From cost savings to brand reputation and sustainability through responsibly used resources, there are many long-term benefits for businesses to adopt environmentally friendly practices.
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While it might seem fairly inconsequential, your choice of packaging plays a huge part in your operation. Not only does it protect your product and convey your brand identity, but it can also have an impact on reaching your sustainability goals.
In this blog, our experts at ESS explore the advantages of switching from plastic packaging to climate-conscious solutions such as cardboard, and the key questions you should ask your packaging supplier.
We understand the appeal of plastic packaging: it's a widely available material, its versatility means it can be manufactured to various product specifications, and it's durable, protecting your products during transportation.
Not to mention that plastic is familiar, it's been tried and tested, so why would you make the change from a reliable solution?
It's clear why some businesses struggle to make the leap from traditional packaging to new eco-friendly options, but these statistics might make you think twice.
When it comes to global plastic production, a shocking 40% of plastic is manufactured for packaging.
A factor that makes this statistic even more concerning is that much of the plastic produced is single-use. Once single-use plastic is discarded it often ends up in landfills.
From here, it can take anywhere between 20-500 years for plastic to decompose, releasing harmful chemicals into the environment. Not only does this damage ecosystems but it can also be harmful to us.
For food products especially, packaging can have a significant effect on the environment, having a greater impact than the fuel used to ship it. In fact, packaging can contribute to 5% of the energy used in a food product's life cycle.
Fortunately, as awareness of environmental issues such as climate change and resource depletion increases, more and more businesses are making the switch to sustainable practices, including eco-friendly packaging.
With all the energy and research required to find an eco-friendly solution to your packaging, you're probably wondering how much it could benefit your business and whether taking this step is worth it. In reality, there are several business benefits to reducing your carbon footprint.
An increasing number of customers are recognising the importance of their choices. To do their part for the environment, consumers are prioritising companies that are making an effort towards environmental responsibility.
Recent studies have shown that for 50% of consumers, sustainability is one of the key factors they consider when shopping, with a willingness to pay more for environmentally friendly products.
This shift in shopping behaviours means that any business prepared to alter their operation to adopt sustainable solutions can benefit from attracting environmentally conscious consumers, as well as improve satisfaction for their existing customers.
In addition to this, it's an opportunity to boost your brand image. You could even run a campaign to highlight your new sustainability goals.
If you have decided that now is the time to transition to green solutions, the first thing you need to do is find the right packaging provider.
We've put together some key questions to ask to ensure you're getting the highest-quality, eco-friendly packaging solutions on the market.
While cardboard is an eco-friendly solution, you need to ensure that it has been sourced from a supplier that supports ethical practices in compliance with regulations.
At ESS, all our corrugated cardboard is sourced following FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) guidelines and is FSC certified, which means the materials we use have been sourced from responsibly managed forests.
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The industry standard for corrugated cardboard is that it is made from a minimum of 70% recycled material with approximately 90% of it sourced from post-consumer content and 10% pre-consumer content.
All corrugated cardboard packaging products from ESS are made from a minimum of 70% ranging to 92% on certain parts, going above and beyond industry standards.
We also track our data year on year regarding recycled content percentages with the aim of constantly improving them.
The production of your eco-friendly packaging is just as important as the percentage of the recycled materials it is made from.
There's no use in utilising sustainable solutions to conserve resources if your packaging provider Is generating waste during production.
As part of our environmental policy at ESS, we regularly assess the impact of our business operations, reporting any manufacturing processes that might produce excessive waste so action can be taken to reduce it.
A key part of waste reduction is to optimise packaging designs, such as using lighter materials and innovative designs that help to maintain packaging integrity while using few resources.
At ESS, our customisable approach allows us to craft packaging solutions that are made to your exact product specifications, ensuring secure and protective solutions that reduce the need for excess materials.
Most product packaging ends up in the homes of consumers who should be able to dispose of packaging materials through environmentally conscious methods.
At ESS, all of our eco-friendly packaging solutions are biodegradable, bio-based and compostable, as well as chlorine-free, preventing harmful chemical contamination.
Environmental regulations are put into place to ensure that our practices protect the environment and human health.
They set certain standards and guidelines for businesses to adhere to when producing eco-friendly packaging, such as materials and processes that meet certain criteria.
ESS holds ISO accreditation, an internationally recognised standard for environmental management. We also ensure all of our materials are FSC-compliant.
At ESS, we continue to strive towards our sustainability goals. In the future we aim to:
If you're looking to make the shift and work towards your sustainability goals, why not get in touch with our team who are on hand to offer advice about bespoke eco-friendly packaging solutions?
The use of plastic in the packaging sector is vital when it comes to the food industry. This is because plastic adequately protects food from impacts as well as from the natural process of oxidation and microbial degradation.
Traditional packaging, made of conventional plastic, has many positive factors as it achieves physical and durability properties that preserve perishable and fresh foods such as meat, fish or vegetables.
However, the material from which these plastic containers are made comes from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. In addition, once used, the durability of these containers become a long-lasting and persistent waste for many years in the environment when not properly collected and managed.
In the face of this problem caused by plastic packaging waste, measures are beginning to be taken to promote the use of biodegradable materials, thus increasing the use of environmentally friendly food packaging.
You might be interested in: The role of plastics in the Circular Economy
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