BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

03.17.23

INTRODUCTION

Sustainable packaging is in and unnecessary waste is out! Many businesses are taking on sustainability within their industries. The eco-friendly focus on packaging is a new, innovative and popular form of wrapping, storing, shipping, or shelving products. Sustainable packaging is trending among businesses because it is efficient and reduces carbon footprint left on the environment. In this blog, we’ll talk about four different benefits of sustainable packaging.

REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:

Sustainable packaging has a much lower environmental impact than traditional packaging materials. According to TIPA-Corp, “Sustainable packaging materials can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 65% and require up to 75% less energy to produce than conventional plastics.” Sustainable packaging materials, such as compostable or biodegradable plastics, can also reduce the amount of waste in landfills and oceans. Businesses that want to reduce waste in order to reduce environmental impact could save money on production costs for any plastic material. “With plastic production rates growing 3-4% annually, and plastic waste released to the oceans expected to triple over the next few decades…”. As production rates increase, more money is being spent by businesses and the demand on natural resources is leading to increased environmental impact. Investing in sustainable packaging can save money and reduce environmental impact.

INCREASED EFFICIENCY:

Sustainable packaging can also increase efficiency in the supply chain. According to Industrial Packaging, “Sustainable packaging can be designed to optimize packaging-to-product ratios and minimize transport volume, leading to reduced shipping and storage costs.” By using packaging materials that are lightweight and space-efficient, companies can save on transportation and storage costs. For example, a Felins customer manufacturing non-woven surgical gowns was able to decrease shipping volume by 30% through the use of custom ultrasonic banding machines.

ENHANCED BRAND IMAGE:

According to TIPA-Corp, “Consumers are increasingly aware of the impact of packaging on the environment and are more likely to purchase products that use sustainable packaging materials.” By using sustainable packaging, companies can improve their reputation and attract environmentally conscious consumers. “According to a recent consumer study, sustainability is a valuable purchase criterion for 60% of consumers globally, with the U.S. boasting a percentage a little above the global average at 61%.”

REDUCED COSTS:

Right size packaging is a good way to save money and reduce costs. “Minimizing the amount of packaging materials used is one way to be more sustainable, and also results in fewer storage and printing costs.” It takes some work to determine how much material is going to be used for packaging a product. Determining an optimal packaging design and size will save money on printing costs for labels, storage, and shipping. “Notably, in 2015, retail shippers changed policies to charge by the dimension or weight of packages. This put the responsibility on companies to rethink their packaging.” With extra space in their packaging, they were basically paying for higher rates to ship air with their containers/boxes.

CONCLUSION:

Sustainable packaging offers a range of benefits, including reduced environmental impact, increased efficiency, enhanced brand image, and reduce costs. As consumers become more aware of the impact of packaging on the environment, businesses that adopt sustainable packaging solutions will be better positioned to meet their expectations and reduce their environmental footprint. By using compostable or biodegradable plastics, optimizing packaging-to-product ratios, and minimizing transport volume, companies can save costs, enhance their brand image, and protect the planet.

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Sources:

https://tipa-corp.com/sustainable-packaging/

https://www.industrialpackaging.com/blog/what-is-sustainable-packaging

https://www.meyers.com/meyers-blog/sustainable-brand-packaging-statistics-why-eco-friendly-packaging-matters/