I was thinking this early this morning! Also the diapers could have it too! Isn't it like corn based or something?? I know it takes about 1,000 years for plastic to begin breaking down!

Why is the containers of the liquid detergent in such thick heavy plastic bottles. A lot of places don't take these for recycling. Wouldn't it be better to come up with some other biodegradable container? It certainly does take years for plastic to break down.

Yes! I'm a graphic design student in a packaging class and I'm researching 7gen products. First question I had was why in the heck are they using that thick, heavy plastic on their detergents and liquid soaps??? There are better options out there.

I totally agree. I would like to be able to put everything into my compost pile. We need to get away from adding to landfills.

Keeping the smaller, heavy duty plastic container is cool for first time users or if you take your wash to the coin machines. For the rest of us, like people with kids or jobs that generate LOADS of soiled fabric, a great big 'milk' carton would be just fine. Better yet, a 5 gallon lined box with a convenient tap, refill the little bottle or just measure into the cap!

I think it would be great if you could come up with a way to refill the big plastic containers. Maybe sell large biodegradable bags of your products .

I did some research into packaging solutions. Seems that poly plastics may be the way to go in the future (they are plastics that are completely biodegradable) but they are currently cost prohibitive from a production stand point from what I've read. But, a lot of companies are using tetra paks for liquids such as wine, milk, juice, soy milk, etc. I'm wondering if they can be used for detergents? They are a paper packaging product that is recyclable.

The company give a *very* good response, and there is a educated discussion started. (You're still using Petrochemicals in your..)
http://www.seventhgeneration.com/youre-still-using-petrochemicals-your-p...

But basic response- a lot of bio-based 'plastics' use foodstuffs (which are not an ideal use of food, think bio-fuels...), and the crops used to make said plastics can contain GM (genetically modified) plants, which is a real no no... and not everyone uses/cares/has access to composting... and in dumps said 'compostable' materials don't have access to the environment they need to actually bio-degrade.

I agree with the other folks, Something has got to be done, I live in a small town where ther is not recyling at all. I store them for when I go into Austin and drop off there. With gas prices I don't go as often. I have also wondered about some type of packaging that break down or even dissolve. I don't know the answer not a scientist. Your packaging never allows the last laundry detergent/softener to come out of the container?

I agree with the others regarding the plastic pkg. And, in R&D that the tissue could be softer (my family's #1 complaint to the green change). My suggestion has to do with the packaging of the facial tissue. The way the tissue is cut and folded for the cube (I don't know if it's true of the long box) makes removal of the tissue a chore, especially the last 5 or so tissues (come out in a lump). The tissues aren't completely separate from each other, and it usually takes two hands to remove the tissue from the box.

As user of many organic, natural and local products including Seventh Generation, I too feel their might be a better way. Seventh Generations article is an excellent article so was the one I got from Stony Field Farms (The New Hampshire Organic Yogurt and Dairy company). Personally, i would try not to live anywhere that doesn't have single stream recycling. The cool thing about plastic bottles it recycles very cheaply into new plastic. CT has very little land fill space left, so recycling as been big for a long time. We have nearly single stream in our town, some neighboring ones have it now. Ours is close. Plastic bottles, cans, aluminum (including foil and food containers), milk and OJ cartons, newspaper, corrugated cardboard, paperboard, any other type of paper). My wife and I throw a measly 13 gallon trash bag per week. Once a year we have a toxic waste, chemical, and electronic equipment recycle day as well.

It should also be noted paper, cardboard etc do not break down readily in a landfill. A compost bin yes, landfill no. There have been "digs" done in land fills that have found readable newspapers from 40+ years ago.. Also, one brand of organic lettuce I buy comes in a container which is made of corn but looks like #1 clear plastic. Alas, we can't put that in our recycling "bin" so it has to in the trash where it eventually gets incinerated and dumped with all the other toxic ash in a landfill.

BTW Tetra packing is usually not recyclable. It is layers of paper, plastic and foil, almost impossible to separate. Despite how much we can recycle, this one thing we can not.

