Maintaining the earth’s natural resources and ensuring that we satisfy our current demands without endangering future generations’ ability to meet theirs is something we can do forever. It is about only using what we need, quitting when we are done, and giving back to the environment wherever possible.

We depend on the earth’s resources to survive and prosper; whether in business or everyday life, we do so unsustainably. We shall run out of resources if we keep going in this direction. We must pay attention to how we use the earth’s natural resources and make sure we do everything possible to live and operate our business in the most sustainable and environmentally friendly way; Nature will take care of us if we take care of it.

In terms of sustainable packaging, encouraging suppliers and manufacturers to use recyclable materials as much as possible, or if raw materials are essential, to make sure they come from renewable resources, is just one way to reduce our environmental impact. Whether it comes from FSC or PEFC approved sources or is made from at least 75% recycled content, we choose to provide only sustainably sourced paper and cardboard solutions, so you can rest assured that your packaging materials Their premise is the protection of the land. Production is at the forefront of this process.

The packaging and packaging industry is finally observing the eco-friendliness of its products under the microscope. The focus has shifted from consumers and retailers to green products, which has led to changes in the way many companies achieve sustainable development. For the best! 

Sustainable packaging. The two words don’t always go hand in hand. Packaging waste is a huge global problem, and your company may not want to contribute to this! Therefore, understanding how to “keep green” in packaging design is the key to becoming a more responsible e-commerce retailer. In the discussion of corporate social responsibility, sustainability has increasingly become the focus. Therefore, sustainable packaging is one of the most practical ways for you to show your promise. 

Environmental Impact of Packaging Waste 

Plastics play an important role in consumers’ lives. It isn’t easy to track how often we encounter plastic every day, especially in retail and food packaging. In particular, most of the things we buy are in plastic packaging. Therefore, it is not surprising that 40% of the world’s plastic pollution and a third of all household waste comes from the packaging industry. That’s terrible!

Unfortunately, the e-commerce industry is one of the biggest culprits. This is due to the use of plastic packaging and the unfortunate reality of “overpackaging”. We have all had this experience: articles arrive that fill our living room with plastic. We call this experience the “Russian doll” method. It is generally used for order fulfilment – placing prepackaged items in a second box with a lot of padding, resulting in excessive packaging waste.

At the current expansion rate, as time goes by, e-commerce will have an increasing impact on this issue. By 2021, global e-commerce sales are expected to reach 4.9 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for nearly one-fifth of all retail sales. If ecological packaging solutions are not adopted, plastic waste entering the landfill will increase dramatically.

Myth or reality: Is ecological packaging possible?

Sustainable packaging is no longer just a theory. Most importantly, many people are aware of sustainable packaging materials made from bioplastics. But is it really organic packaging or deceptive packaging? It is clear that no petroleum is used in the production process, but renewable raw materials such as corn or sugar cane are used. Sounds good at first, but the main problem lies in the disposal. This is because bioplastics can only be rapidly degraded and 100% under laboratory conditions. Under real conditions, it needs time similar to ordinary plastic. So there is no real alternative because even the use of food to produce biodegradable packaging is quite questionable. Every year, 40 million people in the world still die of hunger, and 690 million people suffer from hunger and malnutrition.

Then is the water-soluble packaging for food. If they come into contact with hot water, they will dissolve. They are also made from renewable raw materials such as corn starch. Packaging food in food is actually a good idea. A true organic packaging, or not? No, because it can only be used once, and the energy and resource expenditures in production are too high compared to costs and benefits. Here, we must also take into account the world’s hunger and monoculture, which is harmful to the environment. In sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture, raw materials cannot grow to the required quality. However, sustainable packaging must meet this standard. So far, paper and cardboard made from recycled materials seem to be the most environmentally friendly way to pack clothes, food, etc.

Ideas to make your packaging more sustainable 

Reduce packaging. 

As we mentioned, “overpackaging” is a common problem in e-commerce. This not only means more packaging waste, but your over-packing will also cost more. Optimizing your packaging design is one of the best ways for your business to reduce its carbon footprint. For tips and tricks in this area, check out our particular study on sustainable packaging.

