Reducing Your Carbon Footprint with Sustainable Packaging

Sustainable shipping and packaging is becoming more important than ever before.   There is a huge environmental impact e-commerce creates. Sustainable packaging supplies help to reduce this, and when you offer more eco-friendly shipping packages and practices, you’ll be able to build a more sustainable experience.

Here, we’ll go over sustainable packaging solutions for you to consider, and why you should use each of these in order to create the ultimate eco-friendly experiences. 

Types of sustainable Packaging 

The first is recyclable mailers. These are mailers you can throw in the recycle bin, and then use again and again. This type of packaging is sustainable because of the unique properties of such. it is easy to dispose of too, so even if you don’t use it again, you have solutions that will in turn reduce the waste that’s there. 

The second one is compostable packaging. This takes your sustainability a step further. You can put this in a compost pile to break down. Then, it can be used for soil improvement and health. It is a great alternative.

If you don’t want to use any of these, but still want to go with the sustainable movement, then try to use minimalism with your packaging. This means only using what you absolutely need, and keep the font and design simple. Why? Because when you keep this simple, it costs a lot less, and uses less materials. It’s magical just what this can do, and the impact it has on your packaging experience. 

Finally, let’s say that you already have some boxes that are eco friendly, but your fillers aren’t. That's fine, because you can get some paper-based ones, or plant-based ones such as biodegradable void fill or cornstarch packing peanuts. These are all an alternative to plastic, and can do wonders for ensuring that you’re able to get the most out of your packaging experience. 

Overall, you should look at the different types of packaging, and also what it can do for you, and choose accordingly. 

The Benefits and Drawbacks 

Going green has a lot of benefits.   It does reduce waste, which means that you won’t have to worry about harming the planet. Overall, it creates less of an eco-footprint.

It might seem small at first, but imagine this: everyone starts to do this, and soon everyone’s managing to reduce their environmental impact. It makes a huge difference, and over time, it really does add up. 

It also helps with attracting different eco-conscious customers. There are more and more people interested in eco-friendly products. When you give them something like this, it makes them more excited.

All of this happens while lowering your carbon footprint, so it is simply magical, and it offers some marked alternatives to plastic that can really shine. 

Sounds good, right? It is great, and there’s a lot of benefits that come with this. Probably your biggest drawback however, is the challenge of how much it costs, the durability of such, and the sourcing of these materials. It does cost a lot in terms of overhead early on, but it does become sustainable with time. The other downside, is that the sourcing is sometimes a little bit hit or miss. Sometimes you find different items that are great, and are sourced great, but the problem with them is that they are not really sustainable. A big problem for some, so if you’re not careful, you could fall into the trap. 

Though rare, it does happen, but when you start to factor in all of these costs and start to go eco friendly, more people are happy.

The Tasty Solution for Single-use Plastics

With single-use plastics being phased out by many businesses, a lot of brands are looking for unique means to really make packaging shine.

One way is edible packaging. This is an innovative type of solution that reduces a lot of the single-use plastics that are plaguing the food and drink industries. 

Edible packaging is being used by a lot of trendy startups and indie brands, but we’re seeing it as well in more well-known food packaging vendors.   The potential for this is immersive, as it may add value to the experience of the customer, while also addressing a severe environmental issue that’s been plaguing businesses of all kinds. 

What Edible Packaging Entails 

With edible packaging, one might think it’s just packaging you can eat. It’s much deeper than that however.

Edible packaging is a food-grade material, so it needs to be food.   The second thing is that it also is something that’s plant-based.   Seaweed, riche, even starches from plants are used for this.   They create wrappers, containers, and even films placed over the food. The customer is able to eat it. 

One example of this are wrappers for packaging such as sandwiches.   They can be made with seaweed and starches, creating an edible wrapper for people to enjoy. 

Now, it might seem so simple, but the thing is, you also need to teeter the line of fitting what you’re giving the customer. 

It isn’t just slapping some seaweed on something and calling it a day. The food that you use for food packaging does need to be in a manner that’s safe for people to consume, so if they’re prone to spoiling fast, you don’t use this. 

You also need to make sure it’s hygienic.   Food that’s dirty with food you’re selling is also not a good thing for you to have either. you need to make sure it’s clean. Some companies actually use a fresh container from the food packaging, and that’s enough for the food to be protected and clean.

The final thing is flavor compatibility.   This is something that’s a huge problem for a lot of brands. You need it to fit the item. The problem is, a lot of times it rarely adds value, and tends to taste a little bland. In that case, they may try to add some flavoring to it, in a manner that will enhance the experience. 

