Five Myths About Eco-friendly Packaging
Get the truth about sustainable eco-friendly packaging.
The shift toward modern, eco-friendly packaging is clear—consumers are often willing to pay extra for products that are more environmentally responsible. In an age of information overload and even misinformation, it’s important to provide information to consumers.
Myth: All Plastic Harms the Environment
The abundance of single-use plastics found in landfills and oceans is real. That’s why some plastics have earned their poor reputation. However, plastic packaging has come a long way with revamped production solutions that are more environmentally friendly. One positive benefit to using sustainably focused plastic is that it can reduce food waste by extending the shelf life of certain foods and products. Food waste is a significant environmental threat, and plant based plastic can help this issue.
Myth: Sustainability is Just a Trend
The critical nature of caring for our environment is backed by facts and data. Marketing use of eco-friendly materials speaks to a wide variety of ages and demographics. By educating your consumers on your sustainability efforts, you can grow your business and reduce your impact on the environment at the same time.
Myth: Sustainable Packaging Isn’t Attractive
While sustainable packaging may dredge up visions of raw materials and bland packaging design, the truth is, you can be as creative with your packaging design with sustainable products as you can with any other. There are a vast number of sustainable packaging materials. Products ranging from biodegradable plastic to corrugated cardboard full of eco-friendly recycled void fill can suit many applications. Sustainable adhesives are a fantastic complement to your sustainable packaging and can be used for multiple purposes, including attaching design components or more subtle behind-the-scenes packaging considerations.
Myth: Sustainability is Only About Recycling and Zero Waste
Recyclable materials and achieving zero waste are important considerations when it comes to sustainable packaging, but the idea that these are the only concepts that matter is false. Glass is a good example of how hyper-focusing on the recyclability of packaging products can lead to future environmental impacts.
Although it is recyclable, glass has a bigger carbon footprint than plastic in some cases due to the increased fuel it takes to ship glass products because of their size and weight. Many consumers fail to properly recycle glass products, directing them to the same landfills and oceans as plastic products. A focus on the entire life cycle of each packaging component is critical for environmentally conscious businesses and consumers alike.
Myth: Sustainable Packaging Isn’t Affordable
While fully sustainable green packaging isn’t the least expensive eco-friendly packaging option, disregarding sustainable materials because they aren’t cheap is a failure to look at the big picture. In the long run, supporting green initiatives that many people seek out can lead to an effective marketing strategy that increases business and profitability. In addition, many sustainable packaging products are very affordable compared to wasteful packaging practices.
When analyzing how to incorporate eco-friendly materials in your packaging, reducing the amount of excess material should be your first step. Limiting packaging and fill reduces cost at the top and lessens fuel costs by reducing the total weight of the package. Then, develop a creative, sustainable packaging solution that allows you ultimate flexibility, such as a pallet stabilization system or waste-reduction protocol.
Gear Up to Go Green
APPLIED Adhesives can help you no matter where you are in your sustainability journey—from incorporating a few sustainable alternatives to developing a comprehensive, eco-friendly packaging solution . Contact us to start the conversation.
Sources:
https://www.packworld.com/issues/sustainability/
https://www.appliedadhesives.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Pacific-BREAKAWAY-SELLSHEET.pdf
https://www.shipstation.com/blog/3-biggest-myths-of-sustainable-ecommerce-packaging/
https://www.ipack.com/solutions/sustainable-packaging-myths/
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/demand-for-eco-friendly-packaging-solutions-to-stimulate-the-players-of-global-sustainable-packaging-market-to-invest-in-research-and-development—tmr-301004356.html