Sustainable Packaging

“What does packaging sustainability mean to you?” People are often surprised when we ask that question, but as leaders of the green packaging cause since 2007, we know every customer has a slightly different definition and sustainability objective. Whether your concern is packaging source, recycled content or disposal, we can help you exceed your goals at minimal cost with our wide selection of products and solutions.

FSC Certified Materials

If you want your commitment to sustainability to be transparent and unquestioned, material which have earned certification by the Forest Stewardship Council are the best solution for you. Almost all of our corrugated products are available in FSC certified materials, including RSC style boxes, die cut mailer boxes, as well as internal and protective packaging such as our partitions, dividers, and die cut.

Water Based Inks and Varnishes

To some degree your graphic requirements determine the process that must be used to reproduce your graphic design and that determines what ink types are used. For example, except for some very limited use of veggie-based inks, most of our work is produced using flexographic equipment which uses 100% water-based inks. Other printing processes may use some recyclable petroleum-based inks, so it is important to understand the available options for your packaging and graphic design. Corrugated boxes, paperboard cartons and paper envelopes each require different inks. To some degree, the graphic design determines the print process, and the process dictates what type of inks are appropriate.

Source Reduction Through Intentional Design

You have undoubtedly opened up a package you have received, only to find multiple layers of unnecessary and oversized corrugated board, or excessive ancillary materials such as foam, bubble wrap, or other even less eco-friendly products. Compare that to an intentional, minimalistic, design as created by our designers and branded packaging advisors. Our approach is pretty simple – the greenest packaging materials are those that we do not use and leave on the tree.

100% Recycled Content

In 2007 when many defined sustainability as 100% recycled content packaging, ideally 100% PCW (post-consumer waste), there was not enough to go around. That board became a premium and hard to come by. Today it is much easier to find and use but it does have its downside. 100% recycled board by its very nature is inconsistent in terms of color, finish and porosity. This can have a negative impact in regard to print quality, at a time when everyone is upgrading their unboxing experience. Is 100% recycled content really necessary for your box? Contact someone who has been answering that question for nearly fifteen years.

100% Recyclable

This is our secret weapon and, in many cases, our short cut to sustainability. Our standard kraft (brown) corrugated board varies between 35 and 70% recycled content so we have plenty of recycled content to offer. If necessary, we will use just enough virgin content to provide the printability our customers want, and we promote our Globe Guard Products™ 100% recycled content specifications. Every square inch of board we use is recyclable and even the inks we typically use are 100% water based. It doesn’t get much greener that that!

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