but we noticed that it was taking considerable time to open each individual bag and generating bags and bags of trash. The problem with plastic bags is that they are placed in a landfill and over time, they release toxic chemicals. They eventually break down into the soil but that can take hundreds of years.
Because beach life and the ocean is such an inspiration to our company, we want to keep our operations as clean as possible. Plastic bags can end up going into storm drains and hurting the beautiful creatures we draw (literally) on our diapers.
With this in mind, we have eliminated all plastic wrapping on LKC products during the shipping process. We instead bundle products in bulk in scrap pieces of fabric that can be reused by our operations and warehouse team. This is not very common in our industry, but we wanted to make a tangible change that would directly impact our local environment.
Compostable Packaging
As an online company, shipping is our thing. It's something we do all day, everyday of the week. Thinking of the thousands of packages we sent to our customers in poly-mailers made us cringe. So we decided to do better. After months of research, we stumbled upon The Better Packaging Co. They are an Australian company in the forefront of this issue, and they had a solution. Making compostable mailers that bio-degrade in 180 days, or 6 months. LKC is proud to be the FIRST cloth diaper/baby product company to use these mailers in the US!
Minimal Product Packaging
LKC also prides itself in minimal packaging INSIDE your compostable "poly" mailer. Our products tags/cards are made with 100% recycled paper made from renewable energy sources. What you see in the picture above is exactly what you'll receive in the mail. Your amazing diapers (minimally packaged), a postcard made out of recycled paper and a sticker. Using extra paper products produce extra trash, so while we love extra bags and tissue, we want to be as earth friendly as possible. And you can send them back to us to be reused! Check out the LKC Tag Cycle Program!
Warehouse Distribution Center Packaging
During LKC's period of intense growth from 2018-2019, we had to scale production and seek out multiple fulfillment warehouses in the US to be able to ship everyone of your orders in a timely manner. During that process, some of our products had to be wrapped in a clear protective sleeve to keep out dirt and allergens out. We are happy to announce, that all of our products that ship from our Atlanta warehouse are wrapped in 100% home compostable packaging.
Overall Reduction
We have big goals for 2021! We want to make sure our company grows sustainably on every level, implementing these changes (as well as some more to come) will reduce our waste by 48% this year. Now that's something to brag about!
