The printing industry was using paper for void fill and water activated paper box sealing tape, long before they became trendy and popular again. Perhaps it was out of appreciation for paper as a valuable, versatile and renewable resource, or maybe because they were simply smarter than the rest of us and understood the economic benefits of using paper based packaging products.

Five Printer Shipping Box Sizes Now in Stock!

We are very pleased to be able to offer five printers box sizes in addition to our ever growing list of standard stock sizes. The following Globe Guard 100% PCW recycled content boxes are now in stock and available in the following sizes:

• GG11 – 11.25” X 8.75” X 6” high, 32 C Kraft, Plain RSC shipping box
• GG44 – 11.75” X 8.75” X 4.75” high,  32 C Kraft, Plain RSC shipping box
• GG45 – 11.75 x 8.75 x 8.75” high, 32 C Kraft, Plain RSC shipping box
• GG46 – 17.25 x 11.25 x 8” high, 32 C Kraft, Plain RSC shipping box
• GG50 – 11.25 x 8.75 x 4” high, 32 C Kraft, Plain RSC shipping box

Additional Green Packaging Supplies for Printers

At our GlobeGuardProducts.com store you will also find a nice selection of packaging paper for wrapping, interleaving or void fill applications. Our products include industrial tissue sheets, 30# newsprint rolls, the ever popular 40# Kraft; 50# recycled gray bogus and even 60# heavy duty indented Kraft rolls for the toughest applications. Most are available in 24” wide rolls as well as 36” wide rolls. If you need a paper that is not in stock, let us know and we’ll get it for you.

Most printers still use reinforced paper tape because it does the best job of holding heavy cases together. We stock plain, our own Globe Guard print and we are a leading distributor of custom printed water activated paper tape. We can quickly and easily print your logo, web site or message on your tape for security and branding purposes.

Most of Our Products Were Once a Specific Customer Request

We have rapidly and steadily increased our list of stock products and are eager to add even more. Usually all that is necessary is a customer who takes the time to tell us what they need and it becomes a stock item for all to use. Our willingness to add new sizes or grades applies to boxes, stretch film, mailers and even packaging papers.

Regular ISP readers probably get tired of hearing it but I too have to remind myself that we are adding new readers all of the time who may not realize that over half of what we do is custom grade, custom size or custom print. Browse through the pages of this blog and you will see we are leaders in custom printed and branded sustainable packaging products.

Please let us know how we can best help you deliver a greener and lower cost package to your customers.

We are firm believers in branding and our customers notice and appreciate the fact that every Globe Guard box we make has our logo proudly printed on the bottom for all to see. However, every once in a while we are involved in a packaging application that really makes us think about the non-business messaging we communicate to others.

Sennco Solutions Custom Printed Tape

Chris Marszalek, the president and co-founder of Sennco Solutions, has become a close friend as well as a valued customer. Anyone who has ever met Chris will tell you he is a savvy business man, a loving husband and father, and an incredibly hard worker, but what is most notable is that Chris is a devoted Christ follower. His faith and God are important to him and he does not hesitate to allow his faith to influence his business life, in fact he would be the first to tell you, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

That is why we were not totally surprised when Chris told us he wanted to print one of his favorite Bible verses on his box sealing tape. Proverbs 16:20 – “Blessed is he who trusts in the LORD”. Certainly a request we don’t hear every day but one not totally unexpected from a man like Chris.

Sennco Solutions is a leading designer and manufacturer of retail, anti-theft devices so you could say they are in the business of keeping honest people honest. If his new tape was going to communicate a marketing message, he could have easily selected a different Bible verse directed at dishonest behavior or even printed the quite appropriate Eighth Commandment on his tape – Thou shall not steal. That would have been clever and eye catching, but this was not about marketing or being clever, it is about communicating who Chris is and what he believes.

(more…)

One of the things I find most interesting about sustainable packaging as well as quite frustrating at times, is that it is constantly changing. We know firsthand that what was considered green just a short two years ago is no longer acceptable as the products, processes and popular thought have all changed.

The packaging for a new Canon desk top printer we recently purchased is a perfect example of this.

What Canon Used in Terms of Packaging

To get the printer from Thailand to us, Canon used a virtual smorgasbord of packaging and unfortunately most of it is not very green by today’s standards. The products they used are shown in the photo below and included:

• Almost 2,700 square inches of heavy-grade corrugated (4.9 lbs. worth)
• 4 molded poly styrene corner protectors
• 4 paper board tubes
• Various corrugated pads and inserts
• A few flexible foam surface protectors
• A wide variety of high density polyethylene sheets and bags

To their credit, everything that was not a paper based product included a recycle code, even the polystyrene corner protectors. They were clearly molded to show their PS, #6 recycle code. Good luck with that since there are few facilities able or willing to take in polystyrene in any form.

