Whenever we purchase any items or products either online or offline, they come in designed boxes that are colorful and have some unique patterns. These can be either cardboard or corrugated boxes, and their major role is to safeguard your products from damage. Moreover, it helps in better branding of the products, which attracts the potential consumers. But have you ever wondered how these boxes impact our environment? With the growing e-commerce packaging trend, the requirement for such packaging also increased at a rapid rate. Taking note of this issue, individuals have started to find innovative ways so that the environment is not much affected.
In this article, we will learn about the environmental impact of cardboard and corrugated boxes, along with some eco-friendly choices in packaging. So without much delay, let’s get started.
Recycling and sustainability practices
When it comes to recycling and sustainability, both cardboard and brown corrugated boxes make some contributions to the environment. Well, there are practices to customize our packaging in a more effective manner to keep up with the trends by maintaining the brand value along with its eco-friendly nature Some of such practices are mentioned below.
1. Reduce packaging size
At times you might have experienced that the packaging you receive is almost 40% bigger than your products. Now one consideration is that it protects our goods from external damage and assists in sustaining vibrations during transportation. But at the same time, it indeed harms our environment as an increased carbon footprint is involved in the production process. Also, it is observed that consumers are often irritated by oversized packaging as it increases the amount of waste in their houses. So it is recommended to reduce the pack sizes as it is beneficial for the environment.
2. Use Virtual sampling
Initially, the branding process was hectic as it involved a trial-and-error process. But with the advancement of technology, virtual sampling methods can be applied, which assist in better designing your products. There are several services that can track the real-time packaging and design accordingly to reduce sampling waste. It also lowers the manual labor and effortlessly cuts the overall cost.
3. Opt for eco-friendly fillers and inserts
Providing products of the best quality possible is the ultimate goal of every business. To do this, many brands opt for larger packaging, which in return contributes to increased waste. To solve this, take the help of eco-friendly dividers and inserts such as cushions or bubble wrap.
4. Use easily separated adhesives
Recycling is an efficient way of keeping stuff from going to waste. But at times the materials get stuck with each other due to the presence of various materials, which makes it difficult for them to separate. Usually this is the case when materials can’t be pulled apart and end up in landfills. Well, with the application of plant-based adhesives, this issue can be solved, thus making the recycling process easy.
5. Innovative Labelings
Many individuals around the globe believe that recycling is important and want to be a part of the change that positively impacts the environment. Well, the confusing recycling rules printed on the packaging might often leave the consumers in a state of confusion. To solve this, make sure the guidelines are added in a simple language understood by a large group of people. Attractive logos and colourful fonts can also serve the purpose, and it will eventually solve land pollution.
Comparison of the environmental footprint of both materials
Talking about the carbon footprints, then it is the amount of greenhouse gases that are produced by various activities. The gases include carbon dioxide and methane, which turn out to be harmful to our environment. It is estimated that the average carbon footprint of a person around the globe is 4 tons. Now, although both cardboard and corrugated boxes are biodegradable, they still emit a certain amount of carbon footprint in the atmosphere.
According to a study, it is estimated that the production of 1 KG of corrugated box materials emits 0.5 to 1.2 kg CO₂. Now this figure might vary depending upon the sources of energy and percentage of recycled material involved in the process. Some LCAs estimate that a typical corrugated box used for shipping could have a carbon footprint of around 0.2 to 0.5 kg CO2, depending on its size and the specific supply chain practices.
Before moving, I just want to know you to read Sustainability in Packaging: The Rise of Eco-Friendly Corrugated Boxes.
How to make eco-friendly choices in packaging?
With the increase in e-commerce, it has become a necessity to adopt eco-friendly packaging methods to obtain sustainability and care for the planet. Below mentioned are some effective choices you can make when it comes to smarter packaging choices.
1. Recycled and Recyclable Materials
The initial thing we can do is to opt for packaging that is made from recycled materials. This will assist in reducing the carbon footprint and provide a helping hand towards a greener planet.
Learn more about Journey of Recycled Corrugated Boxes: From Waste to Reuse.
2. Minimise Plastic usage
Plastic is indeed affordable compared to other options, but it impacts the environment in the worst way possible. So it is always recommended to opt for alternatives such as kraft or corrugated papers.
3. Choose the Compostable or Biodegradable Options
All the packaging that is prepared from plant-based materials breaks down naturally upon being dumped, harming the environment. Choosing this can be an ideal option if you care for the planet.
4. Encourage Reusability
Packaging that can be reused reduces waste to a great extent. Moreover, they can be collapsed and stored in a particular location without requiring much storage space.
Look for our 3-ply corrugated boxes, 5-ply corrugated boxes, tuckin corrugated boxes, and bottom lock corrugated boxes for sustainable packaging.
Conclusion
When it comes to recycling and sustainability, both cardboard and corrugated boxes have their own sets of advantages. Considering some of the few mentioned points, we can come to the conclusion that along with the usage of these materials, a bit of awareness is also required so that the majority of individuals can practice the art of recycling.