If you sell products, the chances are you have to package them! Packaging plays a vital role in ensuring that products reach their destination safely and arrive in good condition. However, businesses should also be mindful of the environmental impact of their packaging choices.
These days, consumers are increasingly concerned about their use of plastics and other packaging materials. In this post, we’ll share some tips on how you can provide quality packaging for your products while reducing waste and being more eco-friendly, and reducing your environmental footprint – appealing to eco-conscious consumers in the process.
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Less is more
The golden rule is not to ‘overpackage’. Use as little material as you need to protect the product and use it efficiently. Be mindful of product weight and size when looking into business packing solutions. This can help reduce the amount of material needed for an individual item and lower your shipping costs at the same time. If there’s lots of empty space inside your packaging, then it’s probably time for a redesign.
Use recyclable or compostable packaging wherever possible
Choose materials that can be reused or easily recycled, such as cardboard boxes or paper bags, for items that don’t need to have a long shelf-life. For products that do, look into greener alternatives like plant-based bioplastics, or materials that are easily recycled. Whatever materials you opt for, make sure your packaging includes clear instructions on how they can be recycled or responsibly disposed of.
Look into biodegradable packaging
At the moment, there are all sorts of interesting new materials available in packagings, like biodegradable or compostable materials such as corn starch and cellulose. Some of these do require special composting, but even if your customers don’t have access to such a facility and they end up in a landfill, they don’t ‘hang around’ the environment for hundreds of years like traditional plastics do.
Shipping materials
When it comes to shipping, consider using paper-based cushioning (such as paper shreds and air pillows) as opposed to bubble wrap and other plastics. Doing this can make your business a lot more attractive to eco-conscious customers when they open up your delivery.
Use packaging that your customers will want to keep and reuse
Single-use plastics are by far the biggest worry for eco-conscious consumers. To appeal to them, you might want to try packaging that they’re unlikely to want to discard – for example, a handy bucket design that they could re-use as a storage container, an attractive jar that can be used for decoration or food storage after the product is gone, or a tote bag that could be used for shopping trips.
Look for materials that are durable and easy to clean so that they can be used multiple times before needing replacement. By making this extra effort, even if it means your product ends up being slightly more expensive, you’ll demonstrate to your customers that you care about the environment.
Re-use and recycle yourself
Your own business can also benefit from reuse and recycling – especially if you produce large amounts of boxes and other materials. Internal reuse and recycling schemes help to reduce waste, as well as cut down on costs associated with buying new materials.
The low down
Packaging is an important part of protecting and marketing products, but it’s also crucial to be mindful of the environmental impact of packaging choices. In this post, we’ve shared tips on how you can provide quality packaging for your products while reducing waste and being more eco-friendly – making your brand more appealing to eco-conscious buyers in the process!
