Orange peel, lemon peel and coffee grounds. What do these elements have in common? They are not necessarily a case for the organic waste bin, but can be reprocessed into practical everyday helpers and beautiful home accessories.
Without it, many floral arrangements wouldn't make much of an impression. Floral foam is commonly used in floristry to stabilise cut flowers, grasses, and branches in bouquets, and to provide them with water and nutrients.
Many cleaning products are based on surfactants derived from crude oil. They have been proven to fulfil their main task of dissolving dirt and grease. Bio-based alternatives do this in a more environmentally friendly way using renewable resources.
Stable, heat-resistant, scratch-proof. These are the properties that a washbasin should have. Sanitary ceramics are ideal for manufacturing the basins - but so is a bio-based composite.
Maize is first and foremost a foodstuff. Many of its plant components that are not edible are also suitable for the production of environmentally friendly products. For example, for products that bring other foods fresh to the consumer.
Most users know that the production of smartphones places a heavy burden on the environment. But protective covers made of plastic can also be harmful to humans and nature. Manufacturers use plant-based plastic alternatives to develop more sustainable products.
Kebabs to go are usually wrapped in aluminium foil. An award-winning innovative paper packaging offers a more sustainable solution.
Concerns about animal welfare, the climate and the environment are increasingly prompting consumers to buy vegan imitation leather. Leave-based leather alternatives impress with their unique look and are biodegradable.
A large proportion of all items of clothing produced world-wide is made of synthetic fibres such as polyester – and the amount is rising. A German textile company is looking for alternative solutions and presents biodegradable workwear from plant based raw materials.
Reports on egg factory farms and the health condition of hens has spoilt some people's appetite for eggs. But eggs without chicken – is that possible? Innovative plant-based products conquer the market.
Originally, dental floss was made of natural silk. In the 1940s it was gradually replaced by the synthetic material nylon. Nowadays, products made of bioplastic continue to drive the evolution of dental floss.
Conventional disposable tampons are made of up to 90% plastic - and are therefore not only harmful to the environment but also to the health of those wearing them. A new tampon offers a sustainable alternative.
Leather is as much in demand as it is controversial - although the chemically preserved animal skin is robust and versatile, its production takes place at the expense of animals, humans and the environment - not so with a new, plant-based imitation leather.
Anyone who loves fish can now leave it in the ocean and go for a slightly different salmon - made from pea protein instead of fish, 3D printed instead of caught.
Not just since Corona has online trade been booming - and so has the demand for packaging and cushioning materials. A nature-based innovation now offers an alternative to conventional cushioning materials and turns the packaging industry into a circular economy.
Instead of producing polymers synthetically, take what nature has already produced: A special technology can be used to extract biopolymers from agricultural residues - making them not only naturally degradable, but even edible.
Reuse instead of dispose - this also works for diapers. Modern cloth diapers outperform conventional alternatives in terms of environmental and skin compatibility.
Cosmetic products are often sold in plastic packaging. As a result, they generate more and more packaging waste.
Sounds paradoxical, but works brilliantly: Beetroot, often known as the cause of stubborn stains, qualifies as an ecological cleaning agent.
Instead of cotton pads and the like, sustainable makeup removal wipes are equally good for the skin and the environment.