Salazar Packaging has been an industry leader in eco-friendly, direct to consumer packaging since 2007 when we first started our company. Much has changed over those 19 years but one of the things that gratefully no longer applies is the idea that green packaging has to be more expensive.
Reduced cost is typically a result of scale and as more companies use sustainable packaging, and more packaging manufacturers produce it, creating a highly competitive market, the lower the cost for everyone including brand owners and consumers.
Here are five ways to ship your customers a greener, lower cost box.
- Minimize the square inches of material used.
There are several factors that impact the price of any packaging product, but the single greatest is how much material is consumed by the design. So, in addition to right sizing, making sure the packaging is not any larger than it really has to be, is the design itself as small as possible. The two boxes shown in the photo below are identical in size but one has more redundant material compared to the other. So, it is not just about the smallest possible size, it is about the most economical design.
- Utilize the thinnest possible material to satisfy the application.
Packaging materials have improved over the last two decades. On corrugated board for example, E-flute may now do the job previously requiring thicker B-flute. Thinner materials may be stronger now, and the applications have changed as well. For example, how a package is being used or shipped can make the board strength requirements more or less demanding. Is it a courier/retail application, or is it shipping UPS, FedEx, or USPS. This sounds unusual but is the product going into a box within a box? This is not unusual if shipping via USPS or if the primary/inner box so decorated (soft touch, white linen finish or other) that you would not want to apply a label or box sealing tape on it.
- Use as much recycled material as possible.
Don’t hesitate to ask about the recycled content on any corrugated or paperboard material being used. Even though some high recycled content material may be more expensive such as FSC certified, many boards are 50, 60, or even 75% recycled content. This typically makes the board spec less expensive; it is also is great from a promotional standpoint. If you have high recycled content, don’t hesitate to print that eco message on your packaging.
- Make it easy to recycle your packaging after final use.
Every curb side recycling program in the country I’ve seen asks that you “flatten and compact your corrugated waste”. The more efficient you make it, the better it is for everyone. Good intentional design of packaging considers efficient forming/packing, protects during shipment, and is as easy as possible for the consumer to open, and discard for recycling. This includes elimination of redundant layers of board, using the thinnest board possible and adding a well-placed perforation.
- Know who to trust in terms of goals and design
We will never know your business as well as you do. However, from a packaging standpoint, the hundreds of applications we have successfully produced will provide knowledge and experience that we can use to your benefit. Over time, we know things will change including goals and priorities. We have a fairly accurate idea of where you will wind up in terms of waste, efficiency, consumer perceptions and of course, cost. A good packaging partner will help you today, get to where you will probably want or need to be in the future. Late last year we helped a good customer change their packaging to a design we offered several years ago. A renewed focus to sustainability and cost reduction took them there. Timing and experience is everything!
We invite you to visit our gallery so you can see a small sample of our designs and the customers we have worked with. Call us at 630-551-1700 or contact us through this website, for a no cost, no obligation application review of your current packaging or for the new product you plan to launch. We can provide you with samples and suggestions at no cost to help you make your change and decision easier.
Related posts:
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/cheers-to-19-years-of-packaging-industry-expertise/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/2026-packaging-trends-for-skincare-beauty-brands/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/e-commerce-packaging-what-it-means-to-be-application-driven/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/refresh-or-rebrand-your-e-commerce-packaging/