Sustainable Packaging: Our New Sugarcane Diaper Balm Tube

Sustainable Packaging: Our New Sugarcane Diaper Balm Tube

Consumer packaging waste is a serious problem and one we have taken seriously and made conscious decisions about since the inception of the brand in 2010. While glass is our favorite option, and the one we use the most, we have realized that sometimes glass isn’t the best option when it comes to safety and functionality. Choosing the right packaging option for a product is a process that involves weighing many factors. Sometimes, we know right away which option makes most sense, but other times it isn’t so clear cut. Take our Diaper Balm, for example. Our Diaper Balm has been in a glass jar since 2010, when we launched. It’s not that the glass jar was a terrible option, but over time we realized that we could do better. The main concerns were that a glass jar isn’t always super functional and an open jar that you dip your finger into during diaper changes is always super sanitary. Squirmy diaper changes are difficult enough without having to take extra steps to unscrew a lid and carefully remove product from an open jar while trying to keep it sanitary. If it gets dropped, the glass and cap can break and no parent needs to worry about cleaning up glass. The other thing we heard from our mamas was that it wasn’t super light-weight and easy to take on the go. It’s a product that needs to be able to be tossed into a diaper bag. 

Zoe Organics Diaper Balm Sugarcane Tube

Our reluctance to put the product into a plastic tube changed as bioplastics became available. Now, we are not advocating that bioplastics are a perfect solution. But we are saying that they are BETTER than traditional fossil-based plastics, and this helped us make the switch to providing a better experience with our products for our customers.  


Since this is a big change from the glass jar, we also thought it might be helpful to share more about these sugarcane tubes. 


What is sugarcane packaging?


It is a type of bioplastic created by farming sugarcane on sustainable land in Brazil, thousands of miles from the Amazon rainforest.


What are the benefits of sugarcane tubes?


-Raw material-green polyethylene: derived from 100% renewable resource—sugarcane (instead of fossil-based materials); 

-Low carbon footprint: sugarcane absorbs CO2 from the air as it grows—50% better carbon footprint than traditional tubes; 

-After being used, the tube can be 100% recycled.


How do you make plastic from sugarcane?


Sugarcane is used by mills as a raw material and transformed into “ethanol”, a type of alcohol, which is in turn used by the raw material factory to make Green Plastic. The Green Plastic is then used to make products like these tubes.


How do you recycle sugarcane? 


You would recycle the tube just like other plastics. Make sure to clean it out first!


Why was it important for Diaper Balm to switch over to a tube?


We put the same formula into a more sanitary, functional tube that makes diaper changes a cinch! 

- Mess-free dispensing with one hand

- Flexible tube means you can toss it in a bag or drop without it breaking

- No more fingers in an open jar of product = more sanitary. 


What about the Diaper Balm jars? Are you going to sell those anymore?


The glass jar has been replaced by the tube, and we will not carry both options. 

Zoe Organics Diaper Balm Sugarcane Tube


Comments on this post (4)

  • Apr 12, 2021

    Hi Victoria,
    We love to get every last inch of product as well and with our tubes, you can simply cut it in half and scrape the leftovers out! YAY!

    — Zoe Organics

  • Apr 12, 2021

    Hi Sue! What makes the tubes more sanitary is that you are only touching product that is dispensed from the tube, not dipping your finger into an open jar of product. This was feedback we received not only from customers, but from hospitals who were interested in using our Diaper Balm and Nipple Balm. They don’t recommend using open containers for these types of products.
    Thanks again for your feedback.

    — Zoe Organics

  • Apr 12, 2021

    I love it because my little won’t smack herself in the face anymore but I looooove being able to get every last bit of the balm from the jar 🥴

    — Victoria

  • Apr 12, 2021

    Hi. I liked the jars…. You still have to touch a tube, so I don’t see them as more sanitary, My 2 cents.

    — Sue

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