Packaging plays a critical role in the delivery of goods. It’s a big part of what enables businesses to send goods to customers worldwide. However, doing so comes at a cost. For every package companies send out, they have to think about potential impacts on the environment, their carbon footprint, and their customers’ costs.

Sustainability may not be a top priority if you operate a small business with limited resources. To start, consider the impact of packaging on your business. Is there a way to reduce the amount of packaging you use and its effect on the environment?

Look for sustainability

Have the packing options been made using sustainability practices, and can you further explore this to reduce your environmental impact? If you are looking for white mailer boxes wholesale, check they have been created sustainably and are recyclable before making your purchase.

You can also look at your materials’ biodegradable or recyclable energy required in production and transport.

What if you can’t make your current packaging more sustainable? It might be time for an upgrade. If this is a concern for you, consider switching to biodegradable/compostable options like paper, glass, metal, or plastic. These materials break down more quickly than other types of material and don’t hurt the environment as much as non-biodegradable ones.

Choose recycled options

One important consideration is that your packaging should be recyclable. Most packaging today is recyclable, but it’s essential to make sure that it is. If you want to reduce how much packaging your business uses, look for options that are recycled or made from recycled materials.

Using recycled material can help you reduce the amount of new material you have to purchase and use. It also helps reduce the amount of waste from your business’s packaging. And if you want to increase the sustainability of your packaged goods, make sure that items are individually wrapped in biodegradable materials like paper or cardboard rather than plastic wrap or styrofoam.

Be inventive when packaging goods.

Is there any way you can change how you package your items? Get creative, look at the materials you currently use within your business, and see if you can utilize them within your packaging. For example, if you have a lot of paper that gets discarded or leftover newspapers, can you shred them to provide internal packaging instead of using air-filled plastic fillers? Just because you have always used one thing for a specific type of packing, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a better, more sustainable option you can use.

Reduce packaging sizes

One way to reduce the amount of packaging you use is by reducing the size of your packaging. By doing so, you can cut down on the number of materials and energy used for production.

This is a solution that could work for any business. For example, if you work in retail and are sending out large orders to customers, it may make sense to pack goods in smaller boxes that can fit in an envelope or sizeable flat-rate box. The same technique could also apply to sending small items like clothing and electronics.

Another solution would be to use more durable and reusable packaging like cardboard boxes with inserts instead of plastic bubble wrap. This will allow your customers to reuse their packaging when they receive goods from you, decreasing their carbon footprint.