Our Packaging

Sustainability is a tricky business. 

Even with amazing eco-conscious products on the market, it's often the packaging that significantly contributes to the world’s biggest waste problems. Could there be a more sustainable solution to product packaging? Read on to find out!

The perfect packaging does not (yet) exist. But, just as with the underwear we sew, we have put a lot of thought into the packaging materials we use. We are continuously working on how we package and ship our items so we can minimize our impact and maximize your happiness. As we grow we will continue to share our developments and goals. Our current ambition is that the packaging from Tizz & Tonic is reusable, compostable, or recyclable. We want to create value for our customers (that's you!) beyond our products, thus we invest in sustainable packaging to reduce our impact.

We don't have to be a big company to make a big difference and our little brand wants to be responsible and show you that we do care about our gorgeous planet.

The Backstory of Toxic Packaging & the Environment

Believe it or not, plastic bags were originally designed as an environmentally friendly alternative to paper bags. Back in 1965, the creator of these bags, Sten Gustaf Thulin, sought to put an end to the deforestation caused by paper bag production. Little did he know that his low-cost, durable invention would be thoughtlessly disposed of by users, resulting in a major threat to our seas and oceans. Now, 50 years later, the plastic industry produces close to 600 billion plastic bags per year globally, which take an average of about 500 years to decompose.

We want to be the difference! 

Packaging plays an important role in the world of online commerce.

When we started Tizz & Tonic, we knew we wanted our environmental practices to reflect across our entire business. After all, there's no sense in shipping a sustainable product in plastic packaging, and thanks to recent innovations in biodegradable materials we have options. 

It’s crucial that your items arrive to you in the same condition as they left our studio in, however, packaging often becomes waste after its use. We want you to feel delighted when your Tizz & Tonic  arrives so let’s break it down in our packaging checklist and look at how we’re lessening waste impact while still keeping your goods safe and sound: 

• Our mailing satchels are plant-based, fully compostable and biodegradable
• The paper we use including our in-house sewn paper bags, tissue paper, hang tags and business cards are either FSC certified, PEFC, or designed on recycled paper 
• All of our paper materials are printed with environmentally conscious inks (like soy-based or non-toxic inks)
• If we use boxes, they are either recycled or can be recycled and taped closed with eco-friendly paper tape
• The stickers included in your order are durable outdoor stickers designed with vegan glue

All about our Compostable Packaging

Let’s start with the compostable mailers. These compostable shipping bags are made from sustainable plants, like corn, and non-toxic resin. It's just about  as strong as plastic, meaning that its waterproof and its tear resistant properties will keep your order safe when your undies are on their way to you. Since these satchels are 100% biodegradable, you can dispose of them with your food scraps and garden waste.  In an ideal composting environment the bags break down within 45 days. In an at-home compost they take about 6 months but this could also be faster or slower depending on the temperature and how “active” the compost pile is.

There are two adhesive strips on the mailers so once you have unpacked your Tizz & Tonic undies you can use the bag again to send something to a friend or if you need to return something to us. As a sustainability-first fashion brand, we care about the world and love partnering a small teams and companies based in the EU that share our mission. 

Design and Paper

When we design our packaging we are focused on the end solution to what we create and always want to know where it comes from.  The demand for packaging to be renewable and responsibly sourced has never been greater and we chose to use paper products that reflect our values. All of our in-house designed paper packaging (like our sewn-bags, hang tags and business cards) are printed in Germany on either FSC, PEFC or recycled paper, and we have recently started opting for climate neutral printing. 

FSC or PEFC certified paper is guaranteed to come from responsible (FSC) or sustainable (PEFC) forest management. The recycled paper products we use are made from 100% recycled paper and are certified with the Blue Angel Eco Label. Blue Angel assures that the product places less burden on the environment and fulfills high standards with respect to protecting human health.

As people opt for more sustainable products there is also a focus on the product packaging. At Tizz & Tonic, we design our packaging on the premise that we are trying to reduce the complexity of materials and cutting out waste. 

We know it’s not just our products that should make an impact but also how you receive them. It is not our goal to weigh you down with unnecessary or wasteful packaging and we are always working hard to minimize the impact our packaging has. We created designs that make them easy to dispose of and include more recycled and compostable materials. 

Keep your eyes out for greenwashing

It's sad to admit, but a lot of companies are using greenwashing (false, unsubstantiated, or outright misleading statements about sustainability) to promote themselves as being eco-friendly, using selling points such as their packaging being "recyclable" or made from a certain % of recycled materials. 

Oftentimes, these claims are grossly exaggerated and contribute to a very destructive attitude towards global environmental issues. We have even heard of cases where companies are creating a new product in order to recycle it and promote it as a sustainable material. It’s time to say no to greenwashing and start saying yes to the eco-friendly alternatives available to us, don't you?

The Future of Eco-friendly Packaging

The fashion and apparel industry still has a long way to go when it comes to sustainable business practices but we believe that it's all about doing as much as you can at any given moment, while spreading awareness. With the rampant advances in technology, soon there will be even more eco-conscious solutions, and we can't wait to see what the future holds!