PaperlessKitchen Blog

Meet The Future: Paperless Toilets!

As you work to reduce the size of your eco footprint, there's one area of the house where you might be hesitant to say goodbye to paper--on that roll beside the toilet! But it seems there may one day be a solution to the TP problem!

The newest toilets from the company TOTO are designed to eliminate the need for paper. The toilets use water to clean from the back after you use the facilities and have an optional front cleaning spray as well.

Although this sounds like an innovative breakthrough, TOTO has been selling water cleaning toilet since the 1980s in Japan, and roughly 74 percent of Japanese households currently using them. The toilets are also popular in the Middle East and South America and are beginning to show up in homes in Europe as well.

TOTO is hoping that increased interest in paperless homes in the U.S. will present an opportunity to sell their products. There are also other solutions to the toilet paper problem on the horizon. Bambooee explained in their appearance on "Shark Tank"  that they are working on a paper-free biodegradable disposable toilet paper.

Bambooee Wows the Sharks on "Shark Tank"

WARNING: This contains spoilers. If you didn't get to see Friday night's "Shark Tank" episode (http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank/photos/season/5/episode-518/media/episode-518-1) yet, check it out here before you read on.

That said--congratulations to Bambooee! Owners Noam and Irene Krasiansky walked away from Episode 517 of the ABC TV show with a new business partner. Lori Greiner from QVC struck a deal with the couple, acquiring 10 percent of their business for $200,000.

During the episode, Noam enthusiastically demonstrated how Bambooee paper towels and Bambooee floor scrubber cloths worked. His sales pitch had Kevin O'Leary saying he was one of the best salesmen that the self-proclaimed "eco-preneur" had ever met.

What was great about the appearance was that not only did Noam and Irene get to promote their product, but they also had a chance to talk about their commitment to going green. The entire segment of the show helped to raise awareness about paper waste and is sure to have introduced many people to the idea of unpaper towels for the first time.

You can check out both of the Bambooee products featured on the show here at Paperless Kitchen.    

Art Professors Team Up to Make Sustainable Paper

In an earlier blog post, we began discussing eco-friendly paper making. A pair of professors at the University of Illinois School of Art and Design have collaborated to try and devise new ways to produce paper without the use of wood pulp. Being in the art department, they're all too aware of how much paper can be consumed in college campuses and in workplaces.

Their project, Fresh Press, has been underway since 2011. As a part of the project, the professors teach a course on papermaking, during which students help to create their eco-friendly paper.

To gather the fibers necessary for the Fresh Paper papers, waste is gathered from the on-campus sustainable farm. They then bleach the paper with sunlight or mix it with waste cotton to enhance the color of the files. The fibers are then boiled in soda ash, dried and made into sheets.

Now, the professors are setting their sights on making other products using agriculture waste, including corrugated cardboard used for packaging and insulation.

Reseed Program for Eliminating Paper Receipts

We've talked about saying no to receipts on our blog in the past, but still, many of us just can't do without them. Many businesses, too, are hesitant to go receipt-less, as they want the tangible proof that goods and services were rendered.

A new smart phone app called Reseed is currently in development to help eliminate the need for receipts. If this technology takes off, its impact could be profound. In the US, receipt manufacturing uses 250 million gallons of oil, 1 billion gallons of water and 10 million trees annually.

Currently a project being completed in cooperation with the Clinton Global Initiative University Commitment to Action, Reseed lets users print records from participating stores on their smart phones. The project is being tested at the University College of London presently in hopes of soon launching it worldwide and encouraging businesses to invest. 

The NOAA Goes Paperless

In the past, we've discussed federal and state governments making pushes to go paperless. Now, we can add anwill stop producing paper nautother agency to the list of those making a push for greener operations. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will stop producing nautical charts in April 2014.

                                                      Vintage nautical map of Boston Harbor

Each year, about 60,000 lithographic paper maps are sold by the NOAA; however, the administration believes that many of these are used as ceremonial or decorative items instead for actual navigation in many cases. Most ships now prefer the use of the digital versions of the nautical maps released by the agency.