Current and Greener Alternatives

We know enough about interior, protective packaging to know that the molded EPS could have been easily replaced with die cut, ideally high-recycled content, corrugated inserts. The outer shipping box did not have to be a heavy duty box with a five color printed virgin grade litho label. Most of the plastic bags and flexible foam pads could now be made with plant based, oxo-biodegradable or other more eco friendly formulations.

As a company that does this for a living, the most startling fact is that most of these product alternatives would REDUCE the packaging cost, not increase it.

Green Beyond Words

The most ironic thing we noticed was Canon’s “Generation Green” emblem proudly displayed on the box. It states: Environmentally Conscious Products with the Next Generation in Mind.

That is a great, green marketing slogan but the packaging is not consistent with the message or mission. For that matter, how about offering some help figuring out what we can do with the old Canon printer we are replacing? You see we love the products, but the packaging? Not so much.

Eco Friendly Gift Packaging from Nashville Wraps

I often describe the world of packaging as being a mile wide and I operate in a narrow strip which is called secondary packaging where function is usually much more important than appearance.

My guest today, Robby Meadows, the founder and Marketing Director of Nashville Wraps works the other end of the same packaging world where function is of course important but much of the focus is on the esthetics.

Nashville Wraps is the leader in the area of decorative, retail and gift packaging and I am glad to announce they are now making our Globe Guard corrugated boxes available on their internet web store to all of their eco minded customers. I am equally pleased to introduce Robby to our readers.

DS: Robby, Nashville Wraps is over thirty years old so please give us your background and tell us how you got started.

RM: My background is in sales and graphics. The company started in 1976 during the time of polyester prints in women’s fashion. We found a source for the paper used to make those prints and turn it into repurposed gift wrapping paper. So you might say our first products were recycled/reclaimed paper.

DS: Give us an idea of the types of products people are likely to find on your store.

RM: An extensive array of decorative gift and gourmet food packaging, from gift wrap to bakery boxes.

DS: Tell us about your Green Way product line and what led you to develop a private label brand of green products.

RM: We are astute trend watchers and saw the grassroots green movement coming many years ago. We knew it would stick since it wasn’t a government program Aside from that it just seemed the right thing to do and we led our suppliers and paper mills into changing their production.

DS: I believe your green initiative goes way beyond the products you sell. Can you please give us an idea of the other things you have done to make your company greener? (more…)

Much of the attention on sustainable secondary packaging is rightfully given to using too much of a given packaging material. A compounded example is using a box that is oversized for a shipment, thereby also requiring more void fill product than necessary. We have all seen the examples of bad packaging posted here on ISP and on other excellent green focused sites like Sustainable is Good.

We like to scrutinize not only the quantity of packaging also the quality of the packaging being used for a specific application. Some of this is for good environmental reasons but it is important to note that it often results in a lower cost to our customers, and today, that is a very good thing.

Typical Examples of Over Packaging

These include some of my all time favorites that can often be found in many mail rooms and shipping areas.

• Using cushioned mailers for products that do not require cushioning such as soft goods, textiles, paper products, etc. I have written many times on bubble and foam mailers that are destined to wind up in a land fill because the plastic and paper used to make the mailer are laminated together. Both packaging materials are recyclable in theory only, since they cannot be separated and effectively recycled.
• The use of white corrugated and envelope mailers of almost any type and configuration. Why do customers pay more for a product that is less eco friendly, looks less eco friendly and will arrive at its destination looking worse due to its white surface?  When a client wants to be “obviously” green and reduce costs, this is usually one of the first areas we look at and change.
• Utilizing Tyvek, Nylon reinforced and other premium or reinforced mailer envelopes.There are some marvelous materials being used for applications that do not require them. They usually have excellent specific properties such as moisture protection or puncture resistance but are also not recyclable because of the composition and structure.

Why Do Companies Over Package? (more…)

One of the busiest people in the packaging industry is JoAnn Hines with her numerous business operations and websites. Her newest venture is Packaging Launch, and I am pleased to be participating as one of her staff experts to help review new package designs as submitted by people in need of unbiased, and knowledgeable input.

I asked JoAnn for the opportunity to interview her so we could discuss Packaging Launch for the benefit of our ISP readers.

Get feedback on your new design

DS: Where did the rather unique Packaging Launch concept originate and can you please explain to us the valuable service it provides?

JH: PackagingLaunch.com came about for a variety of reasons.

1st: I get so many calls from people who need packaging help and really need to be pointed in the right direction. I wanted a professional, quick and efficient way to help them without having to spend a fortune.

2nd: So many people have disastrous packaging and they aren’t even aware how bad it really is. There needed to be a method of finding out that they have packaging problems before it’s too late.

3rd: This is the place to test a packaging concept if you are not sure before you invest heavily and have a packaging fiasco.

DS: Can anyone submit a package design for review and is there a cost?

JH: Yes, anyone can submit a package for review. However there must be a professional photo to submit on the site. The experts need to be able to evaluate the package and they need a quality image to do so.

