It is a fact, more than demonstrated, that our planet needs our help for its conservation and so that we can all use the resources it gives us for many generations to come. Every day, many companies are joining this trend and trying to make their activities environmentally friendly, and what better way than to structure their shipments and use sustainable packaging materials. If you want to contribute to all this, we tell you what they are and why they are good for preserving our environment and strengthening your brand image.
What are sustainable packaging materials?
Sustainable packaging materials are those whose production process takes into account the principles of eco-design, i.e. during their life cycle, from production to disposal, they reduce their environmental impact. This means that they are:
- Recyclable.
- Biodegradable.
- Manufactured with recyclable materials.
- Reusable.
And all this without compromising on design and performance: protecting the stored object to ensure its integrity during transport. Sustainable packaging is part of what is known as the “circular economy”, a production and economic model that prioritizes the use of natural resources in order to reduce the use of raw materials and promote the use of renewable energies.
Why choose sustainable packaging
The trends in modern packaging go through this model of sustainability, initially for the conservation of the environment to which we referred earlier, but also entails more business benefits in their choice. These are some of them:
- Improve brand image: Sustainable and environmentally friendly products are well regarded by society. And the fact is that they favor the brand image among young people, who are increasingly aware of the need to take care of our environment, and among those concerned about preserving the natural resources of our planet. The ecofriendly trend is in vogue.
- They do not imply more expense: Being eco-responsible does not imply spending more money. Nowadays, there are numerous sustainable packaging alternatives, manufactured with high quality materials and at prices similar to those made with the conventional formats of the past.
- To be consistent: For the same reasons stated above, the use of eco-friendly products are in vogue and many of your shipments are sure to contain them. So, wouldn’t it make more sense for them to be packaged with sustainable packaging materials?
- Responsibility: Helping the environment and minimizing our impact on its natural resources is something we should all do, especially if it doesn’t cost us any effort.
Examples of sustainable packaging materials
There are a multitude of sustainable, recycled and 100% recyclable materials that can be used for packaging items. These are the most commonly used and, surely, all of us see them often:
- Cardboard: Although it has a fairly short life cycle, it can be reused numerous times, so it has a minimal environmental impact and its recyclability makes it a great option. In addition, it is highly resistant to shocks and cuts, so it has a great capacity for protection, and in its corrugated format it can support heavy weights. And if all this were not enough, when it can no longer be used, it is 80% biodegradable.
- Vegetable plastics: Also called bioplastics, they are made from natural products such as soy, potato starch or corn. They have become a great alternative to the use of traditional plastics, as they are much less polluting and come from renewable sources. At the same time, they are highly resistant and totally biodegradable. They are increasingly used in containers and packaging, as can be seen in their wide range of uses in various sectors such as the textile industry, agriculture and medicine, among others.
- Glass: It is completely recycled, which is why it is qualified as a sustainable material and has infinite uses. It is one of the most widely used in the consumer sector and has great properties for preserving products such as cosmetics or foodstuffs.
Is sustainable packaging for all companies?
The packaging of an article has ceased to be a mere instrument of protection to become, in addition, the brand image as the first experience that a person has when purchasing an article. This means that simple packaging connects with the public, so it is no longer a question of whether a company wants to use sustainable materials for its transportation, but what many of its customers expect when they buy one of its products.
Apart from the commercial nature of eco-responsible packaging, the European Union aims to end the use of single-use materials by 2029. The trend towards sustainable packaging is not only intended to be carried by the final products, but also by those overpacks used in transport and logistics, even if they are not contemplated by the end user.
On the other hand, regulations, lobbies and even consumers themselves are increasingly pushing companies to use sustainable and environmentally friendly resources. And this translates into the importance of a given brand acting in accordance with the environmental trend that is becoming more and more deeply rooted in our society.
Examples of this can be seen in companies such as McDonald’s, which has already announced that all of its packaging will be recyclable by 2025. Or cosmetics companies such as L’Oreal and Olay have presented pilot projects for refillable packaging to replace the use of conventional plastics. And these are just a few representative examples. More and more organizations are joining in and taking steps to reduce their environmental impact without compromising the packaging of their products.
As a result, “eco” will go from being just a fad to a way of life, so a responsible brand that wants to remain competitive in the market will have to include sustainable packaging materials in its commercial strategy. In Embalajes Selección we can help you achieve all this, contact us and we will propose the best alternatives for your industrial packaging.