For ecommerce businesses, packaging protects your products, communicates your brand’s value, and can make the difference between satisfied and unsatisfied customers.
The growth of the e-commerce industry means an increased focus on making packing and shipping processes more sustainable to meet the demands of eco-conscious consumers. In many cases, packaging is also the first and only touchpoint ecommerce businesses have with customers, so packaging choices are an opportunity to increase brand awareness and loyalty.
Protective ecommerce packaging includes the outer container, infill packaging material, and any inserts. The challenge for B2C businesses is balancing protection and sustainability in shipping materials.
Achieving Reliability and Sustainability in Shipping Packaging
Businesses must choose protective ecommerce packaging that provides the best possible shopping experience and the most value for the business. The right packaging ensures products arrive unscathed and communicates the brand’s intended message.
With sustainability top of mind for online shoppers, ecommerce packaging should have a low environmental impact while standing up to rigorous shipping processes.
Foam makes up the majority of current protective packaging materials. Common products include:
- Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Foam
- Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) Foam
- Cross-Linked Polyethylene Foam
- Polyurethane Foam
- Cork Foam
- Soy-based Foam
- Polylactic Acid (PLA) Foam
- Anti-static Foam
- Starch-based Foam
While ecommerce businesses are concerned with the short-term costs of transitioning to quality sustainable materials, the long-term benefits include reduced product damage, fewer returns, positive customer perception, and increased industry authority.
Wild Idea Buffalo, producers of humanely harvested bison meat, represents one ecommerce brand and industry leader that has transitioned to fully compostable cold chain packaging. The Cruz Cool technology meets their appearance and durability standards, as well as temperature control needs, and supports their sustainability posture.
Mondavi Sisters’ Collection, in partnership with Bay Cities Packaging & Design, chose Cruz Foam’s protective compostable solution for their high-end wooden wine boxes. This transition represents industry-leading sustainable wine packaging for impact and insulation.
“We’re delighted to announce the addition of the Mondavi Sisters’ Collection to our EcoVino family,” said Sahar Mehrabzadeh, EVP of Sales at Bay Cities. “Their commitment to sustainability aligns perfectly with our values, and we’re proud to back their mission of producing outstanding wines with a focus on environmental stewardship.”
Green practices in protective ecommerce packaging support more than customer relationships. They also make a company more attractive to investors, which contributes to long-term growth and viability. Socially responsible businesses are often considered lower-risk and better long-term investments. By demonstrating a commitment to environmental stewardship through sustainable packaging, businesses can increase credibility in the eyes of potential investors. This can lead to more investment opportunities, access to capital, and potentially more favorable financial standing.
5 Best Practices for Safe and Sustainable B2C Shipping
Sustainable shipping and safe shipping don’t have to be mutually exclusive. For B2C businesses, it’s not enough to state that you’re committed to reducing your environmental impact; it must be backed up with action. Demonstrating waste reduction policies, disinvesting in environmentally harmful materials, and supporting innovative materials science will go a long way in boosting customer confidence and loyalty.
Sustainable shipments use materials that can easily be reused or recycled and don’t require specialized facilities or years to degrade. Safe and sustainable shipping can also include quality enhancements, supply chain scalability, and minimizing the overall impact of the package lifecycle.
Despite some of the perceived challenges of transitioning to sustainable shipping practices, businesses can, and must, meet their environmental goals while ensuring products reach customers without incident.
1. Balancing Cost With Quality
Selecting packaging materials involves careful consideration of factors such as structural integrity, the best type of sealant, and the potential risks from oxygen exposure to the contents. Businesses must also balance these technical needs with cost-effectiveness.
Protective ecommerce packaging made from plastic foam has historically been favored for shipping since it is resilient and cost-effective. However, the long-term usability and high environmental impact of these materials offset their benefits.
With increasing concern over their environmental impact, businesses are shifting toward more sustainable packaging options. This change is also being driven by increasing demand, as customers are willing to pay up to 10% more for eco-friendly packaging, making sustainability a key driver of corporate investment.
Cruz Foam replaces EPS and EPE with customizable options for cold-chain, impact-sensitive, and other shipments. Cruz Foam delivers impact strength and a scalable commercial solution for businesses while ensuring a smooth transition from traditional materials.
2. Choosing Recyclable or Reusable Materials
Packaging material should deliver performance without lasting forever. Cartons, cushioning materials, and bags made from natural raw materials like wood rate high for eco-friendliness but may rate lower in durability depending on the products being shipped.
Compostable ecommerce packaging is typically made from biopolymers, plants, or upcycled food waste and can match the reliability and durability of plastics while holding up to various shipping situations. Food waste-based foams, for example, allow companies to minimize plastic use without sacrificing quality.
What about sustainable protective packaging for shipping large, heavy, or expensive items, like furniture? Recycled or compostable block and brace padding materials like corrugated bubble wrap, molded pulp cushions, or compostable foam inserts are soft but sturdy enough for most high-value and fragile items, from artwork, mirrors, and scientific instruments to electronics and automotive parts.
No matter your packaging choice, the most eco-friendly ecommerce packaging solution is one that is easy to reuse or recycle at the end of its useful life, or that quickly and easily decomposes.
3. Ensuring Scalability
Despite the growing interest in sustainable shipping materials, scalability is still challenging. Hurdles like a lack of awareness, infrastructure, product safety, and cost can make the transition less than smooth for businesses.
