Many entrepreneurs believe that to be as
eco-friendly as possible, they have to cut down on their packaging and use only
natural materials. But packaging experts and researchers say sustainable
packaging decisions aren't so black and white.
When a material is recycled, it is
typically less durable than one that has not gone through this process, says
Sterling Anthony, a packaging and logistics consultant based in Detroit. Take
paper, for example. Every time paper is recycled, its fibers are shortened,
making it structurally weaker than non-recycled paper. So while using
corrugated board made of recycled paper seems like an eco-friendly alternative,
it may not be as effective in protecting your product during transport. The
higher the percentage of recycled material in the board, the weaker it will be,
Anthony says. What's more, maintaining consistent quality when using packaging
made from a recycled material can be tricky. For example, you can have two
corrugated boards with the same amount of recycled content that perform
differently. That's because one could be made of old newsprint, while the other
is made of a sturdier paper product. This doesn't mean you shouldn't use
recycled materials. Just don't jump into it whole hog. You can start out using
corrugated board that is made of, say, 10 percent recycled paper, and if that
seems sturdy enough to protect your product, try gradually increasing the
amount of recycled content. People often think that because paper is more
natural and biodegradable than plastic, it is a better choice when trying to
develop sustainable packaging. But that may not be so. Sustainability takes
into account not just how natural a product is, but also how much energy and
other resources are required to make it. For example, the production process
for a paper shopping bag takes more energy and water and releases more
greenhouse gases than the process for a standard plastic bag, Wooster says.
Moreover, the choice between paper and plastic packaging will depend on the
type of product being shipped. For example, a digital picture frame that could
easily be crushed would need to be enclosed in corrugated board with foam
padding around it, Wooster says. But if you're shipping cases of bottled
beverages, they don't need that level of protection. It would make more sense
to bundle the bottles together with plastic shrink film, enabling you to use
less material and reduce the package weight. Although you're using plastic in
your packaging, you're being as efficient with energy and materials as
possible. For finding more in Packaging
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