Plantable Paper Origins

All of our handmade, cold process bar soaps are wrapped in our signature plantable packaging. When we started b.a.r.e. soaps back in 2012, we realized how much paper is used in product packaging. We thought using plantable paper would be a great way to get consumers to think outside of the box on how product packaging could serve more than one purpose.   
  • Our plantable packaging is sourced from Botanical Paperworks. They are the only seed paper manufacturer approved by the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) and USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) for planting in the US, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, Australia and other countries world wide.  Note that we ship only to the US and Canada.  

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About our plantable paper

  • Blend 6 different wildflower seeds
  • Non GMO Seeds
  • Tested for purity to meet the noxious weed requirements of the U.S. Federal Seed Act
  • Seeds may be non-native to your region but are not known to be invasive in US, Canada, and Europe

How to Plant our Packaging

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Prepare your pot with soil

Prepare your pot with soil. Make sure that the soil is moist- you'll need more water than you think. Crumbly brownie mix is what you are going for!


Remember, dirt is not soil. While flowers don't "feed" as heavily as garden vegetables, they still need the nutrients available in a good soil. We recommend getting potting mix or supplementing top soil with compost.

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2
Wet the plantable paper

You can use a spray bottle or a thin stream of water from the sink. The paper should be thoroughly wet but not disintegrating. 

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3
Cover paper with thin layer of soil

Place the paper on the soil and cover 1/8th inch of soil over the plantable paper. Tamp down gently. 


You don't want to bury the paper too deeply in the soil. Wildflower seeds are very tiny, and the sprouts don't have enough strength to push through inches of soil to reach the sunlight. Here, you can see the paper is covered just slightly with enough soil to keep it moist!

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Make sure you keep the paper moist!

You're done for now! Make sure that you continue to keep the soil/ paper moist at all time during germination. If you want to speed up germination, you can cover the pot with either a clear bag or clear box to create a "greenhouse" event. This helps keep the germination environment moist and warm. Ideal temperature range for germination is 70-75 degrees F.


Germination typically takes 5-15 days. Here is a photo shared from a customer on Instagram. Her paper is sprouting basil seeds! Did you know our shampoo & conditioner bar set comes with paper that grows sweet basil?

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Sprouts!!!

Once sprouts appear, this is where the fun begins! Be sure to keep the paper moist but be careful not to overwater! Continue to care for the plant with adequate sunlight and water. 


Shown here is our Sweet Alyssum, about 3 weeks after sprouting. These are great wildflowers for attracting aphid predators! 

There are 6 Seeds in Our Plantable Packaging

  • Bird's Eye (Gilia tricolor)

    This daisy-like annual wildflower is a member of the famous Gilia family. It is a western native but will thrive anywhere with sunny and relatively dry conditions. The dark contrasting central eyes and yellow throats are known to attract hummingbirds and other pollinators.​  
  • Clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata)

    These vibrant wildflowers look great in all kinds of gardens and grow easily. They typically bloom at the end of the wildflower season, so they have often been called “Farewell-to-Spring”. Native to western North America, Clarkia is an annual plant that will grow up to 1 meter tall.  
  • Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

    This cheerful blossom is most at home in prairie lands, plains, meadows, and pastures where it will attract birds, bees and butterflies. Members of the beautifully golden sunflower family, these North American blooms are one of the most recognized wildflowers!  
  • Catchfly (Silene ameria)

    This bountiful wildflower produces clusters of large, globe-shaped blooms on long stems and will thrive in full sun or partial shade. It grows great even in poor soil conditions and can withstand high temperatures.  
  • Snapdragon (Linaria maroccana)

    An extremely easy to grow annual, these quick blooming flowers are a favorite for their unique and elegant appearance. With a range of colors from pink, red, yellow and purple, the bi-colored blooms attract hummingbirds and butterflies making them a wonderful addition to any garden.  
  • Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia martima)

    A low-growing annual plant, Sweet Alyssum has a branched stem that has dense clusters of small flowers. The flowers are about 5 mm around and have a sweet smell similar to that of honey. They'll bloom throughout the growing season, or year-round in areas free of frost.  

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