For a purchasing professional, there are many good reasons to visit and use our new and unique eco friendly packaging site but based on initial feedback, most fall into these two broad categories:

Green Packaging Group.com will save you, the B2B buyer, time and money.

You can search through the many “green” websites offering everything from soy candles to organic cotton baby diapers, but packaging is all the five charter companies do and feature on the site. Five distinct vendors at one site, with products listed in an easily sorted format. You will also find an interesting and valuable new connection and link in the section we call “additional green resources and products.” But the primary focus of our site is green packaging, and we offer it in more forms than many people realize are available.

Most purchasing professionals we know these days are short handed, so being able to find the green packaging product you need, without having to weed through pages of Google results can save you a lot of time. Packaging is a broad industry, and from our home page and throughout, our site is designed to get to what you need quickly. On www.greenpackaginggroup.com, you are only a click away from the appropriate and best vendor.

The other thing you will find at Green Packaging Group.com is guidance and “how to” advice, written by experienced industry experts with a proven record of showing clients how to use less and greener products. Chances are we have already worked with hundreds if not thousands of packaging applications similar to yours, so we can help you avoid a costly mistake with personal consultation or one of our informative, related blog posts. Also, don’t be surprised if someone at Nashville Wraps suggests Salazar Packaging or someone at Eco Bags directs you to Distant Village. We will not hesitate to refer you to a different participating company if it is the right thing to do.

Green Packaging Group.com will help you save the planet.

Green typically saves money by reducing waste and your carbon footprint. Whether you believe in global warming, climate change, or neither, most everyone agrees we all have to minimize the amount of packaging we use for the economics as well as the appearance.

Even in the down economy, one of the few market segments that has shown continuous growth is green because more and more customers see the need to change old, wasteful and careless habits. If you sell one of the many new, green products available today, you will send an eco consistent message by utilizing the green packaging vendors we have united for your benefit and that of the earth in bad need of repair.

Please let us know how we can help you save some money, time and a planet.

It’s a picture reminiscent of “Where’s Waldo?” but can you find the missing component in the photo below? A stand for a bag-making machine shipped to us in this box filled with shredded corrugated and twisted paper void fill. Both are excellent and very green products for that type of application. The problem is that a small rubber foot slipped off of the stand during shipment and we had to search through the void fill to find the missing component.

The Right Green Void Fill for the Total Application

We tend to talk a lot about application appropriate green packaging but that is not just about the packaging materials being used. Among other factors, it is also about who is using it, where it is being used, how it is being used, the volume of packages being produced and what is being shipped. The best, green packaging product for shipping an ornamental glass vase is probably not the same green packaging product we might recommend for shipping a machine stand like this. I love shredded corrugated and paper based void fill but whenever shipping products with small, expensive and/or removable pieces, there are probably better options to be utilized. Namely, void fill and cushioning packaging options that do not make it easy to possibly lose critical components.

Replacement Cost for Lost Components

Years ago I worked with a company and learned that in addition to the lost good will and positive shopping experience, they experienced an eighty dollar cost, above and beyond the cost of the missing component which in most cases had a value of less than five dollars. We recently worked with a distributor of high value, small size goods and their “product lost” claims dropped by over 80% when they switched from a loose fill product to an inflatable pillow void fill solution.

Whether product and component loss is real, perceived or even intentional, the cost to you as the shipper is very real and it can quickly make the packaging product cost almost insignificant.

Void Fill Cost versus Price

In addition to the green aspect of any given packaging product, we must also evaluate the true cost rather than just the basic price. Considerations such as shipping cost, storage space, labor costs and even product loss have to be factored in order to perform an accurate cost comparison and analysis.

Let us know if you would like us to help you determine the best and most cost effective solution for your packaging challenges.

I keep saying that most of our Globe Guard products began as customer requests and the four new items we’ve added this week are great examples.

GG-M1493, 14.5” X 9.5” X 3” Globe Guard Die Cut Mailer

A lady in California makes a high quality green product and was eager to ship it in something other than a plain RSC style corrugated shipping box. She asked for more of a “presentation” box and we designed one that fits her products like a glove. She was thrilled with the sample we provided because it shows off and protects better compared to other options.

