The KelJel product is sold in a completely biodegradable container. This container makes up the kelp part of KelJel in the fact that it is made out of kelp. A mix of 1/6 cup of kelp powder, 1/3 cup of water, and 2 tablespoons of flax meal make up our original recipe.
Kelp
Flax meal
Water
Kelp Powder (bought in bulk) : $9.99 for 16 oz. / lasts 12 batches
Flax (bought in bulk) : $89.99 for 800 oz. / lasts 400 batches
Water: FREE!! :)
1/6 cup of kelp powder
1/3 cup of water
2 tablespoons of flax meal
Flax Meal - $0.11
Kelp Powder - $0.83
Total = $0.94 per container
Mix ingredients
Pour into mold
Bake it
Take out, allow to set, cool and harden
Remove from mold
The first mold is a box shape. It has a width of 2 inches, a length of 3 inches and a height of 5.5 inches. Our container has a volume of 33 inches which is more than enough to fit 30 pods. The container holds 5 layers of jelly pods. Each layer consists of 6 pods in 2 rows of 3.
Our second container holds the same amount of pods as our first container design. It is a long tube where the jelly pods are stacked on top of each other. The cap of the container is designed to have a handle on it, so you can easily hang it on your shower walls. Near the bottom of the container, there is a flap that opens and allows you to get the pod. The flap is designed to be big enough, so that you could easily get the pods out without a problem and small enough so that multiple pods don't end up spilling out.
We also can expand this product to other items by using different molds with our same recipe. Or even by trying similar eco-friendly recipes that would provide different textures, making the items more solid or durable or maybe even stretchy. Just finding ways to stop the production and usage of plastics and replace it with a zero-waste alternative like kelp.
Our product is cheaper than other alternatives you may find. Also some of the plastic alternatives you see aren't all that much better that using plastic; take the metal straws for example. Yes, people are no longer using plastic straws which is a huge step up from before, but also those straws could still very easily harm wildlife and won't just break down when they're out in the woods or ocean. Our product however will. It is all completely biodegradable and won't be harmful to the environment. After you're done with your container, you could very well just toss it into your compost heap and it would break down with the rest of it, aiding the environment.