Top 7 green packaging ideas for inspiration

Did you know that 75% of French people say they are ready to abandon plastic packaging in favour of more ecological packaging, even if it means paying more? Indeed, on average, consumers are prepared to spend 22 cents more for environmentally friendly packaging.

It’s afact: for your brand image as well as for your CSR strategy, it is crucial that you find eco-friendly packaging, alternatives to traditional packaging with a negative impact on the planet.

To help you, we’ve put together this top 7 list of eco-responsible packaging that will inspire you to design a more environmentally friendly logistics strategy.

1. Multi-use eco-packaging

The first way to reduce the environmental impact of your packaging methods is to ensure thatyour packaging can be reused several times, either by your company or by your end customer.

When manufacturing reusable packaging, the designer ensures that the packaging is able to withstand multiple shipments, providing optimum protection for the products.

Examples of this type of environmentally friendly packaging include the Hiplipackage, ideal for environmentally friendly e-commerce shipments. This packaging can be reused up to 100 times, thanks to a very strong material and careful assembly. The zipper of these packages secures the shipment of your goods. The package is sent to the customer with a return pouch, to be returned to Hipli, who will then repair it and put it back into circulation. Hipli packages are available in pouch or box format, depending on the protection and volume requirements of your shipments.

2. Packaging that uses less material

Reducing the weight-volume of your packaging is probably the easiest way to package your products in an environmentally friendly way. By limiting the volumetric weight of your shipments, you limit the empty space in your packages, and therefore optimise the filling of trucks during transport. Another interesting point for your company is that by doing so, you also limit your shipping costs by express and international shipments.

It is possible to work on reducing the weight-volume of all types of packaging, by adapting the chosen containers to the size, weight and protection needs of the goods.

In terms of innovation in this area, we can mention the variable height box. The principle is simple: it is equipped with grooves that allow you to easily cut the cardboard box to fit the height of your products. It’s easy!

3. Compostable packaging

In the age of necessary eco-responsibility, single-use packaging, disposable after a single use, is no longer appropriate. While some companies are turning to recyclable packaging, or packaging made from recycled materials, others are going further in innovation, opting for compostable packaging.

These environmentally friendly packages are made from materials that can degrade in nature without having a negative impact on it.

A distinction is made between compostable packaging…

• In an industrial composting centre, which carry the “OK Compost” logo
• At home, which carry the “OK Compost Home” logo

To find out more about these types of eco-responsible packaging, see our article “Everything you need to know about compostable packaging and its relevance to your logistics strategy”..

4. Packaging that goes straight to the letterbox

What if, in order to make your packaging more ecological, you opted for packaging that goes through the letterbox on the first visit of the deliveryman ? This solution limits the number of rounds made by the postman.

In addition to being environmentally friendly, this packaging also creates a good customer experience, as your end customer does not have to go to the post office to get his parcel.

Some packaging is designed to fit standard letterbox sizes, such as extra-flat boxes and postal cases. Make sure you choose this type of packaging so that it can be recycled: you will then have limited the carbon footprint of your shipments in an optimal way!

5. Packaging made from eco-responsible materials

Innovation in environmentally friendly packaging has grown in recent years, to the point where packaging designers are now able to design products made from 100% eco-responsible materials. This is known as bio-based packaging.

These are made from materials that are self-renewing in nature, such as sugar cane or corn starch, for example.

If you work in the food industry, and especially if you are involved in take-away sales or home delivery, this environmentally friendly packaging is particularly interesting in view of the ever-tightening regulations on the subject.

Biobased food packaging allows you to ensure that your food products are optimally packaged, while complying with the legislative framework in force. Trays, food bags, cups, disposable tableware… A wide range of eco-responsible packaging products is available, always with a bio-based alternative, suitable for food contact.

To find out more about this topic, see our article “Ecological food packaging: what does the legislation say? How to comply?.

6. Single-material packaging

Single-material packaging is packaging made of a single material, which ismuch easier to recycle.

The single-material packaging can be made from different types of raw materials:

• Plastic
• glass
• Wood
• paper
• Corrugated cardboard

For example, many e-tailers have opted for a kraft paper honeycomb sleevemade of 100% paper. This is a major innovation: the pouch consists of a paper mattress covered by two layers of outer kraft paper. Fully recyclable, it protects your most fragile products in an eco-responsible way.

7. The packaging that limits the impact of your order returns

You know it well: your customer returns have a significant impact, both on your logistics costs and on your carbon footprint. That’s why you need to do your best to limit them as much as possible. And the good news is that packaging can help!

In the category of reusable packaging round trip packaging is designed by your packaging specialist to withstand multiple shipments, and limits the use of other packaging by your customers when they want to return their products. Equipped with two tear-off strips, these packages allow for secure shipping.

So, which of these eco-friendly packages inspire you to opt for a more eco-responsible packaging strategy?