Continuous Improvement in Sustainable Packaging

by: Dennis Salazar

22 Oct

Our Sustainable Shipping Boxes and Recycled Mailers Are Now More Sustainable

Continuous improvement is a well worn phrase that means a lot of different things to different people. Even though the packaging industry is launching brand new green products on an almost daily basis, this post is more about redesign and enhancement of existing products, rather than new product innovation.

Here are two perfect examples of manufacturing taking a good, green product and making it better and greener.

Globe Guard 100% PCW Corrugated Board

Globe Guard Shipping Boxes Now Easier to Reuse

Our manufacturer is not eager to share details but the structure of our board has been “re-arranged” to provide a stronger and thicker outer sheet to our boxes and less “wash boarding”. Not to be confused with Dick Cheney’s favorite past time, water boarding, wash boarding is when the vertical fluting on board is visible through the outer liner sheet.

Keep in mind that our 32 ECT board is still 32 ECT so there was no weakness being addressed or strength gained. This is an improvement made to provide a little more outward/in puncture resistance and for cosmetic reasons. Our boxes look better for a longer period of time and possibly improve the possibility of them being re-used. Re use is good and this is a significant green improvement to what was already an excellent, industry leading product.

Globe Guard 100% Recycled Paper Mailers

Globe Guard Mailers Now 100 Percent Recycled

This is a different situation where we played an active role. We like to say we encouraged the manufacturer of this product to implement this change, though they would probably say we were relentless and pestered them until they made it. I also admit a major product change is infinitely easier for the company that does not have to actually do it.

Regardless, these paper mailers were 40% recycled content before and are now 100%, which makes their product much more marketable as a sustainable packaging solution because less virgin fiber is used and that saves trees. 100% is always better than 40% and today, many green minded customers will accept nothing less.

Is the Green Packaging Market Maturing?

Not likely. It is barely an adolescent and it is growing and changing nonstop. In some product areas, like bio plastics, it is still in its infancy and on the verge of major breakthroughs with tremendous positive environmental impact potential. The corrugated, paperboard and packaging paper industries are also introducing their second and third generations of products, all designed to use less of our natural resources, with “cradle to cradle” design being the ultimate goal.

In sustainable packaging, much like our Chicago weather, if you don’t like what you see; wait, because it will indeed change very soon.
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