Shannon Boase

WHAT GOT YOU STARTED?

by Burke Campbell 

Published in the Financial Post

 Sept 22, 2008

Shannon Boase founded Earthcycle (www.earthcycle.com). Based in Vancouver , Earthcycle makes packaging from palm fiber, a renewable resource that would otherwise be discarded as waste. Shannon Boase tells the Financial Post what motivated her to become an entrepreneur. 

Exotic life: “Born and raised in Vancouver , I traveled in my 20s, living in Thailand , France , and Malaysia . In the East, I worked as a management consultant doing market research for large companies.” 

Right place, right time: “In the East, the husk from the palm tree is harvested year round for its oil. Once the fruit is removed, the remaining husk used to be considered waste and was usually incinerated, adding to greenhouse gases, but the Malaysian government has mandated turning it into a commercial product.” 

From waste to winner: “I worked in Malaysia , managing a fund to develop and profile a new technology that could turn the husk into a versatile packaging material. Biodegradable, it’s perfect packaging for fruit and vegetables, and for other uses.” 

Homeward bound: “Back in Canada , I founded Earthcycle, the only firm that has a fully integrated production process, from plantation to pulping, production, sales and marketing.” 

Radical re-think: “In North America , the takeout package industry tops $18 billion, often using ‘non-green’ plastics. But attitudes are changing. Right now, Earthcycle packaging sells in select Wal-Mart, Whole Food, Safeway, Loblaws, and A&P stores. We’ve all become more mindful not just of what we buy, but what it’s wrapped in.”  

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