Why your business should be aiming for sustainable packaging
With the world becoming more eco-conscious, how items are stored, transported, and sold is at the forefront of change. Sustainable packaging is now one of the key areas where companies are looking to improve their carbon footprint and relate to a more environmentally aware consumer.
It’s another example of how businesses are changing, and if you don’t stay ahead of the curve, then you might get left behind.
What is sustainable packaging?
Sustainable packaging addresses the environmental concerns related to the life cycle of packaging.
Ideally, sustainable packaging should be sourced responsibly, designed to be safe and effective, made from renewable energy, reusable within its lifetime, and recyclable at the end of its lifetime.
The idea behind it is to reduce the environmental impact and ecological damage packaging costs to the planet.
Why is sustainable packaging important?
We are already heading to the point of no return with climate change.
The results of global warming are all around us, with melting ice caps and extreme weather events, and people are starting to finally sit up and take notice, especially younger generations.
Packaging, and in particular single-use plastics, have been identified as one of the main culprits of pollution, with microplastics even found at the bottom of the deepest parts of the oceans.
By moving to a more environmentally friendly way of packaging and storing or products, we can help reduce the damage to the planet and its fragile ecosystem.
Why your business should use sustainable packaging
There are two main reasons why your business should be investing in sustainable packaging.
First of all, it’s the right thing to do.
Ethically, there is no excuse for not embracing a greener policy towards your packaging.
The world is on the brink, plastic pollution is at an all-time high, and half of all plastics ever manufactured have been made in the last 15 years.
Around 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal nations each year. That’s the equivalent of setting five garbage bags full of trash on every foot of coastline around the world.
Now is the time to make a change from plastic packaging to a more sustainable option.
The second reason is that your business needs to adapt or it will fail.
Long-term, sustainable packaging is the future, there’s no avoiding it. The sooner you make the switch, the better it is for your brand.
Consumers today are very conscious about companies and their carbon footprint. 87% of millennials would be more loyal to a company that helps them contribute to social and environmental issues.
And the generation behind them is even more passionate about the environment. No business is going to last without a genuine, sincere environmental policy, and sustainable packaging is one of the core features of that policy.
Examples of sustainable packaging
Not all companies can immediately meet the full criteria of sustainable packaging, but small steps in the right direction will get you there eventually.
Start by minimising the size and weight of your packaging; the smaller and lighter the box, the less it takes to manufacture and transport.
We often see huge boxes for small products (Amazon are notorious for this), so make sure your packaging fits your product.
Surprisingly, ink can be the most costly and wasteful part of the packaging process. If you need to use ink, soy inks are more sustainable and they can also be de-inked making them easier for recycling.
Making your packaging out of recycled material is a huge step forward, at both ends of the production line, and will save you money in the long run.
Talk to us about making the switch to sustainable packaging
Make no mistake about it, consumers take sustainability very seriously.
Even if you’re not aware of the environmental impact your packaging has, they are, and they will hold you accountable for it one way or another.
As the world moves towards a cleaner, greener place, the road to sustainability is inevitable.
The good news is, we can help you along the way.
We have helped hundreds of companies to grow and change with the times over the years, adapting to the small things as well as the watershed moments that can make or break a company.
The more environmentally aware you are, the longer you will stay in business, and we can help you, starting with sustainable packaging.
Contact us today if you would like to know more. Our friendly and experienced staff will be happy to have a chat about you and your unique business needs.