GG-39, Globe Guard 13” X 13” X 6” RSC style shipping box

We stock a 13” x 13” x 13” high box but sometimes too much of a good thing is not good and definitely not green. The taller box fit a customer’s product well but she only needed a box half as tall for smaller orders. The solution was this new 13 X 13 X 6” high shipping box and convincing us to add it to our stock list was the easiest part.

GG-38, Globe Guard 9” X 6” X 2” RSC style shipping box

A customer in Maine sells beautiful jewelry and was in search of a low profile box that was NOT a die cut mailer. The ideal size for her was 9x6x2 and we decided the size would fit well into our low profile shipping box assortment. We combined our orders and we both benefitted from the longer box run.

GG-7, Globe Guard 7” X 7” X 7” RSC style shipping box

A customer pointed out that we had just about every cube box possible except for the 7” cube he needed. We agreed it was an oversight and immediately added it to stock, once again reducing his cost with the larger box quantity.

It would be incorrect to say we are “willing” to add new box sizes to our lineup. The fact is that we not only encourage it, we actually look for good excuses to do so. If you want or need a green box but you don’t see what you need on our green packaging store web site, PLEASE let us know. You may the customer that helps us to add an item that others will also appreciate and buy.

Eco Bags is one of our newest customers but I think most would agree they are not band wagon jumpers in the area of reusable or sustainable packaging. In fact, they are often credited as having helped to build the wagon for others, because they’ve been suppliers of reusable shopping bags and other green products for over twenty years. They know green and live it on a daily basis including reusing packaging as often and in every way possible.

Reusable Green Products Deserve Reusable Green Packaging

A quick look at the Eco Bags website shows a wide variety of reusable and eco friendly products designed to help heal and preserve our planet. They offer beautiful stock and custom products in many shapes and colors from domestic manufacturers as well as other parts of the world.

Importing product makes the reuse of factory packaging a challenge because the quality and standards in other parts of the world of some packaging products such as corrugated shipping boxes, are not high as ours. Importing also means the product and packaging have to make a long trip by boat with additional handling at both ends of the voyage. The end result is that in some cases (photo shown above) the poor quality packaging does not hold up nearly as well as the high quality products Eco Bags imports.

Keep in mind that even when the foreign packaging survives the trip to Eco Bags, it will likely require additional shipment to a distribution point, fulfillment house, or even to a retailer. The product may also be custom printed which typically results in additional handling, shipment and repacking.

When Reusing Packaging Is Not Possible

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A Chicago area clothing retailer had a rather catchy slogan I used to appreciate – “An educated consumer is our best customer”. I believe I related to it as a lifelong student as well as teacher within the packaging industry. I’ve never stopped learning and I truly respect people who also share the same passion, to make good decisions based on study and research, rather than supposition or popular opinion.

We’re All in It Together

If you are a regular ISP reader you know how much I enjoy meeting and interviewing people who are making a difference in this world. I also truly like being on the opposite side of the interview and freely sharing green facts and opinions.

Recently a very smart lady named Mary Kearns, owner of Herban Lifestyle interviewed me for her blog. Mary is a fellow Green America member as well as a fellow 1% for the Planet contributor. She also happens to be a customer but that is never an interview requirement. Mary asked great questions and it turns out, is an excellent writer as well. You can read the interview here – How to Green Your Packing and Shipping. (more…)

Downsizing is not always a step backwards. In fact, for sustainability downsizing is a big plus. Minimizing the size of a shipping container also eliminates shipping weight, space required, the amount of void fill needed. Downsizing reduces the end waste and of course – it saves money as well.

Size Appropriate, Green Packaging

People often forget that REDUCE is one of the three R’s of sustainability. Using less makes sense for so many reasons but sometimes finding unusual size shipping containers can be a challenge. In the last few months we have added the following to our Globe Guard store

• Larger Shipping Boxes
• Shorter, Low Profile Shipping Boxes
• Longer, Taller Shipping Boxes

What may have gone unnoticed is that we have also been recently adding a terrific variety of very small containers for very small products.

The economy has forced many customers to order in smaller quantities but some shippers are still using the previous, large containers because smaller boxes and mailer envelopes can be very difficult to find, especially if you are looking for green packaging products.

