An alternative to paper blankets?

LookChina was one of the exhibitors at the 2011 IAM meeting in Denver.  The company supplies an environmentally sustainable alternative to paper blankets for both domestic and international packing.  Dr. Johnson Wu’s from LookChina was attending IAM for the first time.  He said that his products are designed to significantly reduce the massive waste generated by the moving industry worldwide. His efforts come at a time when movers are seeking ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

Wu, who was born in China, earned his undergraduate degree from China Textile University and then his PhD from Leeds University in the UK with a concentration on yarn spinning. This strong background in textiles has helped him apply recycling technologies to products movers use every day.

In the IAM Exhibit Hall, Wu demonstrated the strength and durability of his products, called Standard Moving Pads (SMP), made from textiles recovered from carpet and garment factory trimmings and other sources and then recycled into several different grades of padding for international, domestic and storage applications. But his interest has moved far beyond manufacturing these products, extending into the impact that rethinking traditional billing practices could have as well.

“What I would like to see is standardisation of moving pads and blankets in terms of their quality and protective capability,” Wu explained. “I am trying to convince the large van lines to change their billing systems and then pass on the savings to the consumer. If the bigger movers would do that, it would have an impact with respect to political and moral incentives to standardise their packing methods.”

Typically, a mover or origin agent sends a shipment overseas permanently loses the pads to the destination agent with the shipment, therefore the customer bears all cost. But if Wu has his way, the destination agent would be billed for the pads, allowing the origin agent to partially recover their cost. This would provide an impetus for the destination agent to reuse the pads and bill the receiver the next time they are used, at same time it significantly reduces global consumer moving cost. Whether Wu’s idea will gain momentum is still an open question, but he hopes that heightened environmental concerns and consciousness will cause his customers to at least consider its potential.

“I see the global trend for recycling and the impact that the moving industry can have on the environment,” said Wu. “So far, the response has been worth my trip.”

Standard Moving Pads are distributed from four locations in the USA. They are available in two sizes and in woven and non-woven materials.  More information from: www.lookchina.com.