How can I make my packaging eco-friendly?

According to the statistics for 2022, a total of 400 million metric tons of plastic waste was generated, of which 120 million metric tons was plastic packaging waste. The plastic packaging waste we are talking about comes from the packaging of beverages, food, medicine, wrapping etc. This single-use plastic is difficult to recycle and even more challenging to clean.

Many people are aware of this fact and tend to avoid buying stuff that has plastic packaging. This is especially true if we are talking about the customer who is from an age range of 16 to 26. When we look at its statistics, we will find that at least 40% or more people will avoid buying packaging waste that has excessive packaging.

It is high time that companies learn how to make their packaging more eco-friendly. In this article, we talk about the difference between eco-friendly and sustainable packaging, its benefits for businesses and how they can take a step ahead to make their packaging eco-friendly.

What is the difference between eco-friendly packaging and sustainable packaging?

Eco-friendly packaging is the kind of packaging that does not harm the environment and does not take much energy in the process of manufacturing.

Sustainable packaging is the type of packaging that does not harm the environment as well as helps in the preservation of resources for the future generation.

For example - A bag made from jute is eco-friendly as well as sustainable but if the consumption of jute is more than what they are planting, then it is not a sustainable product but it will still be considered eco-friendly.

What are the benefits of eco-friendly packaging for businesses?

When we are talking about eco-friendly packaging, we know that not only will it help in keeping our Earth safe in several ways but it also helps in getting a good image among customers. In this section, we will talk about ways in which having eco-friendly packaging will benefit their business. We have listed some points down below :

1. Improves customer loyalty

Retaining loyal customers is getting much more difficult than ever. As people are changing their priorities again faster. But there is one thing that almost all the customers think about and that is the safety of the Earth and the environment. A brand that cares about nature is perceived as being in good light which makes people proud of being a part of it.

2. Less carbon footprint -

The carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the environment. When there is a high carbon footprint involved then it creates a negative impact on the environment due to the increase in greenhouse gases which will warm up our planet.

3. Stand out from the competition

When we talk about attracting customer attention different brands use different techniques. But when we talk about what makes us different from our other competitors, our eco-friendly product packaging will show our commitment towards Mother Earth.

Especially when so many people are getting more aware of the products that they use and their effect on the environment.

4. Positive brand image

When people are aware of the tactics used by other brands and companies, it becomes more important to show them that we, as a brand, are serious about the claims that we make. A good brand image plays a crucial part in business, having eco-friendly packaging is a good way to get a positive brand image.

How to take an eco-friendly approach to packaging?

In the previous section. We have talked about the benefits that a company or brand reap from having eco-friendly packaging. Here, we will talk about how to take steps to take that you can consider while transitioning to eco-friendly packaging.

1. Make small changes

When we are talking about changing the packing into eco-friendly one, try to make small changes first. If you try to make big steps without checking the end result then there are high chances that you will end up in loss, especially when you are already operating with regular packaging.

It might be a good idea to switch to alternatives like you can use Kraft tapes instead of normal pacakaging tape that are available in the market. Kraft tape is a good option as they are biodegradable, can be used just like you use normal packaging tape, along with that you can write on the surface of kraft tape as well.

2. Use recyclable products

One of the best way to make your packaging eco friendly is to use recyclable or recycled things. When we talk about recyclable products, we mean the things like corrugated boxes that can be easily recyclable as well as we can use the recycled ones as well.

Not just that using products which are recyclable will help you to make small yet impactful changes towards eco-friendly packaging.

3. Sustainable packaging

Sustainable packaging are the type of packaging that could be reused. Like reusing the glass jar that came with the product etc or using sustainable products like bamboo, hemp, cotton, wood etc. sustainable packing has a lot of potential. It is growing with a rapid rate as more and more people are getting aware of it.

4. Avoid overpacking

You don’t always have to add new things to your process to make it eco-friendly sometimes it just reducing the extra packaging is enough. For example, you can use compact designs which will be a better fit for the products. Having small and compact designs will be a cost effective measure during shipping and storage.

5. Try new options

Don’t limit yourself to the regular ways of packaging, you should always look for the things that is new to packaging industry. There are many different kinds of material that can be used as sustainable packaging.

Materials like hemp, jute and cotton are again getting popular as people are able to understand the impoartnce of using and reusing as many things as possible.

Our Final words

We have reached the end of this article which is about how you can make packaging eco-friendly. Here, we have talked about the difference between eco-friendly and sustainability. There we learn about using the resources wisely as well as sustainably. So that or future generation has resources to use.

Then we have talked about the benefits that packaging companies get. In the last section, we have talked about how a company or brand can approach eco-friendly packaging.

We hope that you were able to get all the information that you were looking for.