PORTLAND, ORE. — Portland-based Franz Bakery has committed to using Kwik Lok’s plant-based Eco-Lok bag closure on its bread products, which will reduce the amount of petroleum-based plastic used in packaging.

Kwik Lok, Yakima, Wash., released Eco-Lok earlier this year. It uses a resin made of plant-based carbohydrates like corn and potatoes. Production emits fewer greenhouse gasses when compared to the production of traditional closures, according to Kwik Lok. Eco-Lok maintains the qualities of existing Kwik Lok plastic closures, and it is printable, reusable and compatible with metal detectors.

“We were proud to partner with Kwik Lok during beta testing and are very excited to be one of the first companies to adopt the new Eco-Lok,” said Ken Waltos, vice-president of purchasing for Franz Bakery, a fourth-generation, family-owned baking company that operates 13 bakeries. “We are pleased to work with another Northwest company toward efforts for a more sustainable future.”

Franz Bakery plans to reduce its plastic use by 10% by 2023. The company is using less plastic by reducing the thickness and size of its plastic bags, and it is recycling or diverting 95% of its solid waste that otherwise would go to landfills.

Kwik Lok, under its third generation of family leadership, was founded in 1954. Kwik Lok is working to reduce its portfolio-wide energy use by 20% by 2025.

“Franz and Kwik Lok have been partners for more than three decades,” said Ron Cardey, vice-president of sales and marketing for Kwik Lok. “We believe this is such a strong partnership and natural fit because of some key similarities between our two companies. We’re both Northwest-grown and family-owned, and we both have doubled down on our efforts to achieve greater sustainability in our operations and the products we offer.”