3 técnicas de ecoconcepción del embalaje

The environmental impact of packaging influences the purchasing decisions of 60% of Spaniards. Furthermore, three quarters of European consumers say they would be willing to pay more for products that use sustainable packaging. This is highlighted by the 2nd European Packaging Perception Study, published in May 2021 by Pro Carton, the European Cartonboard Manufacturers’ Association.

The eco-design of packaging comes in response to the growing demand for green packaging and presentations. From RAJA® we explain what it is and suggest three techniques to apply it in your company’s day-to-day business.

What is eco-conception applied to packaging?

Eco-conception in the world of packaging is defined as a process of design, configuration and use of packaging products that always takes into account, in each of the steps and in a transversal way, the care of the environment.

The eco-design of packaging involves:

• Manufacturers, in the creation of EcoResponsible packaging solutions.
• Distributors, who have to advise their customers on the sustainable use of their products.
• Those responsible for packaging management in companies, who must choose the most environmentally friendly formulas.
• Finalrecipients of orders, who are the final link in the chain and have to take care of the correct disposal or reuse of packaging so that the circular economy can continue to function.

Packaging eco-design techniques

From the point of view of a company that takes care of the packaging of its products, whether it is to serve a B2B distributor or an e-commerce end-customer, there are 3 eco-design packaging techniques that can be applied relatively easily:

1. Use environmentally friendly raw materials.

Eco-conception of packaging is based on natural, recycled, recyclable or biodegradable raw materials that leave the smallest possible carbon footprint. Some proposals, which you can also find in the RAJA® online shop, are:

• Paper and cardboard packaging, such as American boxes, postal boxes or kraft sheets and rolls.
• Packaging made fromrecycled materials, such as these 100% recycled paper bags.
• Bio-based packaging, made from plant-based components such as cellulose, sugar cane and starch.
• Recyclable packaging, such as this plastic packaging bag, made from fully recyclable polyethylene.
• Biodegradable packaging, such as these cups, which are also compostable.

Beyond boxes, envelopes and bags: the details matter.

In addition to the eco-design of the packaging that serves as a container, the raw materials used to make the accessories are equally important. Highlights include:

• EcoResponsible fillers, such as paper shavings, recycled bubble wrap or environmentally friendly air bags.
• EcoResponsible adhesive tapes and strapping, based on recycled materials and solvent adhesives.
• Cardboard labels.

2. Optimising volumetric weight in order picking

Controlling the volumetric weight of a shipment not only saves money for the shipper. It is also a packaging ecodesign technique that focuses on:

1. Reducing the thickness of the packaging. For example, by replacing triple-channel cardboard boxes with single-channel boxes, provided that this does not compromise the safety of the goods.
2. Replacing bulky references with others adapted to the morphology of the contents. For example, for small items, a cardboard box can be replaced by a padded envelope.

3. Plan solutions for the end of the packaging’s useful life

In the eco-design of packaging, it is considered throughout the entire process that the products can be correctly recycled or reused when they have fulfilled their function. In order to achieve this, we can resort to three principles:

• A single raw material. Combining more than one material in packaging complicates sorting for deposit in separate recycling containers. Therefore, if possible, we should avoid mixing paper and cardboard with plastic in the preparation of orders.
• Simplicity. The simpler and more minimalist the packaging, the better. Protruding shapes, toxic inks or multi-layered objects make it difficult to sort waste at recycling plants.
• Imagination. Reuse is one of the 5Rs of packaging that RAJA® promotes. Before throwing it away, ask yourself: could I reuse it in some way? If you can’t think of how, here are some ideas for reusing packaging.

The eco-conception of packaging allows us to act today to implement a model of sustainable exploitation of resources and to ensure the future of the planet. Get on board with your company: at RAJA®, we support you with our line of EcoResponsible packaging.