When choosing the right type of packaging for a product, two factors come into play, one is how the packaging will help your product stand out from your competitors, and the other is how sustainable or eco-friendly the packaging is. While there are many options for product packaging, stand-up pouches are a great example that can fit into most industries and provide a more sustainable option.
Why is sustainable product packaging important?
The environmental impact of product packaging is evident in all industries, from single-use plastics used in food packaging, to cosmetic packaging that cannot be widely recycled and sent to landfills. The way goods are packaged and consumed leads to ecological problems such as the burning of greenhouse gases and improper disposal, leading to problems such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch or food being wasted before it is consumed.
Producers and consumers alike have responsibilities in the use and handling of products and their packaging, but without due regard to how products are packaged, problems can arise before the goods reach the shelf.
What are the solutions for sustainable packaging?
Sustainability should be considered at the very beginning of your product's life cycle, and the packaging you choose has an impact on many factors, such as shipping costs, storage, the shelf life of your merchandise and how your consumers handle your packaging. Finding the right packaging for your product requires considering all of these factors, whether it will fit your product type, and where it will be sold. Some important things to consider to achieve sustainable packaging include:
1. Choose a type of packaging that will keep your items fresh longer and protect them from contamination. This extends shelf life and reduces the likelihood of goods being wasted.
2. Minimize the number of packaging components used. If you can find a single package solution that meets your needs, it can help reduce shipping and production costs compared to using additional material parts.
3. Choose packaging from a single recyclable material, rather than options featuring different types of materials, which make them difficult to recycle.
4. Find a sustainability-focused packaging partner so you can be advised on the options and options you can make during the packaging development process.
5. Include information to let your customers know how to recycle your packaging and which parts are suitable for recycling.
6. Use packaging that doesn't waste space. This means your product fits nicely into the container without leaving a void, reducing shipping costs and C02 emissions.
7. Avoid leaflets, leaflets or other cutouts. If you can find a packaging solution that allows you to print all the information you need on the product or the packaging itself, it can minimize the amount of material sent with the product.
8. When possible, order packaging in large quantities as this reduces resource requirements during manufacturing and shipping. This could also prove to be a more cost-effective way to source packaging materials.
How can businesses benefit from sustainable packaging solutions?
With all the extra considerations sustainable packaging requires, businesses must also benefit from adopting them. While reducing environmental impact is a benefit in itself, if a company doesn’t benefit from this change at the same time, their use of sustainable packaging becomes ineffective and not a viable option for them. Fortunately, sustainable packaging can provide many benefits, eg.
Many consumers consider sustainability when purchasing, and importantly 75% of millennials say it's an important factor for them. This means that companies can meet user needs and secure a long-term customer base by switching to sustainable packaging early.
This presents an opportunity for other companies to differentiate themselves in an otherwise crowded market where other competitors may not be offering more sustainable versions of their products.
Reducing shipping and storage costs will directly benefit packaging-related costs. Any business that sells a lot of products will understand that a small percentage of cost reduction can have a big impact on profitability as it scales and grows.
If sustainable packaging also improves the shelf life of your product, consumers will get a higher quality product compared to cheaper and less sustainable options.
Making it easier for your customers to recycle and properly dispose of your products and packaging will increase their likelihood of recycling. With only 37% of consumers aware of what they can recycle, companies can make it easier for their customers to take the right action.
Showing that your business is environmentally conscious, or at least taking steps to reduce its impact, can improve perceptions of your brand and help attract customers who value it.
Stand-up pouches - sustainable packaging solutions
Stand-up pouches, sometimes referred to as Doy Packs, are becoming one of the most utilized packaging options for retailers. They offer many different customization options, making them ideal for nearly every industry, and they're a more sustainable option than traditional packaging.
Stand-up pouches are made from flexible packaging consisting of single or multiple layers of material with additional features and add-ons. This means that whether you produce food items that need to stay fresh or have a beauty brand that needs to stand out, stand-up pouches are a great solution. The sustainability of the stand-up pouch also makes it one of the main contenders for companies looking to reduce their environmental impact.
Some ways to achieve this are：
resource efficiency
Helps reduce waste
Reduce wasted packaging space
easy to recycle
Requires less packaging material
Easy to transport and store
We've been helping businesses across industries understand if a stand-up pouch is the right choice for them. From fully custom pouches that focus on practicality, to creating the most sustainable options through material selection, we can help you achieve your packaging goals. Whether you're a small business looking to improve its packaging or a larger company looking for new solutions, contact us today to learn more.
Post time: Jun-23-2022