Is your packaging really eco-friendly and sustainable? Find out by asking your packaging manufacturer these 4 questions, which will help you determine whether your packaging manufacturer is truly committed to eco-friendly & sustainable practices, ensuring that you are making a responsible choice.
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Has a customer ever asked you a difficult question about your packaging?
'Is this packaging paper from recycled materials?'
'Is the ink used in your packaging soy-based?'
Or even questions that probably have nothing to do with your brand such as: 'Is the packaging factory paying its workers a fair living wage?'
It's surprising how many people take the time to find out more about what they are purchasing. Reports have shown that 69% of respondents are concerned about the environmental impact of plastic packaging and 48% say that recyclable packaging is a viable option to replace single use plastic and other harmful materials. 37% say that they will look for and pay up to 5% more for environmentally friendly products.
In an attempt to be more environmentally and ethically conscious, numerous brands have switched to sustainable packaging alternatives. In fact, your brand might have been one of them and kudos to you for being socially responsible! But there's more to it. You must know exactly the kind of packaging you use and the kind of partners you work with. This is not just to answer customers' questions but as a way to add value to your company.
If those difficult questions have left you speechless, it's time to start looking for answers. Take the first step by asking the right questions. As a trusted packaging expert, we have compiled a list of questions you need to ask your manufacturers. In part 1, we are tackling questions about what the packaging is made of?
Packaging material could be made of paper, rigid plastic, or even flexible packaging, made of low-density polyethylene. It is important to know what materials go into the packaging to gauge whether it can protect your product, reflect your brand, and to understand if it is sustainable.
The most common material for recyclable packaging is cardboard but materials such as glass, metal, paper, and even some kinds of plastics can be recycled. Be sure to ask how much of the new packages are made of post-consumer recycled content. Post-consumer content includes any waste that is produced by the end customer that is recycled and put back into the production process. Although 100% post-consumer recycled packaging is available, some manufacturers use other materials to make the packaging more durable. For example, PackMojo's materials are made from at least 70% post consumer content.
One of the best practices when it comes to sustainability is reducing. This might mean that you may need to opt-out of using foams, films, and air pellets. It is always good to ask your packaging partners to only use packaging materials that your product really needs.
Biodegradability is the ability to break down the materials by microorganisms. Thanks to bacteria, fungi, a good amount of heat and oxygen, materials disintegrate into natural elements. However, the time needed for disintegration is not specified. Some biodegradable packaging could leave behind chemicals and toxins. Anything plant-based, animal-based, or natural mineral-based is biodegradable. Here are some examples of common materials and how long they take to decompose:
You might also come across the use of bioplastics. Bioplastics are made from vegetable fats, straw, sawdust, recycled food waste, etc. It requires extremely high temperatures to break down and cannot do so in closed landfills or home composts.
3. Is the packaging compostable?
Compostable packaging is also made of natural resources which breakdown at high temperatures. Though unlike biodegradable packaging, it goes one step further to leave behind nutrients that can be used as fertilisers to help soil nutrition and plant growth. The best way to differentiate compostable and biodegradable packaging is that all compostable material is biodegradable, but not all biodegradable material is compostable.
Compostable packaging should typically decompose within 80 days, so ensure all the raw materials used in your packaging breakdown within that time frame. While cardboard is the most commonly used compostable material, many other alternatives such as banana skins, bamboo and potatoes are also being used.
With more research and more customers demanding home compostable packaging, many companies are now manufacturing packaging that can break down at lower temperatures, in your own backyard. Along with cardboard, sawdust, fruit and vegetable skins, and paper can be composted at home.
4. Is the ink used in packaging sustainable?
Inks play an important role in packaging. Many ink manufacturers have eliminated the extreme use of heavy metal like lead and other by-products that are a potential hazard to human health and nature.
Soy-based and water-based inks reduce and in some cases eliminate the use of petroleum-based solvents. Be mindful that for soy-based, the ink's oil only needs to contain a minimum of 6% soy for it to qualify as soy-based. Make sure you ask your supplier about the other materials that go into the ink.
Thanks to developments in the water-based ink industry, these inks are not only environmentally friendly but also suitable for printing on cardboard packaging without the risk of the ink being absorbed. Typically, these inks compose of 60% water.
These questions are a start to being well informed and will give you a better understanding of what your packaging is made of. With more knowledge, your brand can take pride in telling your customers all about your sustainable packaging. Stay tuned for part 2 where we cover the questions you need to ask about the ethical production of your packaging.
Sustainable packaging can no longer be an afterthought. Your customers are actively seeking brands that prioritize eco-friendly packaging. Nearly six in 10 consumers are willing to change their shopping habits to reduce environmental impact and nearly eight in 10 respondents indicate sustainability is important for them.
But, what does eco-friendly packaging even mean? How can your business balance cost, functionality and sustainability? You've come to the exact right place! Our website is chock full of resources to help you navigate the tricky world of sustainable packaging, so you can develop a packaging strategy that matches your brand, your functional needs, your budget and your values.
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The number one thing is to ensure your packaging will protect your products in transit. This means:
As you navigate and decide on these questions, you will likely land on one of several general strategies, including:
This is a great start! Once you've determined the above, the next step is to identify how to make the packaging strategy you've developed to ensure safe transit of your goods also reflects your sustainability values. To make your eco-friendly packaging as thoughtful as possible, you'll want to consider the following.
