As the threat of climate change becomes clearer to the public, more and more consumers are searching for eco-friendly alternatives to their regular products. In particular, they’re looking at ways to reduce the waste they produce through their consuming habits.
Therefore, having eco-friendly packaging is essential for businesses to compete in the current market. However, ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘sustainable’ are broad terms, which means there isn’t only one way to create eco-friendly packaging. Various methods are being used by sustainable companies to create eco-friendly packaging.
1. Use green energy for production
Many people only think about the material used for the packaging when they consider eco-friendly packaging methods, but this is only one side of the picture. The entire production process needs to be examined because even supposedly ‘eco-friendly’ products could be produced using excessive amounts of energy derived from fossil fuels.
Instead, companies interested in sustainability should focus on ensuring their entire production process is more eco-friendly, by utilizing green energy from renewable energy sources. Businesses can also look into green energy suppliers and renewables asset management to facilitate this.
Biodegradable and compostable packaging
In terms of packaging materials, most people think of biodegradable and compostable materials when they think of eco-friendly product packaging. Compostable packaging is made from organic materials that degrade after composting, and biodegradable packaging is usually made from Bioplastics that break down through chemical recycling processes (although this can still sometimes occur over a very long period of time).
The good thing about these types of packaging is that the materials will eventually break down, meaning that they won’t linger in the environment. However, you’ll have to consider whether the packaging will be sturdy enough when using materials from natural sources, so this packaging may not always be appropriate.
Sturdy, reusable packaging
In cases where sturdier packaging has to be used, the product can still be eco-friendly overall. For example, reusable glass bottles can be a great alternative to plastic packaging. One of the benefits of sturdy glass packaging is that it can be easily reused, so consumers may choose to keep them to be reused at their homes.
Returns programs
Not everyone is able to sort and separate their recycling correctly at home. This is why some brands may choose to offer a returns program where customers can return their empty packaging. These businesses can then recycle all of the packaging properly. Businesses that take this approach also offer incentives to their customers for returning their product packaging, such as discounts on further purchases. This can encourage recycling and mindful consumerism.
Recycling instructions
If the packaging can be recycled at home, it may still be worthwhile to offer detailed recycling instructions on the packaging. This can help consumers who are new to recycling or don’t know how to properly dispose of different materials. Overall, this will encourage better recycling habits and boost the sustainability of the packaging even further.
Creating eco-friendly packaging isn’t just about switching the material from plastic to cardboard. Businesses should consider multiple factors throughout the production process when aiming to create eco-friendly packaging, such as the ones listed above.
Author bio – A guest blogger has contributed this advertorial
