#EarthDay Rajapack increases green packaging

22 April 2017 marks the 46th World Earth Day and as Rajapack we wanted to analyse the trend in green packaging compared to previous years.

For some years now, companies have become aware that packaging is also a means of communication. They have realised that consumers are increasingly demanding packaging that is recycled or recyclable. They have therefore started to use sustainable packaging to improve their brand image, to distinguish themselves from the competition and to obtain ISO14001 certification.

GREEN PACKAGING SALES AND CUSTOMERS GROW

This marketing trend is reflected in packaging sales volumes. As Rajapack Italy, we can testify that between 2015 and 2016, sales of green packaging grew by almost 40%. In the same time frame, the number of customers who requested this type of product from us even grew by 50%.

The trend is not only Italian but also European. In as many as 9 countries where our Group is present (Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden Switzerland), sales of green packaging are growing more than twice as fast as the overall growth of other products sold.

How did Rajapack cope with this green turn?

By introducing agreen alternative for all packaging categories

But what are green alternatives?

WE HAVE MODIFIED OUR OFFER BY CHANGING THE MATERIALS

We distribute similar packaging with the same use function, but manufactured from environmentally friendly materials.

A few examples? The paper adhesive tape is becoming increasingly popular. The market, driven by the example of the giant Amazon, increasingly demands this closure system, which can be disposed of by the customer together with the box in the paper container rather than the traditional polypropylene tape.

Rajapack sales testify to this. Since 2013, standard polypropylene tapes have increased their sales by 24%, while paper tapes have reached 91%.

The same applies to fillers. The standard flo-pak, i.e. the classic polystyrene chips, grew by 25%, while the new filler, made from corn starch, grew by almost 60%.

Of course, it is still not economical for companies to choose green packaging, as it requires expensive processing and research costs that currently do not allow prices to match those of traditional packaging. However, in many sectors, such as food or cosmetics, demand is growing.

In addition, there are already a number of American one-wave boxes on the market made of test (a material made from recycled paper with selected pulp rather than virgin kraft fibre) which are cheaper than those with kraft covers. Paperboard manufacturers have been able to add additives and starch to increase the strength performance, bringing it close to the values of virgin fibre. Moisture resistance values, on the other hand, are still lower, so for long journeys we continue to recommend kraft-covered double-wave boxes.

WE REDUCED MATERIAL THICKNESSES

We distribute plastics with reduced thicknesses.

The Fill-Air® Rocket™ air cushioning system, for example, uses Sealed Air’s Extreme Efficiency® film that decreases the use of petroleum-based raw materials while improving performance. Research has made it possible to maintain the protective performance despite the reduction in plastic. In fact, the seal has been reinforced to preserve the inflated bags for longer.

Furthermore, the advantage of air-fillers is that once deflated they reduce their volume by 95%, thus becoming minimally impactful on landfill.

WE STARTED 10 NEW ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS IN 2017

Also in 2017, the RAJA Group, of which Rajapack is a member, continues to donate €1 or €2 from the sale of green product packs to projects protecting women and the environment around the world.

This year’s projects are 10, a bit around the world: Senegal, Togo, Guinea Bissou, Amazonia, Peru, France. They all have a common thread: they teach women, the first victims with children of climate change, a profession related to sustainable agriculture. This will make them economically independent and at the same time preserve the environment in which they live.