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5 Ways to Make Packaging More Eco Friendly

01.26.16 // Heritage Paper

As businesses and consumers become more aware of the cost and effects of their carbon footprints, there comes a need for solutions that lead toward greener ways of working and living. Sustainable packaging solutions do not have to be difficult or expensive. In fact, making the switch to more eco-friendly materials and business processes can be quite simple. Read on for five ways to make packaging more eco-friendly.

  1. Corrugated Cardboard: As the most recycled and versatile material on the planet, using corrugated cardboard is an obvious choice for eco-friendly shipping boxes. The material can be designed into countless shapes, sizes, thicknesses and durability, allowing for customization that helps cut down on fuel costs and wasted material. Corrugated shipping boxes are widely reused for moving, shipment and storage.
  2. Recycled Plastics: Many types of plastic do not break down easily after disposal, adding to landfills and causing harm to the future of the environment. Recycled plastics, such as recycled PET (RPET), are made from recycled plastic water bottles. Minimizing plastic use in packaging materials and using only RPET can help make packaging more eco-friendly.
  3. Cushioning Materials: The right cushioning materials can improve eco-friendly shipping boxes. Traditional filler materials made of polystyrene foam, or Styrofoam, are harmful to the environment. Recyclable loose fill peanuts are most sustainable solutions, or less bulky cushioning material that reduces size and weight of boxes.
  4. Sustainability Audits: Evaluating the packaging process from production to disposal provides a clear, detailed assessment of what works and what doesn’t. Identifying the flaws within the process can improve packaging solutions in the future.
  5. Packaging Design Reviews: Examine the benefits, cost factors and efficiency of a package’s design, determining where and how the design fails and how to improve sustainable solutions.

To learn more about sustainable packaging solutions, please contact us now.

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