Is it Worth It? 

For some brands, yes.   Using edible packaging does reduce plastic waste. A lot of customers are focused on this, and they want a packaging that’s tasty and good to eat.   However it also is great as well for those who are worried about sustainability, because that’s a huge issue amongst younger customers. 

A lot of trendy startup restaurants and food trucks use this, because it’s simple to package, and also offers immense benefits.   So yes, there are some benefits to having this.

There are a few drawbacks, however. The biggest thing is that it’s complex.   You know from reading this alone you have to also factor in how good this will taste with the food, and also be safe.   you also want to make sure that it’s durable, and can hold the item inside. a heavy piece of food will crumble under seaweed packaging.

There’s a lot of factors and things to consider, but overall, if you can have these edible packaging items, such as water pods and condiment sachets that are edible, you’ll stay ahead of the game, and bring about new ways for consumers to have their packaging and well, eat it too!

Compressed Packaging to Maximize High-Density Shipments

 Sometimes, the best way to make your packaging efficient is to make the packaging compressed. This concept helps to reduce the volume during the shipment, and then expands when it gets to the destination. It is a unique way to help keep the costs nice and low, and also to help you as well with the shipments in a manner that’s efficient for emissions as well.

Here, we’ll go over how this packaging works, and what you can do with this type of packaging to make it even better. 

The Technologies 

With compressed packaging, you pretty much want to compress this to the point where it can be expanded at the destination.

One of the top ways is vacuum sealing. This uses a vacuum to seal the items, creating an airtight seal for the items that are inside. This is commonly used in food packaging.

Another one is materials that will collapse.   It causes the items to fit inside the packaging, making it even better for you as well.

Finally, you’ve got compression straps. These are straps that wrap around the compressed item, so that it stays inside the container until it gets to the destination, when you can take the item out and from there, put it on display. 

Who uses this 

A lot of companies are falling into the trend of compressed shipments.

Clothing is one of the biggest ones.   You can take your clothes and put them in some vacuum-sealed packaging. When they get to the customer, you’ll then be able to take this out.

Being is another. A lot of that sealing you see for the packaging also is a form of this type of application. Once it reaches the customer, it can be taken out, and really make this expand and grow.

Lightweight items that can be collapsible also benefit from this. Some companies are trying this with their items.

You can even make beds collapse into smaller packaging, which is something that’s pretty cool about the packaging so far. It’s got a lot of different applications, and in turn, can be used to really make the packaging stand out in its own unique way. 

The environmental Impact 

Obviously, with this type of packaging, you’re saving on space and costs, optimizing the packaging for long-distance storage and travel. But did you know that it also impacts the overall environmental concerns that come with this.

So many people like that they can get their items with reduced carbon emissions through these space-saving designs. You’re using less materials, which also means that you’re able to save a lot of money on this. Then, after you save the money on materials, the transportation and logistics costs are also far less. 

You can also save some money on that final leg of the supply chain, since you’ll be able to put this in optimized packaging for long-term storage. 

The Future Trends 

These days, we see a lot of compressed packaging. However, with the advent of smart packaging, it automatically decompresses the item once it’s delivered. Some items, such as sleep number bedding, actually immediately expand once you open up the item itself. It’s a fun, unique way to make the packaging really stand out, and shine as well. 

With compressed packaging, you’re not only getting packaging that’s smaller with better optimized spaces, but you’ll be also able to maximize the efficiency y that you put forth for some high-quality shipments, and in turn really improve the overall state of your packaging, and everything that it has to offer for your needs as well.

How biodegradable Adhesive are Pioneering Eco Friendly Packaging

 More companies are going green. There’s boxes, various compostable bags, even inks that wash off after the package has been delivered. All great, right? 

But is there a means to actually be eco friendly with adhesives? A lot of tape is not sustainable, especially those made of plastic? Well, more companies are getting involved in using other means.

Traditional paper  tape is not recyclable, as it’s made from plastic and oils.   Again, it’s wasteful, and takes ages to break down. our landfills are filled with this. Companies want to change this, which is why, through their sustainability efforts, they can do just that. Biodegradable adhesives are one example of this newfound way to make your packaging safe and eco friendly for all! 

Types of Adhesives 

There’s a lot of different adhesives that you can use. 

The plant-based ones are pretty popular. Made from plant fibers, it works just like how regular tape does. Stick it on, take it off, but this one you can toss without feeling any sorts of regrets, since it isn’t made of pesky plastic.

