Happy Earth Day from a Small Business
How This Small Plastic Business Makes Environmental Sense
When people think of environmentally conscious companies, plastic manufacturing rarely comes to mind. Yet sometimes the most sustainable businesses emerge from unexpected places and passionate creators who stay true to their values.
An Unlikely Journey
I never expected to fall in love with 3D printing and design. As the mom with glass mason jars in the fridge full of fresh vegetables for snacks, becoming a plastics manufacturer wasn't even on my radar. My journey into the world of plastics began innocently enough—my children fell in love with 3D printing after attending a science festival, and I soon discovered it spoke to my type of creativity in ways nothing else had before.
Sharing my designs on Etsy was supposed to be just a hobby—a creative outlet. Then we went viral.
Suddenly, I found myself—a mom during COVID—trying to figure out how to scale production of something I had created almost by accident. The Economic Development Center for Georgia connected me with a family-run injection molding company that became instrumental in helping me get started. Through this partnership, I learned to truly value the hands-on relationships that you forge with small businesses.
Small Business, Big Environmental Impact
When people champion shopping small, they often focus on supporting local economies—which is certainly important. However, in my case, the environmental benefits are equally significant, despite being in an industry not typically associated with environmental concerns.
Here's how our small-scale manufacturing approach makes environmental sense:
- Production on demand: We only produce what we need, avoiding flooding the world with excess plastic goods
- Zero waste philosophy: Every rejected part gets recycled into other pieces—not because we're chasing an environmental certification, but because it simply makes good business sense
- Small batch production: We create limited quantities, sourced locally
- Material selection: We use the most environmentally friendly materials possible
- Rural operation: Our warehouse really is on a farm!
Why Small-Scale Manufacturing Matters
The beauty of small-scale manufacturing lies in its ability to be nimble and thoughtful. When you're not producing millions of units, you can pay attention to the details that make a difference—both in quality and environmental impact.
Large plastic manufacturers often struggle with massive overhead costs that force them to produce at enormous scale, resulting in excess inventory and waste. As a small business, we can be strategic about our production runs, creating just enough to meet demand without unnecessary surplus.
From Passion to Purpose
What started as an unexpected creative discovery has evolved into a business with purpose. We've found that doing things on a human scale—working directly with suppliers, customers, and manufacturing partners—creates not just better products, but better relationships and more sustainable practices.
This journey has taught me that sometimes the most environmentally responsible businesses aren't those with the loudest "green" marketing campaigns, but those that quietly make thoughtful decisions at every step because it aligns with their values and vision.
For anyone wondering if their small business can make a difference in a world of mass production, the answer is a resounding yes. Sometimes the most sustainable path forward comes from unexpected places—even from a mom who once only stocked glass jars in her refrigerator and now designs in plastic.
[About the author: A former crunchy mom turned sustainable plastics manufacturer based in Georgia, creating thoughtfully-produced goods from environmentally friendly materials.]
