Why Sustainable Packaging Supplies Are the Future of E-Commerce
As e-commerce sales grow and online shopping habits shift, brands want sustainable packaging supplies. Here are why:
Sustainable alternatives offer a more eco-friendly alternative to plastics. They tend to contain fewer toxins, dissolve into organic matter, and are often designed to be recycled after use.
Reduced Carbon Footprint
When ecommerce retailers switch to sustainable packaging, they benefit from a reduced carbon footprint. Packaging materials go through some steps in their life cycle – extraction of raw materials, production, transportation, and use – all of which release many greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Fortunately, green alternatives are available that reduce this impact. These include sustainable materials derived from raw materials that use less energy to produce.
Another way to lower your carbon footprint is to recycle. This reduces the waste you send to landfill and prevents toxic substances from entering the water supply.
Recycling helps ensure all packaging is reused or transformed into a new product. It also eliminates energy and resources, positively affecting your business’s bottom line.
Many ecommerce companies are also moving towards biodegradable packaging for their shipping supplies. This can be done by replacing single-use plastics with recyclable, biodegradable ones.
Other sustainable packaging supplies include compostable mailers made from cornstarch and wheat starch. These products dissolve in water or are fully composted at home, avoiding the need to mine and process natural resources.
Customers are becoming more conscious of the environment and willing to pay extra for brands that take their sustainability efforts seriously. Using this strategy can help your brand to expand its market and increase sales.
Better Health
E-commerce companies ship thousands of different products to customers daily, meaning that packaging has to be designed to meet many different needs. This can create challenges, but e-commerce businesses can streamline their transition to sustainable packaging supplies by partnering with a large company or factory that uses green replacements for traditional materials.
A good place to start is with suppliers who use raw natural materials and produce biodegradable packaging. Make sure to ask how they make the packaging and whether or not they commit to replenishing nature so that the natural resources they use remain viable for future generations.
Another alternative to Styrofoam and bubble wrap is mushroom-based packaging, made of fungi grown from agricultural waste like corn stalks or hemp hurds bound with mycelium. It’s fully compostable and uses 12% of the energy required to make plastic.
As a result, it has 90% fewer carbon emissions than the manufacture of plastics. It also decomposes within 30 to 90 days.
The key is to choose sustainable options that can be recycled five to seven times or more, such as paper and cardboard. This will significantly reduce reliance on traditional packaging materials and help the environment.
Making your package more compact and thin than its product is one approach to achieving this. Doing this may lower shipping expenses and ensure your packages are manageable.
Increased Customer Loyalty
E-commerce has become a significant component of the global economy and is now used more frequently for product marketing and sales. But it also significantly affects the environment.
With this in mind, many e-commerce businesses are implementing more sustainable practices. They’re trying to reduce their carbon footprint, use less energy in their operations, and reduce the number of products in landfills.
Packaging is one of the most common areas that e-commerce companies and brands focus on. A typical product purchased online will be wrapped in many different packaging materials, including plastics, Styrofoam, paper, and cardboard.
Luckily, more and more e-commerce companies are switching to sustainable packaging supplies because they realize the benefits. They know switching to greener options will improve their image and increase sales.
There are a few simple steps that e-commerce businesses can take to help make their packaging supplies more eco-friendly. These include choosing a supplier that sources primary materials from renewable and locally-sourced resources and implementing best practices throughout their manufacturing process.
Another option is to switch to paper or cardboard packaging, which can be made from recycled material. This can be a great option for environmentally-conscious businesses that don’t want to use plastic packaging because it’s too hard for the environment to decompose.
Higher Sales
Sustainable packaging supplies can help increase your products’ value, a factor consumers consider when purchasing items online. This is especially true for younger generations, who are more concerned with the environment and climate change. A study by Cone Communications found that 87% of consumers would be more likely to purchase from a brand that supports an issue they care about.
As a result, there is now much more demand for environmentally friendly packaging. This is fantastic news for companies looking to boost earnings and broaden the attractiveness of their products to consumers.
Another affordable strategy for boosting sales is to change your packaging to be more environmentally friendly. It can assist you in setting yourself apart from rivals who need a green perspective. Additionally, many customers are prepared to spend more on goods produced of eco-friendly materials.
If you need help making this switch, it may be worth contacting a packaging expert to discuss your options. They can provide information on the best suppliers, disposal partners, and corporate eco-educators for your business needs.
Regarding sustainable packaging, a strong network of suppliers can help you get started and implement the right strategies for your business. They can also ensure that your internal teams are on board, saving you time and money in the long run.