Recycled or reusable packaging.

Maximizing the use of recycled materials in your design can make recyclable packaging items last longer. For example, using recycled paper in your packaging inserts can show customers that you take sustainability seriously. Designing packaging with reusable options, such as branded handbags, can also help create a recycling economy of raw materials.

Plant-Based Packaging.

In recent years, the number of plant-based packaging options has increased dramatically. E-commerce companies can look for biodegradable packaging alternatives, such as compressed plant fibres and mushrooms and coconut milk. They are usually by-products of industries such as agriculture and help minimize waste in the supply chain. For example, our compostable pouches are made of corn starch, which can replace polyethylene plastic pouches. The creation of this bio-based polymer uses only 0.05% of the world’s annual corn crop, enabling an incredibly low-impact design. 

Paper substitutes made from bamboo or sugar cane are also becoming more popular. Similar to alternatives to traditional petroleum-based inks used for custom printing. There is no doubt that we only use renewable soy ink. In this way, we can provide you with high-quality customized toilet paper and sustainable packaging solutions.

Ecological vouchers are another development that affects consumers and companies’ choices to purchase. FSC certification ensures that paper products bearing the FSC label come from responsibly managed forests and supply chains. All of our packaging is FSC certified, and we work hard every day to become a leader in innovation and sustainable development.

As the environment becomes a more prominent issue, companies’ adoption of sustainable packaging will continue to be very important. Fortunately, there are more eco-packaging solutions on the market than ever, and the prices are more affordable! This is an excellent way for your business to reduce its carbon footprint and give you a competitive advantage in the industry.

Advantages of sustainable packaging

Financial benefits of sustainable packaging

Sustainability does not stand in the way of profitability, quite the opposite. Sustainable actions and management consider a longer period of time, and therefore also bring ecological stability factors into the economic game. Pure economics was written without considering the limited nature of the planet’s resources. Sustainability is a factor that must be considered in any modern economic calculation.

According to this principle, the long-term use of plastics can also be sustainable. For example, B the VDA-standardized KLT containers from the automotive industry. These can be used for decades, and then can be used for other purposes by grinding/melting and forming.

An increasing number of companies are fully aware of this and are looking for alternative solutions for certain tasks in their companies that should consider sustainability.

Health aspects of sustainability

When observing the pollution of plastic particles to the ocean, avoiding non-recyclable waste is an important and urgently needed step. Plastic particles in the form of microplastics even enter the fish cycle and therefore enter our food chain.

Therefore, the use of sustainable packaging also has a positive impact on everyone’s health.

Benefits of customer loyalty

It is economically more interesting for companies to retain customers in the long term through sustainable products than through fast-moving disposable items. This is not only the consensus of various studies but also a global necessity.

Conclusion: Why is Sustainable Packaging Important?

Whether it is a completely new approach or an optimization of existing solutions, we believe that the transition to sustainable packaging is absolutely desirable. Depending on the packaging requirements, according to the current situation, three measures should be considered in particular: the use of recyclable raw materials, the use of renewable raw materials or the climate neutralization of existing packaging solutions. There is no doubt that in the case of cartons, a lot of wood is used. Unfortunately, this is inevitable in the current state of technology. However, thanks to these institutionalized measures and systems, we are now able to consciously offset this impact: for example, through recycling or reforestation.

Because of several scientific and technological developments in the world, sustainable development and a sustainable future have become a possibility in near future. With various global challenges and climate change, environmental sustainability has become important. The growth of the sustainable system also promotes economic growth.

A switch to alternative materials, on the other hand, makes little sense in most cases due to the non-existent systems. Especially because these are often accompanied by higher energy consumption and higher transportation emissions. Therefore, in any case, the sustainability of today’s packaging should be considered as a whole, which also considers the supply chain and production location standards. For you, as a brand, the decision to switch to sustainable packaging should be based on inner beliefs, not trends. After all, the general public perception of this issue ultimately provides an opportunity: not only for marketing purposes but also to contribute to sustainable development itself.

Know more about Sustainable Packaging. Read our blog on Sustainable Packaging: Why is it important?