storageware


Environmental concerns inform storage style W


hen it comes to storage in the home, practicality has long been a top priority for consumers.


However, with environmental concerns preoccupying a growing number of consumers, storageware now needs to demonstrate its eco credentials as well as its functionality. Housewares Editor Bryony Andrews spoke to a number of brands providing storageware options to housewares retailers to find out more about the most important trends and concerns in the trade today.


Index showed that public concern about the environment had jumped sixteen percentage points over the previous month’s Index, making it the second- biggest concern for the British public - second only to COVID-19. This is the second highest-level of concern recorded about the environment since it was added as an option to the survey in 1988. These concerns have inevitably found their way into consumer lifestyle choices, with more and more choosing housewares products that help them improve their environmental footprint. Glass is a great choice of material for


storageware - fully recyclable, it helps to preserve existing resources. Glass storageware also gives consumers the option to ‘refill, reuse, recycle’, rather than choose single-use plastics. “Glass storage jars give consumers the opportunity to blend function with form and create unique kitchen storage solutions that are environmentally friendly,” said Jenny. “As we all try to reduce our plastic use, stylish yet practical pieces with sealed lids are perfect for keeping dried fruit, flour, grains, pulses and cereals fresh. Glass is attractive, easy to clean and all T&G glass storage jars have sealed lids to keep contents fresh.”


Practical storage is an essential part of a well-designed kitchen space or pantry. The right storage solutions should not only be functional, but also attractive, offering a stylish focal point as well as utility. “The trend of organising space has been encouraged by programmes like ‘The Home Edit’ on Netflix and by Marie Kondo’s ‘Spark Joy’ concept,” Jenny Handley, head of marketing at family-run manufacturer of kitchen essentials T&G Woodware, told Housewares. “It allows consumers to organise their kitchen cupboard and pantry using the ‘need it, use it, love it’ rule from Joanna and Clea.” “Clear glass storage keeps food fresh


but allows consumers to view everything at a glance,” she continued. “Why not label the glass storage jars to maintain the results of a well organised kitchen cupboard or pantry? Not only is glass storage practical and functional, it is stylish too!”


Environmental issues In August 2021, Ipsos MORI’s Issues


22 | housewareslive.net • HousewaresLive.net • twitter.com/Housewaresnews October 2021


The plastic option Not all plastic storage is bad for the environment, however. Stasher bags, for example, are made from platinum silicone, which does not degrade over time. Ruth Tocher, senior brand manager at


Burton McCall, told Housewares: “From freezer to microwave, oven to dishwasher, Stasher bags are made to last. They are completely free of BPA, BPS, lead, latex and phthalates. Each one keeps thousands of single-use plastics out of our oceans and landfills.


“When a consumer buys a Stasher


storage bag, they are not only buying an endlessly reusable product, but also preventing over 1 billion single-use plastic bags from entering our oceans and landfills.”


Kat Nouri, the founder of Stasher, used knowledge and resources gained from her decade of experience designing silicone home accessories with her company modern-twist to produce a healthier alternative to plastic bags and containers - combining the functionality of plastic with the purity of glass. “And so Stasher, the world’s first self- sealing, non-plastic bag was born,” Ruth explained. “An everyday household staple that could be the seed to raise awareness, to create a plastic-free movement. Kat wanted all families to have access to a better choice.” On a mission to create a waste-free world through education, action and advocacy, Stasher also pledges 1% of all sales each year to nonprofits working to protect the planet.


Food storage and health There are also health considerations to take into account when choosing storage for food and beverages. A number of studies have found that chemicals like per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), bisphenols (such as BPA) and phthalates, often present in plastic packaging, can migrate into food or drink and pose a threat to health. Some of these chemicals have been linked to health problems such as metabolic disorders (including obesity) and reduced fertility. In 2022, retailers should look to stock


storageware options that don’t require consumers to compromise - whether that’s on their health, their environmental footprint - or, of course, on a stylish kitchen!


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