If you’re like us - you’ve heard the latest on microplastics and are feeling… concerned. It’s possible that these teeny plastic particles are the next big health crisis - and are making their way into everything from our blood to our babies’ dirty diapers. And while this area of science is relatively new, the good news is that there are ways to reduce your exposure right now.
At Hive, we’re here to help reduce your mental load so that you can feel good about what you’re buying- without needing to do lots of work and research.
We do that through our Hive Five Certification.
Our goal is to help you feel informed about the choices you’re making for yourself and your family.
Let’s get started.
Let’s talk about plastic
Plastic packaging is made from fossil fuel or biobased polymers, generally polyethylene (PET, HDPE, LDPE) or polypropylene (PP), mixed with a blend of additives for durability, flexibility, and color. When not recycled into new plastic, plastic polymers can take over 1,000 years to fully degrade into carbon dioxide and water, first breaking down into microplastics the size of sand (<5mm), nanoplastics as small as dust (<20µm), and pico-plastics the size of mitochondria (<2µm). In other words, small enough to fit inside a human cell.
How do we solve this problem?
Plastic as a problem is not new, but the understanding that these small plastic particles are entering our water streams and food supply and ending up in our bodies is. This is going to matter more and more as science tells us more - and we’re optimistic solutions will develop at a significantly more rapid rate. We envision a world where microplastic testing is widespread, where microplastic filtering is a priority and the tools exist to do so. Until then, reducing plastic becomes the #1 priority: both to stop the source and spread of microplastics, and to reduce our exposure. Microplastics are likely entering our body through the water we drink, the food we consume, and the products we use. But there is one more addressable culprit: “shedding” from packaging onto the product the plastic is meant to protect.
How the Hive Five addresses Microplastics
At Hive, we prioritize plastic-free packaging whenever possible and make it easy to shop for 100% plastic-free packaging with our “Plastic-Free” tag. Our preferences are for recycled glass, paper, and aluminum/steel, and we never allow these to be covered in plastic shrink labels or plastic lamination, which affects their recyclability. However, a lot of packaging contains hidden plastic, such as jar lids, freshness seals, and can linings, so we make that clear on our site with our “Plastic Minimal” tag and require these components to be BPA-free. We also look for innovative packaging solutions that are home compostable and certified biodegradable, as well as brands that offset their plastic use through Plastic Neutral certification.
If products are only available in plastic packaging (often the case with snacks), we prioritize post-consumer recycled PET #1 and HDPE #2, both of which are widely curbside recyclable. HDPE is a particularly inert and stable plastic, making it less likely to shed microplastics. As an alternative for plastic hard goods, silicone is extremely inert and doesn’t contain toxic additives like phthalates or bisphenols. Because polyester commonly sheds microplastic, our soft goods—like period care, canvas totes, sponges, and paper alternatives—are made with natural, non-toxic materials like organic cotton, wool, cellulose, and bamboo.
Today, we feature information about microplastics in the Clean Packaging and Ingredient Integrity sections of the Hive Five.
Clean Packaging
We prioritize plastic-free wherever possible; If not plastic free - we prioritize post-consumer recycled PET#1 and HDPE#2
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Packaging |
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Priorities |
Glass, Paper, Aluminum/Steel (BPA-free), PET #1 (clear, blue, & green), HDPE #2 |
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Certs |
Sustainable Forestry (FSC/SFI), BPA-Free, BPI Biodegradable, OK Compost |
Ingredient Integrity
For hard and soft goods - we prioritize specific plastic alternative materials and certifications
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Hard Goods |
Soft Goods |
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Priorities |
Stainless Steel, Silicone, Glass, Bamboo, Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic |
Organic Cotton, Wool, Bamboo Rayon (no CS2), Cellulose |
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Certs |
BPA-Free, LFGB Food Grade (Silicone), Plastic Neutral |
GOTS, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 |
I want to avoid micro-, nano-, and pico-plastics as much as possible for myself or my family. How do I do that?
Here are a few ways to help reduce your microplastic exposure today and support efforts for tomorrow:
- Select plastic-free or plastic minimal products - and look for products where if there is plastic, it isn’t touching the product inside. Products that fall within these designations are both tagged and can be found in the linked collections.
- Choose reusables that are made with stainless steel, silicone, glass, or bamboo - and use these in place of single use plastic. For soft goods, choose organic cotton, wool, bamboo rayon, or cellulose.
- Feature certifications like BPI Biodegradable, BPA-Free, LFGB Food Grade, GOTS, OK Compost, or OEKO-TEX Standard 100. All the products that carry these certifications are tagged with them, so you can easily search for them on the site.
- Support brands who work with organizations like Repurpose Global to reclaim plastic from nature, or products made from post-consumer recycled plastic
If you have more questions or would like some help choosing products, please reach out to our Customer Care team.
Our Promise to you
As standards and science change, so too will our requirements for the Hive Five. We will continually update our standards to match the latest findings. Over the coming months we will be introducing deeper dives into each category with helpful information on how to choose the brands and products that are right for you.
Status as of 9/19/24
Complete:
Our standards are complete and have been uploaded to hivebrands.com. Any item that did not meet our new standards (there were only a few!) has been discontinued.
All of our product pages to reflect the above information based on information provided by our makers. The team will continue to follow up with makers directly for additional details.