Household Essentials in Hazelwood employs only about 50 people. However, for one day, it was the equal of major corporations like Coca-Cola and Kentucky Fried Chicken, with their thousands of workers.
The small company, which provides laundry and storage products to retailers, was one of eight companies nationwide to receive the 2010 Green Package Award. Sponsored by Summit Publishing's GreenerPackage.com, the honor goes to companies that provide environmentally friendly packaging for its products.
Household Essentials was first in the "Non-Food Primary Packaging" for the way it packages its patented NANOmax brand ironing board cover and pad.
The company's managers recently received the honor in Chicago.
"We walked in and saw that Coca-Cola and KFC had these big displays," President and CEO James Glenn said. "For a small company, it was pretty exciting for us."
To package its ironing board covers, the management came up with a simple solution — sew a small pouch on the side. Instead of wrapping plastic around the cover, the cover folds and tucks into the attached pouch and is wrapped with a piece of recycled paper.
The company estimates the process has kept about 187 tons of plastic out of landfills.
Chief Financial Officer Mark Brown at first didn't believe the company had won the award.
"When James told me, I just started to grin," Brown said. "This is very important to us."
Household Essentials, 5895 North Lindbergh Blvd., started in Texas in 1986. Over the years, it has changed ownership and locations, moving to St. Louis in 1993.
The firm provides more than 500 different products to various retailers, including Wal-Mart and Target. Some retailers sell the company's products under their own brands, The company annually makes about $35 million in gross sales, Glenn said.
Going green is part of the company's corporate strategy.
One of its most recent products is the Fibertech ironing board. Manufactured in China, the board is made of the natural plant fiber waste from processed rice, wheat, bamboo and sugar cane. The fibers are mixed with a natural resin, heated, then compacted with 2,700 tons of pressure.
The result is a biodegradable, fire-retardant and insulated board that can break down 120 to 180 days in a landfill, and two to three years in other environments.
Glenn came across the idea while visiting one of the company's China manufacturers.
"I came across a company that used the same technology for flower pots," he said. "I asked them if they could make an ironing board top."
The manufacturers made a small version, but did not have a big enough mold for a full-sized board. Household Essentials helped share the cost of building a bigger machine.
"We've just started to ship the ironing boards," Brown said.
As for the future, the company and other sellers are betting that more consumers will buy green products on one condition.
"A lot will depend on cost," Brown said. "If people can buy a green product for a low cost, they'll choose that. If it costs more, they'll go for the lower price."
