It has been a long time since I wrote about the three Rs in sustainability. For those who may have forgotten, they are Reduce, Recycle, and “the other guy” (for fellow Seinfeld fans), Reuse. All three facets of sustainability have become such a part of everyday life that it is becoming easy for us industry people as well as consumers to take it all for granted. Every shopper’s poll confirms the vast majority of customers still want and expect eco-friendly packaging, but how many of them actually look for it when they make their selecting and buying decisions?
Reduce is What We Do Best.
Especially with current market conditions that have included multiple industry price increases this year, we remind customers that there are two things you can do to minimize the higher costs of corrugated.
- Use fewer boxes. In most cases that can be accomplished by using more mailer envelopes whenever possible. I always suggest, watch and see what the big guys are doing. Chances are that many of your most recent Amazon, Target, Walmart deliveries have been in mailer envelopes, not boxes.
- Use fewer square inches of board. Allow us to redesign your boxes because we know how to minimize board usage. This is NOT just about right-sizing or using smaller boxes. The modifications we suggest are performance and cost improvements, reducing the cost per unit.
Recycled and Recyclable Packaging
Since starting our company in 2007, we have been singularly focused on bringing high recycled content packaging to market. We were the first company to introduce a green packaging line we 
named Globe Guard Products®. We were also a leader in promoting the benefit of “curb side recycling” because we knew the odds of packaging being recycled improved when recycling is made easy for consumers.
Our interest in sustainable packaging coincided with the advent of e-commerce. Bulk packaging was no longer shipping to retail stores so the consumer could make a purchase and take the item home. The empty “master” boxes at the retail operation are compressed, bailed, and recycled to make more new boxes. Now, however, a smaller box was being shipped directly to the consumer, so the waste/recycle problem had shifted to the recipient. Check out the sustainability section of our web site. You will see our commitment is real and our experience is unparalleled.
Reuse. Better Than Recycling?
The TikTok meme shown in this post, is humorous because those of us similarly inclined, will save a “good box” because we know it will eventually come in handy. I am particularly fond of front lock
die cut mailers because they can be opened and used, then reclosed without needing to use tape or other sealing methods. This makes them ideal for temporary storage or protection.
Keep in mind an attractive box is more likely to be used and reused. One of our favorite customers likes to ship in seasonal boxes so we print Valentine’s Day, Fourth of July, Halloween, and of course Christmas boxes. They know their customers LOVE their boxes and will usually keep them for future reuse or for their kids.
The reason we consider reusing a better solution than recycling is that reusing does not consume more energy to transport, produce and remanufacture. Recycling is a great option, if you have no other options, however, a branded box serves as a permanent ad and reminder for your brand.
If your sustainability program needs a shot in the arm, give us a call at 630-551-1700 or contact us via this link. Even though everyone’s circumstances and needs are unique, we all share the same three objectives: reduce cost, minimize waste and save valuable resources. If we do those three things, the rest becomes a little easier.
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https://www.salazarpackaging.com/does-your-packaging-project-need-a-good-structural-designer/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/direct-to-consumer-packaging-and-common-sense/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/stealth-packaging-a-discreet-option-for-security-privacy/