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Packaging protects everything we use in our daily lives. Without the packaging protection, the goods we ship, the foods we eat, and items we gift would damage. That necessitates every brand and business to use an adequate amount of protective packaging.

That is where the problem comes from. With so many packaging materials used in large amounts, one must assume what their impact is going to be on the environment. You may also wonder whether there are eco-friendly packaging options available. The good news is, the answer is yes.

What is eco-friendly packaging?

The eco-friendly revolution has changed the way we think of product packaging or gift wrapping. With climate change making more headlines, manufacturing units are taking more innovative approaches to develop eco-friendly packaging solutions to protect the planet.

Still, many brands, companies, and consumers do not pay much attention to the environmental impact of product packaging. While it is just a matter of time when they start feeling the need to go green, the effect of packaging wastes is going to be significant until then. With a lot of packaging waste ending up in landfills and only a fraction of that waste recycled, there is a lot to be done to deal with the persistent threat of growing contamination.

Why use eco-friendly packaging

While a lot of packaging we use serves short-term purposes, most of it takes several years to degrade or biodegrade. For instance, an average shopping bag makes way to a trash can after 12 minutes and is never used again. This bag disintegrates into small fragments, which never disappear. Non-biodegradable materials can take thousands of years to biodegrade completely. Even at that time, they release toxins that contribute to the soil’s contamination.

Being more eco-friendly with your packaging

By implementing eco-friendly protocols, you can contribute to reducing contamination in the environment. Here are some tips to help you with the process.

• While poly bags are made using biodegradable materials, the speed at which they biodegrade is significantly slow. Therefore, using these bags is a viable solution only when you are sure that your consumers can access polybag recycling units. Alternatively, you can consider using cardboard to pack and ship your products. Cardboard boxes help protect your goods in the best way possible while affecting the environment minimally.
• While shipping your products, you have to be sure that your items remain well-protected against shock, bumps, and weather conditions. That is why using protective packaging supplies is necessary. The downside of protective packaging supplies is that they harm the environment. You can reduce this impact by using appropriately sized boxes that are neither too large nor too small. That will allow you to use only a necessary amount of protective packaging.
• Using packing tape appropriately helps protect your packages adequately, but that also contributes to plastic waste production. Furthermore, plastic packing tape makes the entire packaging hard to recycle due to its stickiness. Secure taping doesn’t require unwinding extra lengths of plastic tape, so you have to use only what you need. Alternatively, you can use paper packing tape to secure your packaging.

You can discuss eco-friendly options with your packaging vendor to get a recommendation for the most appropriate packaging solutions.