Let’s start with a reality check: Plastics are ubiquitous in modern life, and most of us can probably stand to be more conscious about the choices we make as consumers. After all, we now know how long it takes for plastics to break down and the impact that they have on our environment. From remembering our reusable bags when we go shopping and using refillable water bottles to demanding more from our legislators, we’ve come a long way—but there’s still work to do.
You can also vote with your dollars, shopping with brands that share your passion for reducing plastic waste. Inside, outside, and around our products, at Attn: Grace we’re committed to limiting our use of plastic whenever possible, without compromising product performance. From Day 1, this has been an integral part of our larger mission.
Limiting Plastics in Our Pads and Products
Most single-use disposable incontinence products incorporate petroleum-based plastics throughout their design. From the top sheet layer that sits next to your skin to the back sheet that holds the pads together, there’s conventional plastics abound.
If you’ve been with us for a minute, you probably already know about our commitment to replace chemically-derived materials with powerful, plant-based alternatives whenever possible. So when we set out to design our liners, pads, and briefs, we knew we wanted to replace conventional, petroleum-derived plastics with more sustainable ingredients that we could feel good about putting on our bodies.
We’re proud to use plant-based, Green PE (short for polyethylene) that’s derived from upcycled sugar cane waste throughout our products, further minimizing our use of petroleum—an ingredient that is as harsh as it is nonrenewable. If you use our products—and especially if you used conventional incontinence products before switching to Attn: Grace—we bet you’ve already experienced the difference this makes.
Our top sheet (the part of the pad, brief, or liner that touches your body) is designed so that only gentle, plant-based fibers touch your skin. In contrast, conventional incontinence pads typically use top sheets made of petroleum-based polyethylene and then treat them with synthetic dyes and fragrances, chlorine bleach, and other chemicals we’re committed to never using in our designs. In our opinion, plant-based fibers win every time.
Limiting Plastics in Our Packaging
Speaking of GreenPE, what looks like conventional plastic and protects our products like conventional plastic, but is also made from upcycled sugar cane waste? You guessed it: our packaging. Once again, GreenPE is a wonder material we’ve chosen to use not just to make our products but to make our packaging too, protecting our products in a more environmentally friendly way.
Even growing sugarcane that ends up becoming the GreenPE that we use is helpful to the planet as it absorbs carbon dioxide and further reduces our carbon footprint. More on that in the first chapter of our sustainability mini-series.
And ICYMI, we’re also the first incontinence brand in the United States to hit retail shelves in 100% FSC Certified kraft paper packaging. If you haven’t shopped Attn: Grace on the shelf yet, check our store locator to find a retailer near you so you can see these beauties in real life.
From our packaging to the products inside, we are deeply committed to continuing to drive sustainable innovation forward and reduce our use of plastics while continuing to bring you the high-performing incontinence care you know and love.