With every item purchased from the tentree store, ten trees are planted. A small, metal token is shipped with each item purchased with a code printed on it that allows you to see where the trees are planted and what kind of impact they’re making. After that, our customers choose what to do with the tokens! They make good bracelets, necklaces, even keyring pendants!
But over time, we recognized that not everyone wanted one of these tokens. What happens then? Are they recyclable? Do they just end up in the trash? Does tentree take them back?
These metal tokens are made of Zamak 3 alloy, a conflict-free alloy comprised of 97% zinc and 3% other materials. These metal tokens can be recycled, but not easily. Some recycling companies won’t take them, as they are small enough to fall through grid-style conveyor belts during sorting. When this happens, they usually end up in the garbage. That’s not ideal!
So to improve sustainability and the traceability of our tokens, we’ve decided to switch things up a bit. Meet the new tentree tree code token! These corozo tokens are no longer metal but made from the tagua nut, also known as “vegetable ivory”, which is sustainably produced from the seeds of palm trees.
The corozo tokens are made by a family-owned business located in Panama. These new tokens weigh about half as much as the old ones and are fully biodegradable, with no harmful dyes or substances that would cause damage to the Earth as they break down.
When will our customers see these new tokens?
The new corozo tokens are debuting for our Spring and Summer 2019 collections, but we do still have some of our old Zamak 3 tokens still in stock. We don’t want to throw them out so we will use the leftover inventory first before fully switching to the new token. All orders shipped from our Fall and Holiday collections will feature the new tokens!
