Congratulations! You’ve got a sustainable brand selling the most eco-friendly products around, you’ve reduced your carbon footprint and share world and leaf emojis on almost every social media post. David Attenborough is your hero, you’ve ditched meat and you’re embracing plant based life (even if you don’t know what it means entirely). But what about the packaging?
Getting the packaging right can be a real head scratcher for eCommerce stores, particularly when seeking out more sustainable options. If your brand wants to be truly sustainable, it’s an area that cannot be ignored. Read on for some helpful tips to make your packaging truly eco-friendly.
Ship in smaller packages
One of the easiest ways to make an immediate impact on your brand’s footprint is to reduce the packaging materials and shipment sizes. This not only helps the environment, but can also cut your shipping costs. Use smaller boxes, bags and packages with fewer filler materials, playing around the the positioning of your products to find the best solution.
Opt for recycled packaging where possible
Using recycled packaging is a good way to show your customers that you’re mindful of the environment. It’s also a useful way to extend the life of previously used materials. Paperboard cardboard is the most popular recycled packaging used by retailers and is ideal for use as shipping boxes. Consider containers that are made from previously used plastic materials, too. These are generally processed at a recycling facility and put back into circulation for use as packaging.
Consider biodegradable alternatives
Compostable packaging is often made from plant-based polymer that breaks down in compost – this can be broken down either at home or commercially. Depending on the quality and materials, a commercial compost facility can break these packages down in 90 days, while domestic compost conditions can do it in 180 days. Communicate this with your customers – they’ll love you for it.
Share recycling procedures and information with customers
Be sure to educate and inform your customers on the best ways to recycle and dispose of your packaging materials. While this will vary from city to city and country to country, it’s helpful if you can share general practices about which parts of your packaging are reusable or recyclable.
The Tshirt Mill ships orders in 100% compostable mailers, which are made from bio-based polymer and plant materials like wheat and straw.
Choose your partners carefully
Whether manufacturing partners or shipping companies, be sure to choose reputable businesses with the same commitment to the environment as your brand. Always do your research before signing them up. Do they use sustainable materials? What are they doing to minimize their own ecological and carbon footprint? If possible, check out their premises to get a first-hand look at their facilities, equipment, supplies, etc. This will ensure consistency throughout your supply chain.
Do things gradually and make sustainability sustainable
Rome wasn’t built in a day, so approach any transition to more sustainable practices carefully and steadily. Resist the temptation to revamp your entire brand in one go, introducing new materials or processes carefully. If you try to change everything all at once, you may fail to implement your initiatives properly. You should aim to implement measures that can be maintained in the long term, are practical and affordable.
Form yoga mats are made from sustainable recycled rubber and plastic, and the brand regularly communicates its climate credentials (including about its recyclable packaging) across social media.
Adjust your pricing accordingly
Depending on what type of packaging you decide on, you may end up paying more for materials and shipping costs. You’ll need to factor this in when pricing your products. While in many cases, customers are willing to pay a bit more for sustainable brands, don’t price yourself out of your existing customer base.
Order small volumes of any new materials
If you’ve just started working with a new sustainable packaging manufacturer, start with small volumes and always ask to see samples before signing up. You’ll need to make sure that the products are durable, efficient and appropriate for your products before ordering any mass quantities.
Share your sustainable story!
Be sure to incorporate your new sustainable packaging news across social media channels and in your marketing. You could put together a new email marketing campaign to tell your customers the news or share images of your packages ready to be shipped. Using a platform like HelpfulCrowd will help you gather more reviews from customers too, including user-generated images and video content. Sharing content from verified customers is a great way to tell your story and these will likely include images and references to your new sustainable packaging. Sign up for a free demo to learn more about HelpfulCrowd.
