TIPA

At TIPA® Compostable Packaging, the team’s mission is to help create zero waste packaging solutions. TIPA advances this mission by creating compostable flexible packaging solutions that perform with the same level of protection and durability as conventional plastic but can decompose like organic waste. In collaboration with Pawniolo Pets, a Hawaii-based pet food company, and WildKind, a sustainable packaging manufacturer, TIPA helped develop a compostable packaging solution for Pawniolo Pets that matched a shared desire for true circularity. 

Pawniolo Pets creates ethical, locally sourced pet treats made from the byproducts of Hawaiian cattle farming. With products that utilize the whole animal from nose to tail, nothing goes to waste. The brand is deeply connected to the land and focuses on protecting it from turning into a landfill. With this in mind, the Pawniolo Pets team was looking for a solution for their packaging to reduce waste and reflect their values. Operating on a small island, Pawinolo Pets doesn’t have access to commercial composting facilities, and single-use plastic doesn’t align with the company’s ethos. Instead, Pawinolo Pets needed a solution that could support small quantities and still help achieve the company’s sustainability goals.  

After years of searching for the right partners to help develop a solution, Pawniolo Pets collaborated with WildKind Packaging and TIPA Compostable Packaging to develop a sustainable package that met their needs. Working together, the three companies developed a fully home-compostable pouch that can break down naturally while still protecting the integrity and shelf life of pet food products.  

TIPA’s bio-based home-compostable films were an integral part of creating the best package to meet the needs of Pawniolo Pets. Similar to single-use plastic, TIPA’s home-compostable films provide an excellent moisture and oxygen barrier, helping protect the shelf life of the products. TIPA’s films also completely break down in a home composting system and leave behind zero microplastics or toxic residues. Both aspects are important, as Pawniolo’s dry, dehydrated treats are shipped nationwide through their online store, so the packaging not only aligns with their mission to reduce waste and use resources responsibly but ensures product quality through storage and transport.  

Nowadays, consumers are more aware than ever of false sustainability claims, or greenwashing, so the ability to offer packaging materials that are home-compostable can help build consumer loyalty for the brand. All of TIPA’s films and laminates are certified for home and/or industrial composting by various certification bodies such as TÜV AUSTRIA, BPI, ABA, Din Certco, BNQ, and Cré, each adhering to the highest standards.  

For companies like Pawniolo Pets, the packaging isn’t just a container; it’s an extension of their values and promise to care for the land. With this in mind, they also needed a packaging design that helps tell their rich brand story. TIPA’s films support high-quality printing that enables bringing the brand story to life. The packaging design was developed in collaboration with a Hawaii-based agency, Patino Graphic Designs, and features many Hawaii-inspired elements.  

Pawniolo’s owner, Nick Vericella, is a third-generation cattle rancher, so he is passionate about the culture surrounding Hawaii’s ranching history. The Pawniolo brand name is derived from Hawaii’s cowboy culture, also known as Paniolo. They wove in the word “paw” to tie in the company’s pet focus. It was a no-brainer that their product, tied so closely to this culture, would also need imagery to match. The pattern in the background is inspired by palaka, a fabric historically worn by Hawaiian plantation workers and paniolos. Tucked into the bottom gusset of the package is the phrase “Aloha ʻĀina Always”, meaning love of the land. This phrase is a guiding principle for the brand and is at the heart of every decision they make, including reducing waste and their persistence to get home-compostable packaging.  

Large corporations may sometimes adopt sustainable practices to meet government regulations rather than truly aligning with the mission of sustainability. Change is often driven by small, passionate businesses that make decisions based on what aligns with their values. TIPA is proud to have the ability to work with manufacturers that can support small and mid-sized companies, which may not have the mass quantity of orders of large corporations, but still desire a better option for their flexible packaging.  

Pawniolo Pets tried many options for their packaging, but the team needed to find partners that matched their mission of loving the land. Pawniolo also needed partners that could provide for smaller orders, as they hand-process the animals themselves, and wanted to guarantee the freshness of their products. Working with WildKind and TIPA provided Pawniolo with the exact materials they needed to create their perfect packaging.  

This collaboration wasn’t about taking the easy way. It was about choosing the right materials to align with the brand’s mission to care for its land. TIPA’s films allowed for this win-win. Choosing the sustainable option isn’t always the cheapest or easiest, but if it aligns with your company’s and customers’ values, it’s worth every minute and dime. The work done on this project with Pawniolo Pets and WildKind proves that packaging can be beautiful, functional, and ethical.