Made from sugarcane, Braskem's Green Polyethylene will be used to make GreenGear's durable and reusable rain ponchos
Image: Braskem's Green Plastic is made from a renewable raw material, sugarcane. Photo: Courtesy of Braskem.
Focused on its commitment to foster the Circular Economy , Braskem, the world’s leading biopolymer producer, announces a partnership with the U.S. brand GreenGear Supply Company for the use of its I’m greenTM plastic in lightweight, durable and reusable rain ponchos from its EcoRain line, which already is on sale exclusively in the U.S. market.
Made from a renewable raw material, sugarcane, Braskem’s Green Plastic captures during its production process 3.09 tons of CO2, a greenhouse gas. In addition, because the material is recyclable, the carbon captured remains fixed during its entire life cycle .
To Joe Jankowski, commercial manager on Braskem’s Renewables team in the United States, the partnership with GreenGear Supply Company further strengthens the company’s focus on renewable solutions and helps the market meet society’s growing demand for more sustainable and innovative products. “GreenGear Supply is expanding rain protection options for sports fan in open arenas with an alternative that combines high performance with being better for the planet. Its entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to quality and search for green alternatives is a perfect match with the proposition of our I’m greenTM plastic as well as the Circular Economy, a commitment undertaken by Braskem that adopts a cyclical view of the production, use and disposal of materials, as opposed to the Linear Economy, which is based on production and disposal,” said Jankowski.
Consumers can identify products that use Green Plastic by looking for the I’m greenTM seal. The partnership between Braskem and GreenGear Supply Company increases the number of brands already using Braskem’s renewable solutions to over 150 worldwide. Moreover, the application adopted in this U.S. partnership underscores Green Polyethylene’s good performance in the textile industry.
In line with its sustainable proposition, GreenGear Supply Company sells biobased rain ponchos that also feature packaging made from recycled paper illustrated with soy-based ink. “We’re thrilled to be bringing to market a high-quality and sustainable product. Often, sustainable products suffer from poor quality or high price. It amazing to see my first product, the EcoRain raincoat, come to life and help resolve this problem. Braskem has been a fantastic partner since we first embarked on this journey, and we’re very grateful for all its support,” said Monika Dharia, the company’s CEO.
With a strong focus on sustainability, GreenGear Supply Company was founded by Monika Dharia and Russell Heller. This year, the company was recognized by the Sabin Sustainable Venture Prize sponsored by Yale University, in the social entrepreneurship category. Moreover, one percent of the company’s annual revenue is donated to organizations dedicated to protecting the environment through its partnership with 1% For the Planet.
Source: Company Press Release