Overview
In 2024, sustainability is front of mind for consumers and creators. Fortunately, it has also never been easier to incorporate environmentally responsible ethos and practices into daily life and with your purchases. The BCG economy (Bio-Circular-Green) has led to the creation of products on the cutting edge of sustainability, which are the focus of the Naturally Good Expo at the Sydney ICC on Monday, June 3 and Tuesday, June 4.
A series of brands and products being showcased at the Expo are part of Thailand's Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) and the Ministry of Commerce's initiative to position the nation as a global leader in sustainable products and designs conceived and manufactured in Thailand for a global audience. The products on display at the BCG booth range across four key areas: food and drink, decorative and tableware, personal care, and packaging. You'll be able to see all the products firsthand should you visit the expo (hint, it's booth D20), but we can give you an idea of what to expect.
To spread the good (and green) word of this initiative, we've gathered some examples of brands leading the charge toward the products of a greener future.
Khramer
Indigo is traditionally associated with clothing, not skincare, but contemporary skincare brand Khramer aims to change that. That unmistakable deep blue colour is traced back to the indigo root, a plant that holds significance in Thai farming communities. Farmers in the town of Sakon Nakorn harvest the trees and use them to make dye to colour fabrics, which in turn protects farmers' skin from the harsh subtropical sun by keeping them cool and sunburn-free.
Khramer knows the town well and took inspiration from the local community and their use of all the plants' elements. Khramer uses the tree's roots, discarded in dye making, to apply the numerous benefits of indigo plants to skincare products. The result is traditional skincare benefits made through contemporary sustainable thinking.
SUPP
As much as we all enjoy squeaky clean belongings and households, the unfortunate side effect of many high-end cleaning products is toxicity — both for us and our environment. SUPP is leading the charge of environmentally friendly alternatives in Thailand.
SUPP has developed three core cleaning products: a floor cleaner, a bathroom cleaner and a dishwashing liquid. All three underwent rigorous testing to ensure they met the strict standards of cleaning materials being safe to use, effective and environmentally friendly. The products all come from natural ingredients and will, depending on conditions, biodegrade within two to thirty days in water. And though the packaging is plastic, it's refillable and completely recyclable.
Coco Thumb
If you love to highroad your tap-water-drinking friends with your preference for coconut water, this Thai brand is exactly up your alley. This convenient take on the popular healthy drink choice is a product of K Fresh, the world's biggest exporter of Nam Hom aromatic coconuts, which are native to Thailand and commonly grown in the coastal province of Ratchaburi.
Coco Thumb sits halfway on the convenience chart in the realm of coconut waters. You don't have to desperately struggle to crack open the coconut on a sharp rock, and you're closer to the source than taking off the lid on a carton you got at the shops. Simply press on the cap, and you will open the still-sealed coconut, which you can sip directly from.
Starch-Pac
If you find yourself with an abundance of leftovers to be dished out after a dinner party or don't have much in the way of plastic Tupperware to transport your lunch to the office, it might be worth considering an order of these takeaway containers. A product of Global Biopolymers Co. Ltd, Starch-Pac containers are an eco-friendly alternative solution to your food packaging woes.
Instead of being made with cheap or even recyclable plastic, the Starch-Pac, if you haven't guessed already, is made with tapioca starch. It's a much more environmentally friendly alternative to petrochemical plastic, capable of breaking down in landfills and soil and actually acting as a fertiliser in soil after degradation.
AWA Decor
Home furnishings are an art, both in creation and curation. If you ask us, they're what make a house into a home. If you're looking to impress guests with some seriously eye-catching homewares but aren't keen on supporting the big brands, then AWA Decor is a choice worth investigating further.
These products range across lighting, kitchen, tabletop, accessories, and more, but specialise in wooden products. Every AWA product is made sustainably, using materials left over from manufacturing. No chemicals are used, and the process is carefully designed not to create any extra waste. They look fantastic, and you know it's come from a good place.
Bioplus+iq
Another excellent choice in the homewares department is Bioplus+iq, which uses bioplastics to create a wide range of products, from light shades and deck chairs to pet crates and storage bins.
What do they all have in common? They're all made with leftover materials from the agricultural and manufacturing centres, mainly hemp stalks, sawdust, rice husks and PIR pellets. The result? Durable and stylish homewares that won't weigh on your conscience.
For more information on these products and other sustainable brands, check out BCG at booth D20 at the Naturally Good Expo on Monday, June 3 and Tuesday, June 4. Visit the website for more information, or to get your registration.