Going Green With Your Packing Materials

About Me
shipping fragile collectibles

Some of the most difficult things to ship are made of glass. When I inherited most of the contents of my grandmother's house, I decided to sell the collectibles that were stored throughout. It was a difficult decision for me to make, not because of the sentimental value of these things, but because I was worried about how I would ship the stuff without it getting broken. Fortunately, I learned a lot about shipping these fragile items and have included much of what I learned here on my blog. You will find that it is possible to ship fragile items without any worries about it getting broken.

Tags

Going Green With Your Packing Materials

30 September 2015
 Categories: , Blog

If you regularly ship your products around the country or the world, you are dependent on packing materials. Some of the more traditional shipping containers and protective layers can be hard on the environment. Fortunately, you now have eco-friendly choices that keep your products safe during the shipping process.

Materials

The packing materials you choose can reduce your business's carbon footprint. Consider employing some of the following items to ship your merchandise. 

  • Cardboard: Corrugated cardboard is recyclable, but you can make your shipping even "greener" by using boxes that are made of cardboard that has already been recycled once. Waxed cardboard cartons can take about five years to degrade, but corrugated cardboard will break down much faster, so choose it whenever possible.
  • Packing Peanuts: Styrofoam packing peanuts are convenient and effective, but they are made from polystyrene, a substance that takes years to degrade. Some studies indicate they can last for centuries. An environmentally friendly alternative would be packing peanuts that are made from cornstarch. These peanuts protect the item being shipped, but they can actually be dissolved in water or reused. 
  • Bubble Wrap: Bubble wrap has been a favorite and effective way to ship items for decades. Plus, people love to pop it just for fun. You can feel good about using bubble wrap as long as you choose the biodegradable version. Your customers can then either recycle the material or reuse it for their own packing projects. 
  • Shredded Paper: You may also use colorful shredded paper as shipping material. Employing recycled paper in this manner can still look professional while providing much needed protection for your items. 

Streamline

Another way to be kind to the environment is to reduce the amount of shipping materials that you use. Many items are shipped with unnecessary cartons and extra layers of plastic. Also, have your packaging customized so that it fits your products. Too often, businesses use one-size-fits-all cartons that waste space and resources and cost more to ship.

You can ship your products in a professional yet responsible manner by using customized, biodegradable materials. You should have packaging that is designed to fit your products. You can then protect those products by using environmentally-friendly bubble wrap or other green material. You will spare the environment by eliminating Styrofoam items that can linger in landfills for decades or even centuries. Keep your business productive and your customers happy by going green with all your shipping and packing materials. For more information, talk to a packaging company like Packaging Center Inc.