Four New Products for Small Items Added to the Globe Guard Line

Globe Guard 4” X 8” Bubble Lined Poly Mailer. It is made with low density polyethylene inside and out. Unlike paper outside/poly bubble inside, our mailers can be recycled anywhere a plastic bag can be recycled whether it is at curbside or your local grocery store.

Globe Guard 5” X 10” Flat Paper Mailer Envelope – made out of 100% recycled content. Strong enough to be reusable and easily recycled when its work is done.

Globe Guard 7” X 3” X 2” Die Cut Corrugated Mailer. It is made out of our Globe Guard 100% recycled content board and features a front lock design so it is safe, secure and very strong, making it ideal for eye glasses and other fragile items.

Our new 4” Cube Box is the latest addition to our already excellent selection of cube shipping boxes which includes 5”, 6”, 8”, 9”, 10”, 12”, 13”, 14” 16”, 18” and 20” Just like all of our other stock Globe Guard boxes, our 4” cube is 100% PCW (post consumer waste) recycled content.

All of these products are stock products on our store but please remember, if you don’t see exactly what you need, let us know. We also specialize in custom size products of every type and can custom print just about anything we make.

We are proud to announce that Mark Harrell and his company, Bad Axe Tool Works, is the first 2010 recipient of the highly coveted Globe Guard Eco-Consistency Award. The fact is that they have been on our green radar screen for some time — ever since we highlighted their very sustainable packaging in an ISP post last June.

Even at that time, we knew Mark and Bad Axe were special. However, we had no idea just how committed they were to walking the eco-walk until we saw their new and improved Web site and a surprising addition they chose to make.

The Globe Guard Eco-Consistency Award Cannot Be Bought

Please note that most Globe Guard Eco Consistency Award winners are not customers. In fact, the only two recipients during all of 2009 were not customers at all: They were Home Depot for their plastic flower pot recycling program and Unilever for their club store Axe Deodorant three-pack.

There are so many companies that fall short in terms of eco-consistency that we feel obligated to point out the ones that do try harder and are successful.

When the Packaging Application Gets Tough, the Tough Turn to Globe Guard

Mark Harrell makes best-of-class cutting tools so sharp edges are a desired end result on every product, not just an occasional packaging problem. At the same time, Mark also understands that his customers care about the environment and expect their suppliers to respect eco-friendly solutions in everything they do. This philosophy, combined with a tremendous personal commitment and belief, is why Mark works so hard to make sure his packaging is effective and as green as possible.

Green and Proud of It

We were blown away when we saw the “About my green packaging” page on his new and improved Web site. After all, we have a lot of great customers who are eco-consistent all the way through their secondary packaging, but none (that we know of) devote a page to it on their Web site. Please note that we are only one of three vendors Mark utilizes to get the job done in a very green way.

During a round table discussion at a sustainability conference I attended last week, a few people mentioned that sometimes companies are reluctant to bring too much attention to their sustainability initiatives. The reasons cited included the possibility of raising unrealistic expectations, inviting criticism, starting something that can’t possibly finish, etc. That is part of the reason we love companies like Bad Axe Tool Works. They eagerly and enthusiastically put their green solutions on display and challenge others to follow their example.

Excellent work, Mark Harrell and Bad Axe Tool Works! Thank you for your eco-consistent green message and for the great plug for our Globe Guard products.

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to make a presentation and attend the International Housewares Show. It is a great event held annually at Chicago’s lake front McCormick Place and one I don’t miss because of the new products that are usually launched at this industry showcase.

This was my third consecutive year at this show and in terms of packaging sustainability I would have to admit that the Housewares industry has been a little slow to jump on the green bandwagon. I even wrote an article about it for Sustainable Is Good in 2008 that commented on the very mixed reaction the Housewares industry had to sustainability.

I am very pleased to report that two years later they “get it”. I was thrilled to see countless booths showing eco friendly and green products and for the most part, much of the packaging was “eco-consistent” with the products they are making and marketing. I was truly pleased to see how much progress was made in a short two year period.

Back to the greatest myth

However, there is one area where many of the people still lag behind and that is in the realization that green packaging does not necessarily have to cost more.

