*"We really can't continue to retail your product in that plastic bottle.  Our priorities have changed and we are moving to zero waste."*  Passionate people can sometimes lose perspective of the complex factors and timelines which drive packaging and manufacturing choices.  *Sigh.*  

This week, we began the roll out of our new insect repellent bottle here in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  We have moved from THIS (our highly popular, best-selling package of the last 8 years):
![stock6150.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmP92iC9D2rjye4dE9LbEFV7twuv4BUuH7Z94hTx1HuYM9/stock6150.jpg)

to this:
![Insect3.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQma6UCWxjDq8PLR1un56Hh63hsn5kAmxRtNFQU5MGeLAou/Insect3.jpg)

Well, that's simple, I hear you say.  What took you so long?  

We have actually been roughly 2 years in the process of trying to locate an alternate bottle.  We have been on this path long before ultimatums and fads.  But the packaging requirements are many:

It had to be not more than 100ml to meet airline restrictions, since many of our customers like to carry in in hand luggage when they travel.  It needed to be light in terms of weight.  It needed to be opaque, as light damages the herbal extract which is the basis for the product.  It had to be tamper proof to meet FDA requirements.  And it had to be leak-proof to ensure no shipping disasters.  And it had to be PRETTY so that it sells and meets our MAIN OBJECTIVE which is to sell the product and provide EMPLOYMENT for the vulnerable and disadvantaged people in our herbal organic supply chain.  It also had to be affordable for a small entrepreneur and consistently available.  We also really wanted to keep the retail product under 200 baht.

We *really, really wanted* to have dark brown medicinal glass.  For the lovely energy it gives, for the image of medicinal and because glass is a much better environmental choice than aluminium.  Turns out they don't make-import a spray bottle in Thailand right now (or any time soon) in that size range.  Stoppers and screw lids yes, spray bottles, no.  The bigger 120ml bottle we looked at (could fill 85% and still meet the airline requirement) leaks.  "Only about 10% of the time, though!" the packaging supplier added cheerfully.  

*It needs to be said that a LOT of coffee and alcohol has been added to this packaging decision.* 

We had hoped to use stainless steel rather than aluminium, but there is nothing in a spray bottle possible right now. 

The perception in *some* health circles is that aluminium is harmful to health and a contributor to Alzheimer's Disease and neurological degeneration.  So I did a LOT of reading and research.  If you cook with (heat) the aluminium or scrape it and ingest it then yes, it becomes unstable and contaminates the product; it's true.  But liquids simply stored in aluminium at room temperature ARE PERFECTLY SAFE.  But we know we're now gonna have to spend a LOT of time and energy explaining that over and over.  Cos the average consumer gets just the broad brush stroke from some facebook meme that  "Aluminium is bad" and generally prefers to not be confused with facts. 

*"Can I take my bottle back to you to be refilled?"*

No.  In a word.  Every time you touch that spray nozzle, you are introducing bacteria to the product.  Our products contain no preservatives or chemical anti-bacterial agents, so, over time, the sprayer and the nozzle become little germ factories.  To meet FDA requirements, we would have to sterilize both the bottle and the sprayer to be able to give you a hygienic, safe product.  Far too much cost and time and resources to make it commercially viable.  We WILL, next week, have a larger 500ml refill bottle available for sale.  And we WILL be publishing a blog article about how to keep your sprayer more hygienic at home.   We will have that article on our product blog at www.purethainaturals.com and also be regularly posting it on our business facebook page, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/purethainaturals">Pure Thai Naturals</a>

*"We really want and need you to lose that plastic shrink wrapping."*

Errr, no.  Again.  For complex reasons.  The FDA requires us to deliver our product to the end consumer ina way that it can be demonstrated it has not been tampered with.  Because product contamination from molds and bacteria is real, especially in Asia.  WE used to simply have a sticker over the top of the bottle which said "Sealed for your Protection" but learned that quite often customers in shops would peel the sticker back, have a little sniff & spray, and then stick it back if they decided not to buy.  It is the MANUFACTURER who is legally liable for health scares, contamination or not delivering the stated number of milliliters to you, the consumer.  Not the retailer.  We also use paper labels by choice, rather than PVC - partly for environmental reasons of less plastic, but also for the health of our employees, who would otherwise have to inhale harmful PVC fumes at work whilst labeling.  But paper labels show finger smudges.  People pick up things in shops with less than clean hands, and then put it down.  It is our experience over more than  10 years of retailing that the grubby, smudged-label product which languishes on the shelf and eventually has to be tossed out IS NOT ZERO WASTE at all!  The third factor with the aluminium bottles is they scuff and scratch.  Again, the scuffed bottle on the shelf doesn't sell.  And so our plastic shrink wrap needs to stay.  

The bottle we chose is considerably more expensive than our original pack.  It is 10ml less on volume so we have some saving there, and we have compromised a little bit of our profit with a small price increase of 5 baht.  Our first price rise in 8 years for this product.  

Am I happy with it?  Yes.  Mostly.  It's not quite what you see though.  

Because the bottles scuff and scratch very easily, the manufacturer delivers them to us EACH IN A LITTLE PLASTIC BAG. 

*Loud ker-thunk as my head hits the desk. Applies coffee.  And then alcohol.* 

![insect4.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmRH35WbcqXskYbbMYWWZkRrYdrkmtKkDTVMZezUzXdQYZ/insect4.jpg)

WE will re-purpose those plastic bags as packaging material for shipped orders, along with our shredded waste paper from our office and the not-recyclable shredded backing sheets from our labels.

Will the plastic sprayers be recycled?  They can't be unless someone dismantles them and removes the little metal spring inside.  So probably they will end up as landfill.  

For us, the ultimate answer is to move away from spray bottles in general.  To that end, we are securing a local source of organic neem oil so that SOON (sweet goddess I have no idea exactly how soon, but will let you know!) we can offer you an organic TIN of beeswax based insect repelling balm.  Again, our VEGANS won't like that.  But we have learned that pleasing everyone is a Lose-Lose proposition.  

So, to the next person who asks, "Is the package recyclable?" the answer is yes.  And no.  The bottle, for sure, yes, will be locally recycled.  The sprayer, most probably not.  

I share this journey publicly because in this instant internet age, the complexity is often lost and time constraints make it hard for me to answer all inquiries about our new pack in enough detail to be 100% accurate.  

Packaging is arguably the largest challenge we face as a business, as a community, as global citizens.  We appreciate the loyal retailers and customers who understand the need for the price increase and we stand by the nice bottle we now have.  

Coffee has been earned and is about to be applied. :)  Wine will be enjoyed later, by way of celebration.  2 years of work has come to an almost-satisfactory conclusion.

I hope you have enjoyed learning a little about our packaging challenge and process, and look forward to sharing more of the back-story of our products and packaging with you.

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