Cruz Foam can meet business demands for protective ecommerce packaging that doesn’t require a complete overhaul of manufacturing processes. Cruz Foam’s drop-in-place manufacturing includes proprietary extrusion and die design, plus customizable applications for businesses at scale.
4. Adopting Secure and Sustainable Sealing Methods
Following proper layering and cushioning, protecting your products from damage during transit requires the right sealing materials. Bad sealing can lead to further container damage, damage to the product itself, or theft. It can also cause delivery issues, leading to increased shipping costs for your business.
Sealing tape is also part of the overall package’s aesthetic appeal, but it’s also an inconspicuous source of plastic waste that can quickly accumulate over time and contribute to pollution.
Conventional clear packing tape is typically made of polypropylene or PVC, and it’s a common choice for affordability and water-resistant properties. It is not, however, reusable or compostable. Water-activated tape (WAT), on the other hand, is made from paper, has high adhesion capabilities, and is fully compostable. Be sure to confirm the specific WAT product you are buying is not reinforced with a non-compostable agent.
Compostable pressure-sensitive tape provides another sustainable alternative to traditional plastic tape. It’s easy to use and suitable for a variety of packaging needs.
Choosing a sealant that is both durable and eco-friendly will increase your product’s appeal to consumers, reduce unnecessary waste, and help you avoid potential packing issues.
5. Complying with Industry-Specific Standards and Regulations
Packaging regulations are meant to address various aspects of packaging design, production, use, and disposal. They cover aspects of safety, handling, and the package lifecycle, including waste management.
Safety regulations, for example, aim to prevent packaging materials from posing risks to human health. Labeling regulations require manufacturers to include specific information on the product packaging to inform consumers about the contents, usage instructions, and potential hazards.
ISO standards are a common example of regulations important in protective ecommerce packaging. These internationally recognized specifications for products, services, and systems. These standards deal with quality, safety, and efficiency. For example, ISO 14001 demonstrates a company’s commitment to the environment. This accreditation shows that companies are actively looking for ways to reduce waste through efficient processes, designing packaging with minimal material usage, and using recycled and recyclable or degradable materials where possible. Other ISO regulations are more industry-specific and put in place to protect products and consumers when shipping hazardous materials, medicines, and items dangerous to children.
Household items that contain chemicals or pollutants are examples of products that fall under the purview of the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA). This includes furniture polish, lighter fluid, and some medicines.
Other regulations are state-specific and dictate what types of packaging components can be used and how much recycled content they must contain, such as California’s Rigid Plastic Packaging Container Law (RPPC).
Some regions impose fines and penalties on businesses that do not comply with environmental regulations for packaging waste. Efficient packaging design contributes to safe commerce, waste reduction, and higher standards for the product lifecycle. By proactively adopting sustainable packaging solutions, companies can avoid fees and demonstrate compliance with local laws.
Getting to know and following industry-specific standards and other relevant regulations will instill in customers the confidence that your packaging methods are high-quality, sustainable, reliable, and safe. Adhering to these standards can improve your company’s industry authority and help you avoid legal issues.
Future Trends in Protective Ecommerce Packaging
Advancements in the packaging supply chain aim to reduce the environmental impacts of the ecommerce shipping lifecycle while still delivering optimal functionality. Ecommerce packaging trends like smart packaging, bioplastics, compostable cushioning, and plantable packaging will shape the future of ecommerce.
Smart packaging increases the functionality of traditional packaging with hi-tech features. Smart packaging improves product tracking, user interaction, and lifecycle management by using new technologies like IoT. This packaging trend can provide consumers with extra information, communicate with retailers and manufacturers, protect against theft, or track a product’s journey during transit.
Plantable packaging offers a unique solution to waste reduction. This type of packaging turns into useful, earth-positive green waste and can grow when planted. The challenge of this solution is the viability of the seeds and the spread of non-native plant species. As consumer demand for sustainable packaging solutions increases, the popularity of plantable packaging is likely to grow.
Shifts toward greener practices offer more than reduced environmental impacts. Sustainable packaging represents greater efficiency by reducing waste during shipping and shows an organization’s ongoing commitment to innovation. Ultimately, continued investment into materials science and biotechnology will lead to smarter and more practical sustainable packaging applications.
Even so, technological progress in replacing traditional foams has been sluggish over the past few decades. Since reducing both cost and environmental impact is difficult, many packaging products continue to be made from non-renewable materials, stifling materials science.
Cruz Foam and other sophisticated solutions represent the first new materials entering the market in over 50 years. Upgrades in production processes and adapting manufacturing equipment to allow businesses to manageably transition from traditional to sustainable materials is another necessary advancement that will define the future of protective ecommerce packaging.
Joining the Movement Toward Sustainable Ecommerce Packaging Solutions
Businesses are increasingly pressured to overhaul their packaging processes and find a solution that is reliable, safe, innovative, and environmentally beneficial.
Protective packaging in the B2C industry is an opportunity to demonstrate your interest in supporting a circular economy. Solutions that balance safety and eco-friendliness will also position your company to compete in an environmentally-conscious market. Cross-industry partnerships with the right materials suppliers are also important for businesses to achieve sustainability.
Making the change to using safe and sustainable protective e-commerce packaging materials is made easy with Cruz Foam’s high-performance, compostable foam solution.
Cruz Foam uses existing foam manufacturing facilities, equipment, and employees, saving companies untold cap and op-ex, and creating a seamless transition to sustainable materials.
Choose Cruz Foam as your partner for sustainable packaging solutions. Contact us today.