In numerous conversations I had with people who appeared to have a sincere interest in making their packaging more eco friendly, they commented on the “high cost of green packaging”. In fact many of the inaccurate perceptions and outdated perceptions I have dealt with in the past are alive and kicking in this segment of the market. They include -

• You can’t find green packaging products
• The minimums are too high
• The quality isn’t there yet
• And of course, the greatest myth of all – green packaging costs too much

Forward to the sustainable packaging truth

We have spent the last three years of our lives exposing and destroying these myths by making eco friendly packaging products available and affordable. The minimums are truly minimal and we guarantee our quality to be second to none. (more…)

Celebrate Our One Year Anniversary with 20 Percent Off All Items!

Almost one year ago, on March 18, 2009 we launched our new web site as the first green packaging store on the internet. With no existing customer base to rely on, we were convinced if we offered good quality eco friendly packaging products at a competitive price, most people would do the right thing for the environment. Gratefully, you have.

So for the entire month of March, with a $50 minimum order, any customer using promo code ONEYEAR will receive a 20% discount on all stock products on our e-commerce site. It is our way of saying thank you to the customers who have helped to make our dream, a reality.

How the Globe Guard Green Packaging Product Line Has Grown

What began as eight RSC shipping box sizes has developed into thirty-five sizes that include a wide assortment of cube boxes, long boxes and low profile boxes. Most of these additions were suggested by you, the customers who eagerly sought environmentally responsible packaging products.

In addition we are growing our list of corrugated specialty and die cut sizes to include book fold boxes, tuck mailers and front lock mailers. We create custom inserts, dividers and partitions for our stock product and can easily design a custom shipping box for the most unique and challenging applications.

Leaders in Eco Friendly Void Fill Products

We may have the widest variety of green inner packaging solutions on the internet to protect products during shipment. Our options include -

• Globe Guard Oxo-Biodegradable bubble packaging
• Globe Guard packaging papers in many grades and widths
• Globe Guard Eco Nest – a shredded corrugated loose fill product
• Globe Guard Eco Flex – an incredibly versatile molded pulp product
• Globe Guard inflatable air pillows

If these don’t do the job, we have other products available including custom corrugated and paperboard solutions.

A Lot More than Just the Best Eco Friendly Shipping Boxes

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Creating a High Profile in Low Profile Packaging

It’s no secret we spend considerable time developing and promoting our Globe Guard brand of sustainable, eco friendly packaging products. We realize one of the best ways we can accomplish our objectives is to continuously enhance its value to our customers by helping them get their packaging done in as environmentally responsible a way as possible.

Four New Boxes Added to the Globe Guard Green Packaging Web Store

We are pleased to announce the addition of the following to our Globe Guard 100% PCW, recycled content, box sizes.

• 8” X 6” X 6” RSC style, 32 ECT shipping box
• 9” X 5” X 5” RSC style, 32 ECT shipping box
• 14” X 12” X 6” RSC style, 32 ECT shipping box
• 20” X 14” X 4” RSC style, 32 ECT shipping box

We realize not everyone needs a tall or cube box so when you add these four new sizes to the variety of sizes we already have, we are confident we can fit most products and applications with the right box for the job.

Current box sizes include: 8” X 6” X 3” tall, 9” X 8” X 4” tall, 10” X 10” X 5” tall, 12” X 9” X 4” tall, and 12” X 10” X 6” tall.

Need a Unique Eco Friendly Box for a Unique Eco Friendly Product?

Regular readers may tire of hearing this but I hope they understand we draw new readers constantly who may not have heard this before: over 50% of the boxes we sell are custom size, custom grade and/or custom printed. Unlike many internet packaging suppliers, we understand and can help customers design custom packaging for their unusually shaped or configured products. We are also experts at combining a wide variety of substrates and products to -

• Minimize cost
• Maximize recyclability
• Minimize packaging waste by weight and volume
• Maximize reusability
• Minimize the negative impact on the environment

Let us know what your toughest most difficult challenge is and we will likely help you develop a low cost, green solution.
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Visit the Globe Guard ® Green Packaging Store for -

Green Shipping Boxes
Eco Friendly Packaging Materials
Special Deals on Eco Friendly Shipping Supplies

See our revolutionary, patent pending Globe Guard® Reusable Shipping Box!