The current global challenges of packaging waste and climate change have made us to consider suitable packaging with  that is not only good for the planet but also considering the global carbon footprint impact we have recently switched the material of our packaging to PLA, also known as polylactic acid, or polyactide is obtained from  renewable and natural raw materials such as corn. The starch (glucose) is extracted from the plants and converted into dextrose by the addition of enzymes. This is fermented by micro-organisms into lactic acid, which in turn is converted into polylactide. Polymerisation produces long-linked molecular chains whose properties resemble those of petroleum-based polymers.

A major advantage of using PLA for packaging is its  biodegradability. With the sustainable process and raw materials used, PLA is an environmentally friendly choice for packaging applications.

Emissions of greenhouse gases produced during the manufacturing of PLA is lower than other plastics. In fact, the net greenhouse gas emission of the overall PLA production process could even be considered negative. How is that possible you ask? Well, carbon dioxide is consumed during the growth of corn.

PLA doesn’t release any toxic fumes when oxygenated and has therefore become a very popular material for packaging pharmaceutical and chemical products as well as food and drink. Why? It’s extremely important that highly sensitive goods aren’t contaminated during storage and transit in order to protect both handlers and the end user.

The pili tree is known as the ‘stress-loving tree’. The strong and resilient pili tree, growing on land hit by strong winds and heavy rainfall bears more fruit after every typhoon. These trees  are truly extreme by nature! Our pili fruits are hand harvested from the Bicol region of the Philippines. Magical pili trees grow here in volcanic soil nourished by organic minerals and abundant rainfall.

Grown in the nutrient-dense volcanic soil predominantly found in the wild rainforests of the Bicol Region in the Philippines, the Pili tree has been wild harvested from ancient times. Pili nuts need nothing more than rainwater to germinate and grow healthily, making them naturally very sustainable. It’s a fact that wild pili trees prevent soil from erosion and help restore the land affected by nearby volcanic activity as well as encourage the process of natural pollination without the use of harmful chemicals that are often used in conventional agriculture methods. All the nuts are hand picked by local villagers and no industrial machinery is involved in this process.  Here at Raw and Wild we develop ethical relationships with the local Filipino communities that help us deliver our products to the consumer around the world. Harvesting these nuts is laborious process since everything is managed by hand. To harvest these nuts on a mass scale requires hard work and determination from the local people, however this creates employments opportunities for many local villages in the Bicol Region.