Sustainable Packaging Tips for Small Business

A few years ago, sustainable packaging was just a cool thing to implement into your brand to attract niche consumers. However, nowadays sustainable packaging is leading to be the standard amongst all big and small businesses.

It’s predicted that by 2040, the amount of plastic waste in the ocean will triple. Both businesses and consumers take part in being responsible for the waste dumped in the ocean.

More businesses are now holding themselves accountable for providing more sustainable packaging. On the other side, consumers are rewarding those businesses who put sustainability as their priority. According to the findings, 78% of people are more likely to purchase a product that is clearly labeled as environmentally friendly.

Companies look for packaging materials that have great quality and are sustainable such as corrugated cardboard. PackM is proud of using corrugated cardboard for their shipping and product boxes. This material helps us build secure and recyclable packaging for our customers. We will talk more about corrugated cardboard later on.

As a custom packaging company, we find ourselves responsible for providing tips that can help small businesses start planning and building sustainable packaging.

Sustainable Trends

To implement sustainable packaging, first, you must identify the trends that are relevant amongst businesses and what consumers are most gravitated towards. Here are some sustainable packaging trends that you should know.

Corrugated Cardboard

As we touched on earlier, corrugated cardboard is one of the best sustainable materials for packaging. They are recyclable and renewable. Meaning since they are mostly made of recycled materials, they require less energy to recycle. besides saving energy and the earth, corrugated cardboard is also very safe and durable. They are constructed with fluting which produces sturdy materials to keep your products secure. PackM offers a variety of packaging with corrugated cardboard material. You can now order your sustainable mailer boxes or shipping boxes with custom designs.

Bioplastic

It is still possible to use plastic packaging and remain sustainable. Bioplastic is a plastic material produced from sources such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, sawdust, recycled food waste, and more. Even though it is not the best alternative for traditional plastic, it is still an improvement towards saving the planet. The global market also has shown its interest in bioplastics in the past decade. The global bioplastic market is projected to grow from $17 billion this year to almost $44 billion in 2022.

Innovative Materials:

As technology improving, companies are becoming more creative by introducing new and innovative materials that can build sustainable packaging. The most notable recent innovation is mushroom packaging. Yes, you read it right. Mushroom Packaging consists of 100 percent biodegradable and renewable material that can be recycled directly in and by nature. Mushroom packaging is a great alternative for styrofoam or dividers inside the packaging. Major companies such as IKEA have announced applying mushroom packaging in their business.

Simple and Minimal

One wIay to be sustainable is to cut out unnecessary elements from your packaging. Traditionally, products would be wrapped in plastic bubble wraps or boxes filled with packing peanuts. That is not the case today. Brands that have proven to be sustainable over the years are using custom-size boxes to fit the exact packaging to reduce the use of material, waste and lower their shipping cost. Minimal packaging such as using fewer colors and including only important information on the label are also trends that are aesthetically pleasing and helping with being sustainable.

Identifying Packaging Needs

After understating the trends, it is now time to identify what your business needs for packaging. It is very important to understand the different boxes and accessories so you can choose the right options and stay sustainable.

Shipping Packaging

Corrugated cardboard boxes are leading the way for being the most popular packaging, especially amongst e-commerce businesses. Cardboard boxes such as shipping boxes and mailer boxes are now commonly being used as outer packaging. These boxes can be ordered in custom sizes and designs so you can avoid using extra materials.

Products Packaging

Similar to the outer packaging, product boxes made of corrugated cardboard are amongst the best sustainable options. Paper boxes are a great substitution for lighter products. For products that do not need additional packaging such as clothing items, they can be wrapped with recycled papers. Tissue papers are a great alternative to reduce waste and costs.

Product Container

Bioplastic can be an easy pick for product containers. Although, more sustainable materials can be used as containers such as glass and aluminum. Cosmetics brands are now using glass containers and aluminum tubes to increase the sustainability of their brand.

Fillers and Accessories

Modern-day companies have eliminated the use of fillers as mostly it caused additional waste that can be eliminated. However, few items can still be used that are sustainable. Shredded papers are an eco-friendly and inexpensive way to fill the void, recommended to use for fragile items. Tissue papers, as mentioned before can be used to wrap items and replace product boxes.

Product Labels

Labels are an important part of the packaging. They help you showcase your brand and logo and display important information regarding the products. Paper labels are a great choice to remain sustainable while including labels on your packaging.

Make it Personal

Going sustainable doesn’t mean losing touch with your consumer. You can still add extras that will make the unboxing experience personal and unforgettable. Small additions such as Thank You cards are both a nice gesture and sustainable.

Sustainable Business Partners

While you can follow these tips and create a sustainable packaging bundle, it is important to also choose to do business with those who care about the environment as well. Ordering your packaging from suppliers who provide sustainable material options and custom designs. Here at PackM, we are proud to offer sustainable products that help other businesses to pursue this path.

Custom Design

PackM’s 3D technology allows customers to fully customize their packaging. This allows you to order sizes that perfectly fit your products. Create minimal designs to use less ink and send a message to your consumer about the brand’s sustainability.

Sustainable Materials

We offer a complete packaging of sustainable options to help you create a full unboxing experience. Our corrugated mailers and shipping boxes are the most common and sought-after for sustainable e-commerce businesses. Add recyclable tissue papers and shredded papers to accessories the packaging. Finally, add a custom paper label to finish your packaging and display your brand.

Conclusion

Sustainability has been a trending topic around businesses and packaging. It is important that everyone takes part in helping the environment and reducing waste. As a business owner, it is crucial to use sustainable packaging that both fits your brand needs and your consumers.

At PackM, we are ready to help you with all your packaging needs. Head to our website or call us at (424) 271- 0700 and our expert will help you to create your next sustainable packaging.