Anker (Changsha, China), the world's #1 mobile charging brand, recently announced its series of USB-C charging cables which incorporate a proprietary mixture of plant-based materials into the production process. Bearing a new "Anker Eco Product" logo, these biobased cables are part of Anker's eco-innovation effort aimed at reducing petroleum-based plastic in product development.

Tackling the plastic problem
It's no secret that the consumer electronics industry has a plastic problem. Every year roughly 622 million USB cables are used by people around the world. Manufacturing these cables requires around 43,000 tonnes of oil (based on internal testing, 5 tons of oil is required to produce one tonne of plastic) and roughly 9,000 tonnes of plastic (calculated based on 46g per wire and 30 % plastic content in USB-cable), and these numbers only continue to increase.

The outer sheath of Anker's new biobased cables is sustainably created using 40 % plant-based materials like corn and sugarcane. This innovative, new cable cuts down on petroleum-based plastic usage, like thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), without sacrificing quality, strength, or durability.

"As the global leader in mobile charging, it's our responsibility to explore ways to reduce the e-waste impact our products and packaging have on the environment", said Steven Yang, CEO of Anker Innovations. "These biobased cables are just the first step, and we're excited to drive this eco-innovation for both our company and the consumer electronics industry, overall".

Built to last
Anker's biobased cables are just as strong as their plastic predecessors, able to withstand up to 20,000 bends. This durability keeps cables in use and out of landfills.

Design and availability
Each model is available in two sizes (90cm/180cm) and comes in a variety of playful colours, designed to coordinate with Anker latest line-up of charging accessories.

• Anker 541 USB-C to Lightning: Fast charging with MFi chips to enable a 30W charging speed – enough to charge an iPhone 13 up to 50 % capacity in just 30 minutes. Apple certified. (USD 18.99–21.99)

• Anker 543 USB-C to USB-C: Fast charging with E-Marker chips to enable a 100W charging speed – enough to charge a 16" MacBook Pro up to 38 % capacity in just 30 minutes. (USD 16.99–19.99).

Greener Packaging
Another area Anker is committed to improving is the actual packaging of its products. Anker's newest biobased cable is packaged using 99 % less plastic. The inner tray material has been changed from plastic to pulp. The packaging paper is FSC-certified 100 % recyclable and printing is done using recyclable soy ink. Anker will look to apply these packaging standards to future products.

www.anker.com