The other one is water-activated or water-soluble adhesive. Paper tape is one example of this.   it dissolves directly in water. People like this one because despite it being water-soluble, it’s strong, and also creates a tamper-evident seal for the packaging. Again, if you want to make disposal easy, this is one way to do it.

Finally, we’ve got compostable adhesives. These are adhesives that you toss out back to the compost pile, or you give to a facility that composts. Again, this is a great way to also be sustainable with your adhesives, because it's easy to do.   you’d be surprised at just how magical compostable adhesives can be for the future of packaging.

Who Uses This? 

Any company that’s looking to be eco friendly will use this. if the plan is to go green, or push for green initiatives, then they’ll use this.

These adhesives work great for shipping boxes and packaging.   Labels are another one that can be sustainable through these adhesives. 

If you’re already trying to use eco-friendly ink, this is one way to take it to the next level. 

Sealing tapes are of course another. Again, if you’re looking to take your sustainability business to the next level, this is it. 

The Benefits of Such 

With biodegradable adhesives, it boosts the recyclability of the item.   You can literally recycle the box with it on, and don’t need to remove it. 

If you have customers that don’t really recycle, this is another good alternative. It allows them to be sustainable without doing too much work.

Finally, there’s the overarching benefit of reducing your environmental footprint. This is a good overall benefit, and it can work wonders for all people who are involved. 

The Future of These Adhesives 

With biodegradable adhesives, it’s a bit of a newer concept. There is the concern of proper sourcing, which is common for anything from corn and soybeans. 

However, there’s more changes than ever before. Some of these adhesives can disintegrate with water contact and specific environments for composting. This vastly speeds up the time for break down and giving back to the planet.

Again, there’s more and more types of adhesives hitting the market at affordable prices for a lot of people.   When you give people this type of packaging, always consider possibly taking it to a sustainable next level, for it can change not only the course of the markets, but also the overall customer reputation people have when looking at these sustainable alternatives not just for their packaging, but for the important adhesives too.

Edible Packaging for Perishables

When you’re shipping out perishable food and beverage items, you can get a little creative with this. creativity also encourages the importance of stability for many involved.

This is of course, through edible packaging. This type of packaging is made directly from materials that are edible, such as cellulose or other plant fibers, and is commonly implemented in food and beverage items. Here, we’ll go over some of the edible packaging factors to consider, along with the benefits and challenges. 

Features of Edible Packaging 

Edible packaging has some unique features. 

The first is the materials. They’re edible, so they’re made from seaweed, starches, and other natural substances. Basically, it needs to be safe to consume in some regard for it to be considered edible packaging. 

The packaging can be wraps, films, and other unique packaging fibers.   The goal is to safely secure and close up the items, making it easy for you to eat, while also being eco friendly. 

The packaging is also designed to protect, especially during transit.   These items will need to go through shipping and other factors, so giving the product a safe place to reside as it makes it to the location is important. Wraps that use seaweed can be packaged in a box and then pulled out and served for example. 

You also need to make sure that the packaging is safe for edibility. Many times, people don’t like to use edible packaging because they fear hygiene. However, edible packaging is safe to eat, and when you’re able to make this possible, customers will be happy. 

The Benefits and Challenges 

While edible packaging is still a new subject, it’s got a lot of benefits to it. 

The biggest one is how eco-friendly it is. This type of packaging can leave little to no waste, so if you’re a brand that prides themselves in that sort of thing, it’s almost necessary for you to have this.

It also can make it easier for you to get these fresh items with an extra flair to the customers. Some people like it because of the convenience. 

Meal kits, fresh produce, and the like are all types of packaging that benefit from edible packaging, and serve to help you with improving your carbon footprint. 

The biggest drawbacks are making sure the items are hygienic, while also maintaining the shelf life of the product. For example, seaweed wraps and the like are perishable items with a short shelf-life for them. In that case, you need to prepare enough to sell, without too much waste being left behind. When packaging the food in this edible packaging, ensure that the staff wash their hands and handle the items hygienically. 

If you do this, it does make this type of packaging easier for you to use, and results in more happy customers. 

The Real world applications of This Edible Packaging 

Where do people use edible packaging? Well, some brands have started to use edible wraps such as seaweed for their sandwiches and various other products. 

Cheese and snacks also benefit from starch paper, as it is easy to keep in one space. You can eat the candy, and then eat the packaging too.   There are also cups made out of a cellulose film, which is not as common, but is still considered to be a popular means for eating this type of edible packaging.

Overall, edible packaging works with quick-food items. If you’re selling something that will go fast, and also will really stand out, then you’re in luck, because there’s a lot to be had here, and a lot of great packaging incentives to choose.