There’s a lot of eco-friendly and fun food-safe types of packaging, and if you’re someone looking to really make their packaging stand out, it might be time to go sustainable.
Here, we’ll go over the different types of eco packaging, and how, through each of them, there’s different positives and drawbacks. Hopefully, by the end of this, you’ll be able to know exactly what types of sustainable packaging you should get.
Biodegradable
This is literally packaging that will break down a lot faster when you get rid of it. In landfills, plastics take centuries to break down, but biodegradable types of packaging shortens that to a fraction of the time.
Some bioplastics are made from plants, such as sugarcane, corn, and soy. Others can even be eaten, such as gelatin, algae, and chitosan. They’re designed to leave nothing harmful, and if you throw them out, they’ll break down.
The problem with this packaging is that sometimes, it does leave some contaminants behind, polluting the environment.
Biodegradable plastics then break down into microplastics, and it can be damaging if they’re put in the ocean. There's also the problem of the packaging being very resource and energy-intensive, which does counteract the sustainable initiatives you’re going for, and harms the environment.
Bamboo is very compostable and biodegradable. Rising in the realm of popularity to use, it’s more than just eco friendliness you need to look at with this. There's also the demand, and the possibility of inhumane agricultural aspects, which can harm the materials too.
While a wonderful option, always do your research before you come to this.
Compostable
This is another type of packaging, designed to break down into the original parts, and is tossed into waste bins. Composed of cardboard, paper, bioplastics, and the like, these aren’t harmful to your environment and once they’re broken down, they are then left to help improve the soil, and it can even be broken down in your backyard.
A lot of the packaging that’s compostable usually has to be done in an industrial facility, so if you do have that, provide instructions for the consumers.
The right disposal is vital to ensure that there are environmental benefits, and make sure that you have the appropriate initiatives and infrastructure to design and use these methods in an effective manner.
The other downside is that a lot of the packaging which is supposedly compostable isn’t totally, and some of it might not be totally compostable. There’s greenwashing that occurs with this too, and it can negatively impact the reputation. Make sure to do the appropriate research prior to using this type of material.
Recyclable
Finally, there is recyclable. Metal, glass, paper, and even plastics fall into this. Kraft paper is a very eco-friendly one. Even some aluminum cans can be.
The problem with recycling is that, while it’s one of the best options, it only works when people do it correctly. If you don’t, you’ll have more people trying to salvage it, defeating the purpose. If you plan to use this, make sure you give them the right steps to make this work.
Reusable
This is where you can reuse the packaging for other options.
This can be a good thing if you want to extend the package life. Glass is a very common one that fits this credential. They do require some care, but it’s good.
If you plan to go sustainable, think of each of these, and then choose accordingly the right types of sustainable packaging that you know you can commit your business to without too many problems.
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