Despite the obvious issues and hardships arising from the current pandemic, there have been a few upsides for businesses; one in particular being the uptake in online orders and home delivery. Australia Post have experienced a 90% increase in parcels compared to the same time last year, forcing them to take on new staff and open new processing facilities. If you don’t already sell your products online, now is the time to consider a new foray, and if you do, it’s the perfect time to review your packaging materials and ensure you’re distributing as sustainably as possible.
With the increase in home delivery there’s the associated issue of increased packaging materials, which can have negative environmental consequences in their production and disposal. Many parcels are distributed in thin plastic postal pouches; the only way to recycle them is to take them to a supermarket REDcycle program, which consumers are less likely to do whilst in social isolation and completing on-line grocery orders. The alternative padded envelopes consisting of a paper outer layer and plastic padding cannot be recycled as they are manufactured from two types of materials that require different recycling methods. And for those packages that arrive in cardboard boxes, the boxes are often made of virgin paper and the protection inside is frequently plastic.
So how do you achieve postal deliveries without the environmental impact of packaging?
1.Use Home Compostable Postal Bags
A number of companies now offer home compostable postal bags, which have the appearance of standard plastic postal bags, without the environmental impact. They’re usually made with corn starch, which doesn’t have the downsides of plastic during production, and they can be disposed of in consumers’ compost bins. They can’t be used for breakable items as there’s no padding, but they are offered in a range of sizes and can, in some instances, be branded with your company logo and colours. It’s a great solution for your customers who have their own compost bin, but for those who don’t, its essential you tell them how to dispose of the packaging (use a community composting site, take it to industrial composting or last resort, put in the landfill bin without a plastic bag around it). Companies to consider include Hero Packaging, No Issue, The Better Packaging Co, Sendle, and Compost-A-Pak.
2. Buy a Better Box
Not all products can be distributed in compostable postal bags. If your product needs more protection send it out in a box or pillow pack made from recycled materials. These cardboard boxes are an excellent solution as they’re made from recycled paper and card, (so not depleting natural resources), and can be easily disposed of in the paper recycling bin that all consumers have access to. Choose recycled over Kraft material wherever possible, as Kraft normally only contains a % of recycled materials. Suppliers to research include Pack Queen, Brown Paper Packaging and Craftpak.
3. Make it Look Pretty Sustainably
Just because you’re being environmentally conscious and distributing products in compostable, recycled and recyclable materials, it doesn’t mean your packaging can’t look pretty! Unwrapping packaging is part of the consumer’s purchase experience and brand association, so it’s important the packaging looks good and feels like a quality product. Add a bit of luxe with some recycled tissue paper (Buy Eco Green, Brown Paper Packaging and No Issue), tie it in a bow with some natural twine or recycled ribbon (Brown Paper Packaging, Mary Maker Studio), and add a recycled gift tag (Brown Paper Packaging, Biome).
4. Use Eco-Friendly Protection
One of the worst outcomes of postal delivery is a damaged product on arrival to your customer. Even though you’re trying to reduce the environmental impact of your packaging, it’s essential you send it with suitable protection. There are a range of options on the market that are more sustainable than bubble wrap and polystyrene beans. Consider Greenwrap, a roll of Kraft paper and tissue paper interleaf in a honeycomb design; biodegradable packing peanuts that can be added to the compost bin; corrugated cardboard rolls or newswrap sheets.
5. Eco-Brand It
Sending out your product in environmentally-friendly packaging can provide a fantastic opportunity to further brand your product. Adding your company name or logo to your packaging materials helps you stand out from the crowd and cement your company’s look, feel and messages in your consumer’s mind. A number of suppliers offer branded sustainable packaging including Hero Packaging (compostable mailers), No Issue (tissue paper, compostable mailers, stickers and tape) and Inke who use a percentage of recycled material in their branded boxes.
6. Choose the Right Label & Tape
The final stage of packaging your product is usually taping and labelling the box or bag, and it’s a great opportunity to further enhance your sustainability credentials. Issues can arise with labelling and taping when the materials used are different from the packaging material; different materials cannot be recycled together, so in some cases your customer would need to remove the label and / or take the tape off before putting the packaging in their compost or recycling bin. Depending on what eco-friendly packaging you’re using, consider water activated packing tape; Kraft paper tape; compostable labels or recycled address labels.
And finally…
7. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Reducing your environmental footprint is a wonderful excuse to communicate with your clients. We’re always looking for ways to engage consumers, and demonstrating you’re kicking some sustainability goals and that your customers are helping you do so will give them the warm and fuzzies about your brand. Customers do need guidance on how to dispose of your packaging correctly - if they put home-compostable packaging in the bin it will sit in landfill along with the rest of the waste and take years to decompose. Tell your customers why you use the packaging you use, and how they should dispose of it. Try and give them options for disposal – you can’t assume everyone has a compost bin. Capitalise on opportunities to communicate on your website, in your emails, on your social media, include a note with your product and provide instructions on the packaging. If you’re doing the right thing using eco-friendly packaging and your customers are doing the right thing disposing of it then you’re onto a winner!
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Dr Nicole Richardson is a Director of Engaged Group, helping businesses and schools become more sustainable and inclusive. Engaged Group provides consulting services, workshops, research and recommended suppliers to enable organisations to move forward positively. Contact Engaged Group to find out how we can help you.
www.engagedgroup.com.au
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