Need more guidance here? Check out our Definitive Guide to Ecommerce Packaging.
Recycled Content Rules: In almost all cases, we recommend maximizing your recycled content as step one in your packaging strategy. In fact, we believe that the most important question to ask of your sustainable packaging is 'How Much Post Consumer Waste is Included?'
What about FSC® certified Packaging: If you're considering paper-based packaging, we believe that post consumer waste is superior to any virgin material, even if that virgin material is FSC® certified. Recycled paper has a carbon footprint that is up to 70% lower than virgin counterparts. And if you can avoid growing raw virgin materials, this is always preferred (even if those raw materials are certified to be more sustainable). Finally, we believe that ecommerce packaging is a well suited use case for recycled content, and a collective commitment to maximizing recycled content in the ecommerce packaging space will help to drive, sustain and create innovation across the recycling supply chain.
What about bioplastic packaging: Bioplastic packaging comes up frequently, as companies debate between bio-based or recycled content. Unfortunately, today's commercially viable bioplastic technologies are based on corn, sugarcane, and other highly intensive crops that are heavily fossil fuel dependent (thereby negating the concept of them being 'renewable'), highly polluting to our waterways and lands, and lead to the release of carbon sequestered in our soil. Given this, we strongly recommend that companies stick with recycled plastic over today's 'bio' plastic options. We are constantly exploring new bio-based inputs into plastic and hope that over time, we can help develop and bring to market an option where the inputs are net neutral and potentially even net positive to the planet. Read more: Why We Do Not Currently Sell Compostable Poly Mailers.
Reuse and then recyclability should be your highest priority: We are building towards a more circular economy. This means that once a raw material is created, we want to see it being reused and then (when it can't be reused anymore) put back into a new functional item that would otherwise need virgin inputs.
Should I use reusable packaging: Unfortunately, for most businesses right now - no. But, if your business has a very high rate of returns and returning product is core to your business model (like a StitchFix), then perhaps yes.
In almost all cases, we have found that reusable packaging uses more overall material, therefore creates more material waste, and creates a significantly higher carbon footprint than packaging designed for 1-2 uses. This is largely because (1) in order to make a reusable package, it needs to be durable and (2) customers don't always send these mailers back and the rate of return is a major driver of impact. Fashion For Good has found that a reusable mailer would need to be returned almost 100% of the time in order for it to be better for the planet than a recycled single use poly mailer.
What about compostable packaging: Avoid designing for compostability! Unless packaging is soiled with food waste, it is better for the planet for you to recycle the packaging than compost it. In fact, the only reason a small handful of composters do accept certified compostable packaging (the vast majority do not), is because they see it as a vehicle to carry food waste into compost instead of landfill. Design for recyclability over compostability.
A package's carbon footprint is based on its raw materials, how much recycled content is used, and how it is shipped and stored. Many companies, like Walmart and McDonalds, focus on minimizing carbon footprint above all else. That said, other companies focus on different attributes - like going plastic-free or zero waste. Whether or not you make carbon footprint the top driver of your sustainable packaging strategy or focus on other features instead, we always recommend considering carbon footprint in your decision (as climate change, an issue driven by carbon emissions, is our planet's most pressing ecological issue).
While expensive tools exist to conduct detailed LCA analyses, there are a few rules of thumb to go by when reducing carbon footprint:
If you're looking for tools to analyze the carbon footprint of your packaging, consider Trayak or Sphera GaBi.
When looking for sustainable packaging, don't forget about ethics across the manufacturing supply chain. Where are goods being manufactured? What are the conditions? What are the wages? If you find packaging to be extremely inexpensive, ask yourself why (across many industries, super inexpensive price points often mean poorly paid workers). When packaging is manufactured overseas, it can be helpful to ask for a factory audit, to confirm that fair labor practices are being upheld.
Once you've developed an eco-friendly packaging strategy you feel good about - the next question is: Custom Branded Packaging or Non Printed Packaging?
Eco-friendly custom packaging can be a great way to wow your customers, increasing loyalty, referrals and the overall perception of brand value. There are so many ways to customize packaging: with branded boxes, custom poly mailers, branded paper mailers, notecards, stickers, custom tissue paper, custom packing tape -- the options are fairly long!
Making this decision should be based on (1) your budget and it makes economic sense to brand your packaging, (2) your brand and the degree to which customized packaging will align with and strengthen your brand values and (3) your ability to work with the longer lead times that custom packaging typically requires (3+ weeks for certain printed packaging options versus 1-2 days for stock).
Don't worry! If you don't brand your eco-friendly packaging, you can still wow your customers with our pre-printed tissue and tape options, or with handwritten notes or gift-like presentations.
Price is going to be a major factor in any environmentally friendly packaging decision (or really any packaging decision!). We know that when reviewing sustainable packaging options alongside more standard options, it can be tempting to opt for the most inexpensive one, which is typically the more ecological packaging. We would encourage you to find other ways to minimize your packaging costs, rather than simply deciding to go with virgin and/or non-recyclable options. Options include:
Know that there is no perfect and standard way to 'do' sustainable packaging. If you focus on the following, you'll be halfway there right from the get go:
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