Cardboard packaging -vs- plastic packaging: which material to choose for your parcels? | RAJA

Cardboard packaging versus plastic packaging: this is a question that many logistics managers are currently asking themselves!

In view of the increasingly stringent legislation on the use of plastic and the expectations of consumers in terms of environmental responsibility, it is only natural that you should want to study the alternatives to plastic packaging, which was still the ultimate for many companies a few years ago.

Why not take a look at the benefits of cardboard versus plastic packaging and discover best practices for choosing the right solutions for your needs?

Let’s get started!

Why is cardboard packaging so popular?

Have you noticed that more and more companies in all industries are using corrugated board to package their products?

It’s no coincidence that the trend towards cardboard packaging is making a comeback, as this material has everything it takes to become an integral part of a company’s packaging process.

Advantages of cardboard packaging

To begin with, cardboard has a number of important advantages for the proper shipment of your orders

Cardboard is..

• Is very protective, and is resistant to shattering, impact, moisture or temperature variations, for example
• Is also able to withstand vertical compression, if you choose stackable boxes or cartons, and designed in the appropriate flute
• Allows maximum adhesion of adhesive tapes: a boon for maximum security of your packages!
• Is easily customisable: if it is possible to create your own customised box, you can also apply printing or embossing techniques to highlight your brand image
• Saves storage space, as most cardboard packaging is stored flat
• Is environmentally responsible, if the material used is recyclable, recycled or biodegradable

Given these benefits, it’s not surprising that so many organisations have chosen corrugated packaging to ship their packages safely!

Keys to choosing the right cardboard packaging

Cardboard boxes, American boxes, cases and post boxes… Cardboard packaging products come in many different formats. So how do you choose the right cardboard packaging for your needs?

First of all, always choose cardboard packaging that is stamped with the LNE (Laboratoire National de Métrologie et d’Essais) standard, which guarantees the quality of the checks that the manufacturer has carried out on its products: this ensures that your goods are packed in the best possible packaging.

Next, make sure you choose the right flute, depending on your needs for protection and lightness. While single flute packaging is ideal for shipping light products, double flute or reinforced double flute cardboard can be useful for packaging products weighing up to 40 kg, while triple flute cardboard should be reserved for packaging heavy or very fragile products.

Then you need to select the right packaging for your product. The good news is that there is a wide range of cardboard packaging formats to suit all types of goods!
For example, choose cardboard boxes with braces or cradles to pack bottles; or an insulated cardboard box if you are planning to ship fresh produce
.

Finally, don’t neglect the selection ofa packaging adapted to your delivery method. Your customers or carriers have different needs, depending on whether you distribute your products by click-and-collect, home delivery or take-away! For
example, to facilitate click-and-collect or home delivery, make sure you choose packaging with handles
.

If you need to know how to choose your next industrial carton package, take a look at the RAJA guide on the subject: you’ll find all the keys to selecting the right packaging solution for your business!

Some examples of carton packaging trends

So should plastic packaging be banned?

Now that you’ve learned about the benefits of cardboard packaging, you may be wondering why many companies continue to use plastic packaging in their order picking chain

Take a look at plastic packaging and decide which product range to choose for your logistics needs.

The legal position on plastic packaging

It’s a fact: laws around the world are becoming increasingly strict on the use of plastic packaging.

In the interests of eco-responsibility and the circular economy, recent years have seen the emergence of..

• The European Single Use Plastics Directive, which bans single-use plastic products (straws, cutlery, plates, mixing sticks)
• The AGEC law, which announces the end of single-use plastics in 2040
• The 3Rs Decree, which aims to reduce ‘unnecessary’ single-use plastic packaging by 100% by the end of 2025

However, if you take a closer look at these legislations, you will see that it is not the plastic itself that is targeted, but rather… the single-use plastic. It is this type of packaging use that is responsible for plastic pollution. And this is why more and more eco-friendly solutions are being developed by the packaging manufacturing experts.

Why do companies continue to use plastic packaging?

Choosing plastic containers may be appropriate for some companies.

This is because plastic is..

• Lighter than cardboard, so the cost of transporting plastic packaging is sometimes lower… and paradoxically, its carbon impact is also lower! Moreover, the lightness of the material also makes handling easier for logistics operators.
• More flexible than cardboard, making the packaging easier to handle for operators.
• A better plant protection barrier than cardboard. Indeed, food grade plastic is crucial for certain industries, such as food or pharmaceuticals. If these industries want to abandon plastic, they should go back to glass packaging, which is much heavier.
• Sometimes more protective than cardboard: for example, a plastic sleeve will be more protective than cardboard for bottles; or air cushioning in plastic sleeves may be more protective for some fragile products than cardboard.
• Sometimes a less expensive solution than cardboard for the same protection.

Keys to choosing good plastic packaging

If you think you need to choose plastic packaging for your supply chain, don’t worry, just make sure you follow some good practices.

Firstly, choose eco-responsible plastic packaging– there are now solutions made from bio-based plastics, recycled plastics or reusable plastics.

You should also make sure that the eco-friendly nature of the packaging is clearly indicated on the packaging, with the appropriate labels and logos, to highlight your desire to limit the environmental impact of your activities, but also to guide your customers towards the correct sorting instructions, to ensure that your plastic packaging has a good end-of-life.

Finally, don’t hesitate to communicate about your choice of plastic packaging and its ecological character. This is essential to avoid plastic bashing from your customers and to affirm that you take into account the entire life cycle of your packaging.

Some examples of plastic packaging trends

As you can see, you don’t haveto ban plastic packaging completely, as some of it can meet your logistical needs just as well as cardboard packaging, provided you choose it in an environmentally responsible way and that it is adapted to your activity!