Eco-Friendly Packaging Options for Sustainable E-Commerce Businesses
In today’s world, sustainability is becoming increasingly important by the second. With businesses facing ever-growing pressure to adopt sustainable practices, one area that has been placed under the spotlight is packaging. In the UK, over 11 billion items of packaging waste are produced annually, with about 2 million tonnes being made from plastic. In this guide, we highlight how you can help reduce this number by using eco-friendly packaging alternatives to benefit your business and the environment.
- The Benefits of Eco-Friendly Packaging For Your Business (Not Just the Environment!)
- 7 Eco-Friendly Packaging Solutions Your Business Needs
- Shop Eco-Friendly Packaging Solutions with Schott Packaging
The Benefits of Eco-Friendly Packaging For Your Business (Not Just the Environment!)
Eco-friendly packaging doesn’t just offer benefits for the environment. In fact, many consumers prefer shopping with businesses that incorporate sustainable practices into their operations. With this in mind, here are some benefits you could experience from converting your business to a more sustainable one.
1. Enhanced Brand Reputation
One of the main benefits of choosing sustainable packaging is the positive impact on your business’s reputation. Adopting eco-friendly packaging demonstrates a company’s commitment to environmental stewardship, which can significantly improve brand perception and the trust between you and your consumers.
2. Customer Loyalty
As previously mentioned, consumers are more likely to choose businesses that are environmentally conscious. By choosing eco-friendly alternatives, eco-conscious consumers will see their values reflected in your business and remain loyal to your brand.
3. Lower Shipping Costs
Although sustainable packaging may come with a slightly higher price tag, the changes it can make to your business offer long-term savings. For example, using lighter and less packaging can reduce shipping costs and minimise the packaging used, leading to less money spent on packaging in the first place. These simple changes can make all the difference to your business!
4. Waste Reduction
Sustainable packaging typically results in less waste being sent to landfills. Plus, with biodegradable packaging, any waste that is sent to landfill can easily decompose, reducing the amount of waste your business produces. This not only minimises a company’s environmental footprint, but it can also lead to cost savings in waste management and disposal fees.
5. Employee Satisfaction
Many employees, especially younger generations, prefer to work for companies that demonstrate environmental responsibility. Sustainable practices like eco-friendly packaging can boost your appeal to prospective and current employees, increasing job satisfaction and pride in their workplace.
7 Eco-Friendly Packaging Solutions Your Business Needs
Now that you know how eco-friendly packaging can transform your business, it’s time to delve into what solutions are available to you. From cardboard boxes to packing peanuts, let’s take a look at the eco-friendly alternatives to your current packaging materials.
1. Cardboard Boxes
Cardboard boxes are already a widely used recyclable packing option. With their versatility and ability to be customised to fit various product shapes and sizes, cardboard boxes are the go-to packaging material for a reason. They also offer high protection for your products during transit, effectively ensuring they arrive undamaged to their final destinations.
2. Padded Eco-Friendly Envelopes
With built-in padding, you can reduce your packaging waste and opt for padded envelopes that offer a two-in-one solution for smaller items. At Schott Packaging, we have a range of sustainable padded envelopes made from grass paper. These eco-friendly alternatives are 100% plastic-free, recyclable and biodegradable, making them a more sustainable choice for your business.
3. Mailing Bags and Cardboard Mailing Envelopes
With 40% of plastic waste from packaging, recycled plastic mailing bags help reduce virgin plastic production and keep existing plastics out of landfills. Alternatively, you could also opt for cardboard mailing envelopes that offer a paper-based option for items such as documents. Both options typically come with easy-seal closures to minimise the need for excessive tape, which also contributes to the growing amount of plastic waste in the UK.
4. Packing Tape
Packing tape is where most wasteful plastic packaging comes from. Typically, businesses use a lot of plastic tape to ensure their packages are secure during transit. With the plastic-free alternative of Brown Kraft Paper Tape or Eco-Friendly Water Activated Tape, you can benefit from biodegradable and recyclable tape without needing to compromise on a strong seal.
5. Kraft Paper Rolls and Cardboard Rolls
Kraft paper and cardboard rolls serve as versatile void fill and wrapping materials. They’re made from materials that are widely recyclable or compostable. The flexibility of both of these options makes them great alternatives in protective packaging as you can provide cushioning for your products, offering protection against unexpected bumps during transit.
6. Eco-Friendly Air Pillows
Air pillows are an increasingly popular choice for void fill as they use a small amount of material to fill large gaps. However, most air pillows are made from plastic. At Schott Packaging, we offer both biodegradable and paper alternatives to ensure you have an effective air pillow alternative to minimise your plastic waste.
7. Packing Peanuts
Another popular void fill is packing peanuts. Biodegradable packing peanuts are typically made from natural materials like cornstarch that can be easily dissolved in water once used to make for a quick disposal. Plus, this doesn’t harm the environment! You can also reuse packing peanuts multiple times before disposal, meaning your customers don’t have to be wasteful either.
Shop Eco-Friendly Packaging Solutions with Schott Packaging
At Schott Packaging, we understand the importance of upgrading packaging materials to more sustainable options to reduce environmental impact. That’s why we have a range of eco-friendly alternatives so you can make the change. Take a look at our Eco-Friendly Packaging Materials and minimise your plastic packaging waste today!
FAQs
What type of packaging is most environmentally friendly?
Generally, packaging made from renewable, biodegradable materials like recycled cardboard or paper or innovative solutions like mushroom-based packaging tends to have the lowest environmental impact. This is because it offers an alternative to plastic waste that takes years to decompose.
What is the greenest packaging?
Cardboard, paper, and recyclable plastics are great eco-friendly solutions for packaging, as they can be reprocessed into new items if disposed of correctly. Compostable materials offer the best sustainable alternative, as they are often made from starch or cellulose, which can be easily composted, causing no harm to the environment if they end up in landfills.
How do I choose eco-friendly packaging?
There are a few things to consider when choosing eco-friendly packaging materials. For example, cost is a large factor, as eco-friendly alternatives can be more expensive. However, opting for sustainable packaging can offer benefits in the long run. You may be able to reduce your shipping and material costs, as you will minimise the amount of packaging you use.
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