BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS AND RECYCLED PLASTICS
There’s no getting around it – sometimes plastic packaging is the only viable solution to meet your business and shipping needs.
Yet, in these situations, there’s no need to cut back on your eco-credentials, as you have 100% recycled plastic and biodegradable options available.
Another – and greener – alternative would be to source biodegradable plastic materials. Biodegradability describes the extent to which a material can be decomposed by living microorganisms producing water, carbon dioxide, and biomass.
From drums, spill trays, and spill control pallets, you can opt for recycled plastic materials to reduce raw material extraction demand. Yet, it must be noted that there’s a limit to the number of times plastic can be recycled (2-3 times), meaning even recycled content will soon end up in landfill sites.
Plant-based packaging.
Plant-based options are rapidly making inroads into the world of product packaging. As its name suggests, these materials are made out of biological sources — everything from mushrooms and seaweed to corn and food waste.
The right plant-based packaging options will depend on the products that you need to package or ship. If you’re selling food, for example, then you should ensure that the material can protect your product without affecting its flavor (bioplastics are a good solution for this). If you’re shipping bulkier items, then select durable plant-based materials such as packaging made out of cornstarch and mushrooms.
CORRUGATED BUBBLE WRAP
We’re all familiar with bubble wrap packaging – a popular kids’ favorite. This packaging helps to protect fragile items during shipping. However, this is not an eco friendly material being plastic based. The good news is several sustainable alternatives are being developed as substitutes.
One of these is a wrap made from up-cycled corrugated cardboard. Rather than disposing of or recycling post-consumer cardboard waste, the material is given an additional life as a cushioning agent. Small cuts are made to produce a concertina-type effect that protects against shocks just as bubble wrap does. The only downside is that you don’t get the satisfaction of popping the bubbles afterward!
The Tshirt Mill
The Tshirt Mill is an ecommerce retailer that produces customized apparel and accessories. It lets customers upload their designs onto various merch so they can create unique pieces.
When it comes to order fulfillment, The Tshirt Mill ships orders in 100% compostable mailers, which are made from bio-based polymer and plant materials like wheat and straw.
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