It is no secret that our planet deals with global problems like air pollution, climate change, water contamination, and literal islands of plastic floating in the ocean. Now, that’s the bad news.
The good news is that as more people become aware of environmental issues, perspectives and habits change in the right direction. Best of all, many businesses have started to change their business strategy to make their businesses more sustainable.
One of the best (and easiest) ways to become a greener business is to switch to
In this article, we will explain the benefits of
The Problems with Regular Packaging
Conventional packaging that most businesses use is usually made of
Unfortunately, burning plastic packaging, like Styrofoam, is common in many parts of the world and releases toxins into the atmosphere and groundwater. Even the ash from burned plastic contaminates water systems and soils.
As you can probably guess, plastic waste impacts our society and environment in many ways. Air and water pollution are
Using plastic packaging is optional. If you switch to
Benefits of Eco-Friendly Packaging
Obviously, there are a lot of downsides to
Well, any package made of easily recyclable,
When you make the switch to
Sustainable Packaging Is Biodegradable
Did you know that a single plastic cup needs 450 years to break down? During that period, it releases toxins into the atmosphere and groundwater. Plus, plastic will just break down into microplastics, which still cause significant environmental damage. Plastic packaging’s advantage is that it lasts forever. Unfortunately, that pro creates a lot of cons for our planet.
Sustainable packages can biodegrade a lot quicker than plastic. They are made of natural materials like bamboo,
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
A carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gasses, like methane and carbon dioxide, released by individuals and/or businesses. Companies that use packages made of recycled or recyclable materials such as paper, steel, or cardboard have a relatively low carbon footprint.
Biodegradable materials generally are not harmful to the planet and produce less or no greenhouse gasses. If you want your ecommerce company to be
Sustainable Packages are Easily Recycled and Reused
Another way to make your business greener is to direct your customers to reuse or recycle the packages you send. You can teach them how to recycle or reuse packaging after they receive their product, like using packages for storage.
Appropriate Protection of the Products
Thanks to advanced technology and creative people, entrepreneurs can now order larger quantities of customized sustainable packages. Business owners can literally customize everything about their packaging with the right manufacturer. You will get completely unique and properly sized custom inserts, mailer boxes, poly mailers, shipping boxes, carton boxes, etc.
All these forms of packaging can be made of
Improvement of Reputation and Brand Awareness
Did you know that 76% of consumers think that brands are more trustworthy if they use
Being
Also, custom sustainable packaging will help you stand out from your competitors. With amazing designs and a mission focused on sustainability, you can ensure a wonderful unboxing experience and make your customers remember you. Plus, they will often publish their unforgettable experience on social media and share the emotions they experienced while opening your product with the rest of the world.
Believe it or not, over 90k people type unboxing into YouTube every month. In fact, some unboxing videos can get over 10 million views. Unboxing content becomes viral quickly. If your logo is on the box, which it certainly should be, you will get free marketing and attract new customers.
How Do Entrepreneurs Switch from Regular to Eco-Friendly Packaging?
Becoming a sustainable business is responsible… But it can be demanding. Making an
Invest Time and Money in Education
Before making the switch, we recommend investing time (and sometimes money) to educate yourself about sustainable packaging. There’s a lot of peer pressure to switch to
With some research, you will discover which
Collaborate with Packaging Manufacturers
Connecting with sustainable packaging manufacturers can pave the way to switching to
Entrepreneurs should first order packaging samples to confirm quality and relevance to their business needs. Most places will send reduced or free samples to help you figure out if the packaging is good for your business. Once you find the best and most affordable packaging, you can start the process of switching over.
What to Do If I Can’t Switch to Sustainable Packages Completely?
Making changes in the business world always comes with risk. There could be multiple reasons why companies can’t completely switch to
Start with Small Steps
We understand that some entrepreneurs are not in a position to switch to
Educate Your Customers
Also, you can take the opportunity to help educate your customers about environmental issues. Invite your customers to recycle or reuse packaging instead of throwing it in the garbage. Strongly recommend using your boxes for other purposes, like for storage or as a toy. That way, you can indirectly reduce the negative impact of packaging.
Educate Your Employees
Educating employees involved in the packaging process helps implement more sustainable practices. You need to teach them the best way to pack the products and handle any waste produced during the process. Reducing plastic waste is key to improving our environment.
Customize Your Eco-Friendly Packages
Entrepreneurs can also change the design and quantity of their packages to reduce their environmental impact. For instance, if you sell small items, you don’t need gigantic boxes and an overabundance of packing peanuts to get your products to your customers. Instead, you can customize your packaging and ensure its design fits your product.
You also save money by customizing packaging because smaller packages will certainly cost you less than using consistently large boxes.
If you run an Ecwid store, check out the Arka app in the Ecwid App Market. Arka provides branded and unbranded packaging for ecommerce businesses made from
Focus on Eco-Friendly Shipping
Of your whole production process, focusing on
One way to improve your shipping process is to ship orders out in bundles (especially easy with smaller packages). That means when a customer purchases multiple products from you, you send all their items in one package. For example, a shopper buys two or three different products a month, and you send all their items as one order at the end of the month.
However, are people willing to wait longer to get their orders? As we said, education is key. For example, you could make videos explaining what bundle shipping is and why their patience helps the planet. Knowledge is everything!
Cost of Eco-Friendly Packages
Most of you are probably wondering whether
If you collaborate with a reputable packaging manufacturer that uses only sustainable materials, you can order packages in bulk. That will automatically reduce the price of your order. On the other hand, if you plan to reuse packages (which is an available option), you won’t have to spend anything on new ones.
Plus, if the package’s customized shape is accurate and small, you will have more space to store orders, whether in your house or a warehouse. You won’t need more space to store orders or unused packaging, reducing rent and shipping costs.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to say how much money you will have to spend on each package. It depends on the size and weight of your order, design requirements, packaging material, and quantity. But often, you can actually save money by switching away from plastic.
For example, you may spend around $138 for 100 units of compostable size 7 x 11 bubble mailers. On the other hand, plastic 8 x 11 (almost the same size) bubble bags will cost you around $215 per 100 units. The difference is significant!
Wrap Up
Without a doubt, switching to
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