As a business owner, one of your responsibilities is to find the right packaging for your product. In order to do so, you need to consider cost, materials, and more. One of the latest trends is to opt for eco-friendly packaging, and almost all of the top packaging companies offer at least several products that use eco-friendly materials. Opting for this type of packaging provides you with many benefits, including both obvious ones and those that most people do not consider.
Better for Environment
The most obvious benefit of eco-friendly packaging is in relation to the environment. Eco-friendly packaging is usually made from recycled materials, reducing the waste of natural resources in production. Additionally, the manufacturing process itself tends to be more efficient, further reducing resources used and minimizing the negative impact your company has on the environment. Even specific ingredients, such as soy ink, used in eco-friendly packaging will help the environment. Soy ink has low levels of volatile organic compounds (commonly referred to as VOCs), substances which harm the environment and are found in traditional inks.
Easy Disposal
In addition to minimizing the environmental impact when creating the product, eco-friendly packaging also tends to be better for the environment after it has served its purpose. Depending on the particular type of packaging you use, it will be recyclable or compostable. That means that if your customers have compost facilities, they can simply turn the discarded packaging into fuel for plants. If they don’t have a compost pile, they will be able to bury the remnants with the knowledge that they will biodegrade within a short period of time. In the case of recyclable packaging, the end user will simply throw their packing in the recycling bin so it can be reused.
Versatile
In addition to helping the environment, eco-friendly packaging is actually incredibly versatile, finding uses in every major industry that standard packaging is involved in. Whether you are looking to package baked goods, meats, produce, cosmetics, hospitality items, or electronic devices, there will be a type of eco-friendly packaging available to meet your needs.
No Harmful Plastics
Traditional packaging materials contain at least small quantities of plastics, and this type of packaging contributes to global warming and other environmental concerns. By using eco-friendly packaging, you are able to reduce the plastic used as well as its harmful effects. Petrochemicals are part of most traditional plastics, and these require large amounts of energy during production, with most of it being from non-sustainable resources. When petrochemical products are discarded, they can litter parks, roads, and waterways. Worst of all, plastics and their petrochemicals have even been linked to health problems when used with food, an issue that never causes concern with eco-friendly packaging.
Improve Brand Image
A final benefit of eco-friendly packaging is the way that it improves your brand image. When clients learn that you use environmentally friendly resources, this will show them that you not only care about the environment, but also that you are a responsible company. This improved brand image will lead to an increase in sales, furthering your company’s profits.
