Packaging is a key introduction to a consumer’s experience of a brand, and is one of the key areas where e-tailers can develop their sustainability credentials. Brands are rethinking packaging by switching to recyclable, plant-based and biodegradable materials, or simply by cutting back on the amount used.
When it comes to long-term sustainability, packaging can have a huge impact. Often products are over packaged. This doesn’t just cost the environment in terms of waste, but also costs retailers as more materials are being used than are needed.
A significant shift is presently taking place: an increasing number of companies are foregoing double and triple packaging. Plastic is often replaced by cardboard because it is considered more environmentally friendly and is often cheaper.
Anyone that has purchased products from Amazon is familiar with receiving a bicycle-sized box for your phone case. We all know packaging waste is real.
Items are often packaged individually in small plastic bags, small products are delivered in huge packages, the same order is delivered in multiple packages.
Online retailers often use standard box sizes to ship all goods, filling the free space with packing materials. This not only means that additional, unnecessary packaging is included, but also the package itself takes up more room in the van, meaning less parcels can be delivered in one go.
Making concerted efforts to reduce packaging waste can have a significant impact on your business’s footprint, and bottom line.
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is a unique resource supporting e-tailers by detailing different types of sustainable packaging and how best to implement it into their offering. They have listed 8 criteria for packaging to be considered sustainable.
Read more about it here.
Plastics, as we know them today, are plaguing our planet.
Consider packaging sourced from responsibly managed forests that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC, is a non-profit organization that sets certain standards to make sure that forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible and socially beneficial manner.
Reducing the size of your shipments starts with purchasing smaller packing supplies and using fewer filler materials, thus optimising resources.
Order consolidation helps brands meet their sustainability goals by minimizing waste and improving transportation space utilization. When multiple orders are shipped in a single carton, fewer boxes are needed, as well as less tape and packing materials. Additionally, more units in fewer cartons translates to better cube utilization on trucks and less fuel required to ship the same number of products. This can amount to a substantial reduction in a brand's carbon footprint.
Need help transitioning to more sustainable, eco-friendly packaging practices? Try these quick steps:
Find out which suppliers are true to their environmental pledges. Some can be marketed as more sustainable than they really are, a practice known as ‘greenwashing’. Think about the product lifecycle and certifications such as FSC.
It may be tempting but it may not be the best approach. To prevent any nasty surprises, consider first changing the size of your boxes first (if necessary), before changing the material and fillings.
Keep your design and product requirements in mind and think about size, durability and weight.
Make sure you can print on the new material without disrupting your processes or suppliers.
Client Testimonial
“When we started back in 2014, we were ecstatic to know that we were making a difference, however small. To see that together, with our customers, we have saved over 6 million bags from landfill is really incredible."
Founder of Oh Crap, Bruce Hultgren