Since each map measures 4-feet by 3-feet in size, the paper savings from this move to all digital mapping will save at least 720,000 square feet of paper, enough paper to cover the floor of the White House more than 13 times. Although some are disappointed at not being able to purchase the charts on an annual basis, there's no question that this new policy will be a change for the greener.

The New Way to Make Paperless Paper Chocolate Wrappers

We recently discussed some ideas on what to do with paper candy wrappers once Halloween has ended, but if British paper company James Cropper's new technology takes off, paper-based candy wrappers may soon become a thing of the past.

The company has developed a new technology that uses the waste left over from processing cocoa beans to make wrappers for packaging. The recycling process innovated by the company would use 3.5 million metric tons of chocolate skins per year, keeping agricultural waste from ending up in over-crowded landfills. To make the process even more eco-friendly, the natural color from the cocoa husks is retained, eliminating the need for chemical dyes.

You may remember the James Cropper company from a story that we did earlier this year on plastic cup recycling. This new technology shows how this corporation, although a paper manufacturer, is truly working to make the world a greener and more paperless place.

                                                               Roasted Cocoa Beans

Introducing....MyDrap Cloth Napkins, the Fashionable and Eco-friendly Alternative to Paper Napkins

Paperless Kitchen is pleased to announce the addition of MyDrap Cotton Bunches to our collection. These paper napkin alternatives are a luxurious way to get your kitchen a little more paperless and a lot more fashionable. No need to sacrifice your sense of style for your commitment to the environment with the MyDrap Folded Cotton Napkin Bundles.  

Made from 100 percent cotton, MyDrap cotton squares are 8 inches by 8 inches in size and feel like a lightweight cloth napkin. You can wash the napkins in the washing machine six times before you have to throw them away, and you can recycle or compost them. They are also 100 percent biodegradable, making them suitable for throwing out in the trash as well.

A family-owned and operated company based in Spain, Hostel Drap has developed these MyDrap green disposable napkins on the basis of a design that they pioneered for use in the hospitality industry. Now, you can get these high quality, colorful cotton napkin replacements right here at Paperless Kitchen for a great low price.

We offer MyDrap Cotton Bundles in 15 different colors. Each pack contains 20 squares. Check them out today and let us know what you think!

Meet Jimmy Towels!

Here at Paperless Kitchen, our family of products is continuing to grow. We recently added a new line of replacements for paper towels to our collection that we wanted to introduce to you. Called Jimmy Pocket Towels, these sustainable towels are designed specifically for use when on the go.

Each Jimmy Pocket Towel consists of two pieces. First, there's a waterproof pocket case with a zipper that holds the towel. There are three different styles available. The two-color stylish Sporty Jimmy and the luxury wool Dapper Jimmy are made in America, while the simpler Knock-Off Jimmy is discounted in price and produced in China. The pouches come in many different colors and patterns and fit easily into the pocket of a pair of jeans or a jacket.

Inside of the zippered pouch is the actual Jimmy Towel. These towels consist of two layers: an outer microfiber shell and an inner synthetic chamois core. The microfiber is very absorbent and makes for easy drying, and the chamois wicks moisture away from the surface to help prevent dripping. The towel dries rapidly when laid flat or hung up, and the case keeps your pocket dry until you have a chance to dry the towel.

Jimmy Towels are machine-washable once you remove the chamois core. Replacement towels are available, so that you can always have a fresh towel on hand.

We invite you to check out Jimmy Towels today and let us know what you think of these unique replacements for paper towels!

Palm Oil Waste New Raw Material for Paper

Recently, the Malaysian company Palm Republik announced the development of a new tree-free paper made from waste leftover from the manufacturing of palm oil.

Used for cooking throughout many parts of the world, palm oil is a staple of many cuisines. The palm oil industry produces up to 200 million tons of waste per year, mostly in the form of the leftover husks that remain once the oil is extracted.

Palm Republik has developed a new method of transforming these husks into paper. The fibers found in the husks are very similar to those of timber. To produce the palm paper, the husks are shredded and then mixed with post-consumer recycled paper pulp. Then, it is compressed and dried. The resulting product is 100 percent biodegradable and compostable. Unbleached, the palm paper is now being used to produce boxes and heavyweight stationery like note cards.

At this time, Palm Republik is only selling its paper to industrial customers but has hopes of making their products available to consumers in the near future.