Companies spend a lot of money on making their packaging look good. With so much competition, it’s hard to get customers to stick around. So, the packaging is an integral part of taking care of customers. But the boxes made a lot of materials, which contributed to global warming. Now, companies are trying to find ways to package their products that are both green and good for marketing. Learn how to make eco-friendly packaging:
1. Recyclable or Reused Material for Eco-Friendly Packaging
Going for materials that can be reused or recycled is the best way to be sustainable. Paper packaging is a good option to consider in this regard. There are plenty of ways to reuse eco-friendly packaging, like putting office supplies in empty cardboard boxes. This helps cut down on waste and keeps people away from buying things they don’t need. When you use recyclable materials like cardboard or paper for packaging, you can turn them into other valuable items. Also, the material can be recycled easily to make new boxes. This ensures that when the packaging is thrown away, it doesn’t go to waste or a landfill.
2. Prefer Biodegradable Fillers
Biodegradable packaging decomposes on its own. Thus, consuming such materials for eco-friendly packaging boxes will lead to minimal waste. Plant-based materials mostly decompose on their own and do not need any processing. So, you can use them for eco-friendly packaging wholesale. Moreover, plastic made from corn is a good choice because it can break down in a commercial composting facility. With biodegradable options, none of the packaging will end up in a landfill. Just like outer material, inner things like protective wraps of a box also matter a lot. For example, instead of using plastic bubble wrap, you can go for recycled polyethene wraps. These wraps break down entirely and do not create any waste. Such safe materials also make sure that the environment is safe.
3. Avoid Inserts if Possible
When your items are fragile, inserts are a part of the packaging. Along with the walls of the box, these inserts give extra protection. They keep the product in place and keep it from moving around while it’s being shipped. Inserts are essential, but you should try to avoid them if possible. Because of the inserts, more materials are used, and more trash is made. So, you can easily skip this part if your product does not need extra safety measures.
4. Recyclable Loose Filling
Loose fill is a type of packaging material that fills gaps and absorbs shock in a box. Polystyrene is in use as raw material, but there are other things that can be used to make loose fill. Corn starch and recycled paper are becoming more and more popular for this. Learn which kinds of loose-fill packaging are best for different kinds of items. Then make use of recyclable filings for your boxes. If you use the right type of loose fill, you can better protect the product and the environment.
5. Use Biodegradable Finishing
Finishing options are essential to think about because they make things look better. But you need to choose finishes that are also good for the environment. For example, finishing with oil is not as good for the environment. Water-based coatings, on the other hand, are good for the environment. Because they don’t have many volatile organic compounds, they don’t pollute the air as much. They can be recycled just like things that don’t have a coating. Also, you can use cellulose-based lamination to stick things together. Marketers can use these options again and again. You can get this lamination for your eco-friendly packaging template. This will make the look of the packaging better.
6. Sustainable Printing Ink for Eco-Friendly Packaging
Printing on a box is necessary for the marketing of a brand. Inks made from chemicals that are bad for the environment are mostly in use for this purpose. You need to switch to ink made from food or milk proteins like soy inks. This ink will not decrease the eco-friendliness of a box. Similarly, you can go for UV inks that don’t have any solvents, oils, or other dangerous chemicals in them. They are easy to recycle and biodegrade, so they are a high-quality, environmentally friendly solution.
7. Go for Small Sizes
Less consumption of material will cause less waste. So, go for a smaller size for packaging. If you can adjust your product to a small size, then don’t go for a large size. For small boxes, you can rearrange different parts of the product in a way that can accommodate less space. Not just the environment, this approach will save the cost of manufacturing large boxes. It allows the producers to save scarce resources. Rather than using unnecessary large-sized boxes, you can optimally utilize your available funds for an effective marketing campaign.
8. Avoid Extra Packaging Layers
The primary purpose of any packaging solution is to provide protection. Some products need more protection than others. For example, perfumes are delicate, and they need more security. The boxes of perfumes need to be strong with extra layers of material. But in the case of other things like toys, stationery items, etc., a single layer of packaging is enough. Moreover, don’t go for fancy materials or extra layers for the sake of marketing on an eco-friendly packaging box. Invest in coming up with something that doesn’t use excessive material. Use your creativity with simplicity to create a design that is both secure and attractive. Additionally, you will use less energy to make the material and the packaging. This will reduce your overall cost of manufacturing eco-friendly packaging design.
Conclusion
With global warming and excessive pollution, it is now more important than ever to use eco-friendly packaging. Green ways to package things are now being used by companies. This needs a lot of changes or a new plan. Step by step, manufacturers can start to use new ways of packaging.