I would love to see the liquid detergent come in a box like a half gallon milk container, with a little plastic cap on the side for easy pouring. I can put these in my regular recycle bin and feel good about leaving a somewhat smaller carbon footprint. I also think it would make it easier to get the last little bit of detergent out of the container, because I always have to remove the "spout" from the big plastic containers to do this (messy).

Some of your stuff is a little overpackaged. The panty liners could be in a box instead of a plastic bag. And I know they are individually wrapped for travel purposes...but surely women can find creative ways to tote their feminine products around otherwise. Carefree just puts them in a box and flat. And you should buy out Nature Babycare diapers made by a Swedish mom. They are (supposedly) biodegradeable and non toxic and even the packaging is compostable.

Hello all, I've been researching packaging and I couldn't agree with you all more. However, I encourage you to take a look at Seventh Generation's 2007 Corporate Consciousness Report (page 32). They really look to be researching all the options and weighing the pros and cons of all the options. It's nice to see they are thinking about it, and thinking about it really deeply.

Waht about selling in bulk at select stores? I know not everyone could benefit from this.....and I don't know too much about logistics, but I save alot of container waste by buying in bulk (oil, dogfood, peanut butter....) Can we do the same for household products? That way, we can just refill one container instead!

It should be really easy to package the paper products at least in yet more recycled paper product, like a paper wrap of some sort.

If you go to Amazon.com, you can purchase most of Seventh Generations product as a subscription. Every 1, 2, 3 or 6 months, they'll deliver another shipment with free shipping. So far I've only seen this on the 6packs of various things (dish detergent, laundry softener, glass cleaner) but I haven't exactly clicked on each and every single listing either. Just the ones I personally were interested in :)

For Stout in the comment above: BULK = free of packaging (you bring your own container to the store and fill it)

Please pack your toilet paper rolls in paper! Although I prefer your toilet paper, I am buying another brand to get away from your plastic packaging.

I noticed someone stated above that the panty liners and pads could come unwrapped in a box - good point.

Also, while at a funeral last fall I had to buy pads in an "emergency" and all i could find were regular brands. I grabbed a box of Always pads and while I was thrilled to get home and use my Seventh Gen pads I was struck by the fact that the pieces of waxed paper that cover the adhesive strips were so different. Seventh Gen uses a big long strip and then two smaller strips for the "wings", while believe it or not the Always pad has one very small square that does the whole thing. That right there could cut down on packaging quite a bit.
I also have to say that the adhesive on Seventh Gen sometimes nearly permanently attaches itself to my underwear - it's *very* hard to get off... seems they could go a bit lighter on that.. I didn't have that happen with the Always pads I had to use.

I work for a solid waste district and have to chime in that, just as paper and cardboard does not break down in a landfill (see earlier comment), so WON'T "compostable plastics." Landfill digs have unearthed 20-year-old carrots that can still be readily identified as carrots. Plus, not all "compostable" plastics will break down successfully even in large-scale composting outfits (such as Intervale Compost Products in Burlington, Vt.).

Further, if enthusiastic recyclers mix compostable plastics in with petroleum plastics in the rare circumstances where plastic bags are recycled, the compostable plastics are, in fact, considered contaminants by the folks who actually do the recycling, and too much of it can result in a botched batch. This is a problem we face with "compostable" deli containers that contain premade foods.

I would instead advocate for recycled paper packaging, which can be further recycled.

I feel silly buying recycled toilet paper in a non-recyclable, non-biodegradable plastic case. I'd be much more likely to buy your product every time if it came in a recyclable or biodegradable package.

I'm confident that you are looking into this, and just wanted to add my vote.

Hello Bec here from SG, to offer an insight on what is going on here with regard to upgrades on packaging. Our plastic bath tissue wrappers are made of a minimum of 51% post consumer recycled plastic. It is #4, which technically is recyclable, although many facilities do not have the capability to recycle it. We do offer single rolls - single and 2 ply, wrapped in recycled paper.
We are actively researching more ideal biogradable solutions for all of our packaging. We have been able very recently to produce our natural dish liquid bottles to contain 90% post consumer content, up from 25% in the past. We will follow suit with all of our other bottles. We cannot address all of the packaging needs all at once, but we sincerely are working towards ideal solutions for future.