Reduce the environmental impact of packaging

It’s important to remember that any opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of packaging should not undermine its primary purpose – protecting goods throughout the logistics chain.

So what do you need to consider when balancing the use of sustainable products while ensuring they are 100% fit for purpose?

Below is our brief guide to eco-friendly options for the most widely used packaging materials.

Corrugated cartons and cases
The key factor here is material content. There may be scope for reducing the weight of over-specified board. For instance, a strengthened single wall board might replace a double wall material.

Different flute options may give you a lighter case without affecting its performance. It’s also worth reviewing the case dimensions and style. A small adjustment may result in more efficient pallet loading, minimising transport and storage requirements.

Stretch film
There is a range of possible options worth considering. Can a lower weight of film be used? Does pre-stretched film mean you can reduce wastage? Is there unnecessary overlapping of your pallet wrap, and would an automatic wrapping system enable you to achieve a consistent overlap level?

We take a closer look at some of these questions in our other blog posts:

• Reduce stretch wrap usage and minimise costs, and
• Is a stretch wrap machine right for your business? 6 points to consider

A professional stretch wrap review will also help you assess your stretch usage and suggest more eco-friendly and cost-saving alternatives to your current solutions.

Protective products
Bubble wrap is widely used throughout the industry, but have you considered paper alternatives? Solutions such as Geami WrapPak®, PadPak and WrapPak Waved Paper Pads are perfect for shipping fragile and / or expensive items, offering optimum transit protection while being 100% recyclable.

Some paper-based solutions are also designed to ship ambient, chilled and frozen products such as meats, medicines and chocolates, thanks to their excellent thermal properties.

Mailing Materials
The range of speciality packs for postal delivery is quite diverse, but more sustainable options are available. Paper mailing bags are recyclable and have a self-sealing strip to ensure products are safely contained inside the bag on the way to customers. They also come in a range of sizes to fit different products within your range.

Other Materials
Sealing, strapping and polythene film all offer some scope for reducing the environmental impact, with a range of materials, gauges and formulations to choose.

For independent advice, contact us today and we’ll help you to find the right blend of performance, value for money and sustainability.