There is a nominal fee of $250 for posting the photo (which includes a live link and a product description). This is far less that a single expert’s time and provides you with insights from a variety of packaging experts.

DS: Are there any ground rules for the expert reviewers? (more…)

What do a West Coast oyster farm, a Wisconsin maker of fine cutting tools, a creative designer of green products for the office and unique online green products store, all have in common? They all decided to combine unprinted boxes with custom printed tape to -

• Communicate their green brands
• Make their secondary packaging as eco friendly as possible
• Reduce their packaging costs

FREE machine for new printed tape customers. Contact for details.

The Benefits of Printed Water Activated Tape

• It is colorful, stands out and your customers remember your message, logo, and brand
• It is a much less expensive branding alternative to costly custom printed boxes
• It has a high green perception rating from even casual observers and customers
• It’s a paper product so no stripping of plastic tape is necessary before recycling the corrugated box
• It bonds better to the box making it safer, more rigid and much more secure because it prevents tampering and pilferage

Sustainable Packaging Is Creative?

Yes it can be.  Take a look at what these terrific customers decided to do to convey a consistent and memorable image. (more…)

In an unprecedented move, the Globe Guard Eco Consistency Award judges held a first ever midyear caucus and by unanimous vote decided to give Home Depot this prestigious award. OK, that all sounds quite impressive but the fact is that my wife took me shopping for the seasonal purchase of flowers for her garden and I spotted this sign.

That is when I realized Home Depot has launched an excellent, green program to encourage and facilitate the return of the empty flower containers they now sell.

Polystyrene – The Plastic Even Waste Management Doesn’t Want

What makes this move by Home Depot award worthy is that most flower pot containers are made of polystyrene (Recycled code #6). Most of us know polystyrene as the foam looking plastic material often used for takeout or left over containers, some “foam” drinking cups and some loose fill packaging materials shaped like shells or peanuts. That happens to be reason #42 why I hate foam peanuts, but that is a sore subject and a different blog post.

I am not sure why most floral containers are made of styrene but I am willing to bet it is about cost. Polystyrene can easily be blended with just about any plastic or near plastic trash and is able to be formed into the trays and pots we all take home, empty and discard. What I am certain of is that in our suburban Chicago curbside recycling service provided by Waste Management, is very clear to point out they will NOT take back anything with a #6 recycled code which includes any form or type of polystyrene. (more…)

People who are eager to find quick and simple solutions to some of our most complex sustainability problems are often disappointed when they hear me say there is no packaging magic bullet that satisfies all requirements, at all times, and on all products.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that rarely does one product do everything that is necessary for a tough application. If there is a “universal solution” to our eco dilemma, it is probably multiple products and resources working together, each bringing something unique, different and green to the application.

One Tough Green Packaging Application

Say hello to Bad Axe Tool Works, a company with a neat name, interesting web site and a premier manufacturer of cutting tools for woodworking and other wood related activities like pruning and clearing trees. When we met them they were concerned with preventing damage during shipment and making sure their packaging was as green as possible. Considering the incredibly sharp nature of their products, it was definitely a challenge.

One Great, Excellent Packaging Partner

Adams Foam in Chicago makes a terrific product called Green Cell Foam. The product is made from non-GMO corn, and after use, it can be recycled, composted or simply dissolved in water. It is also surprisingly tough and able to stand up to rugged applications like the one that was developing at Bad Axe Tools Works. We had conversations with the nice people at Adams Foam but nothing brings packaging people together like a good, challenging application and Bad Axe did indeed bring us together.

What it Took to Get the Job Done (See Photos Below) (more…)

They are known by many names including literature mailers, tuck and fold mailers, shipper boxes and even pizza boxes, but the corrugated die cut mailer is making a big comeback and guess what? It is greener and no longer white.

What Makes These Corrugated Mailers Greener?

In the past, virgin board was used to make these versatile shipping and storage containers but today we are making them out of recycled corrugated materials. More importantly they are being made out of 100% recycled material which means they cannot be white on the outside. Many people don’t realize it but when you give a box a white exterior, that outer layer (usually 1/3 of the overall board content) has to be virgin. If you want it white on the inside too, then 2/3 of the corrugated content must be made from virgin fibers. Remember our motto, a virgin fiber is a terrible thing to waste, especially when it is not necessary.

Why Have Die Cut Mailers Been Historically White

The theory was that they looked better, cleaner, nicer, etc. There is no argument about that when the product is shipped … but have you ever seen one of those mailers when it arrives at its intended destination? Whether is ships via FedEx, UPS or USPS, the mailer no longer looks pristine or white upon arrival. Typically it is dirty, scuffed and even covered with fingerprints. The white outer layer looks great when it is shipped but the appearance rapidly degenerates as soon as it leaves the shipper’s facility.

What Makes These Corrugated Mailers Better? (more…)