Is Corrugated Packaging Really Environmentally Friendly?

With more and more businesses under scrutiny for their environmental impact, choosing trusted, eco-friendly packaging is more important than ever. When considering transportation options, brands want to understand the environmental impact of the materials used, how to reduce their carbon footprint, and more.

With high consumer demand for eco-friendly solutions, brand owners are realizing the benefits of using more sustainable packaging, such as corrugated paper. As green consumption has become an integral part of the buying process, customers are now choosing brands largely based on which brands are making reasonable efforts to be environmentally friendly. Use corrugated packaging, maybe just in time.

Corrugated packaging contains recycled content and can be recycled

The main ecological advantage of corrugated boxes is that they are made from a high percentage of recycled paper, such as cardboard boxes or newspapers, which can be recycled after use. Likewise, most corrugated packaging is dye- or bleach-free, meaning it can be disposed of more sustainably than other materials that contain contaminants.

Corrugated packaging is renewable

Corrugated packaging is made from pulp, mainly from fast-growing pine wood, but can also be made from wood chips and residual materials from various papermaking processes. Additionally, most corrugated packaging consists of approximately 70% to 100% recycled materials. Suppliers who make bulk corrugated packaging typically source materials from managed sustainable forests and replace harvested trees with seedlings to start the process again.

Corrugated packaging is reusable

Not only is corrugated packaging easy to recycle and regenerate, but it can also be reused as-is, helping to further reduce packaging costs and environmental impact. Many corrugated box styles are designed to be easily folded and fully reusable.

Most boxes are not immediately disposed of, so why not take advantage of their durability? Corrugated cardboard is a strong and durable material that can carry a range of weights, so it can be used over and over again.

When the boxes run out, consumers can still reuse them to store documents or use them as floor protectors when redecorating. And, when they are finally disposed of, consumers can simply recycle them.

Corrugated packaging helps save energy

Corrugated packaging has a higher recycled content, so it requires less energy. Most corrugated board manufacturers produce corrugated board from locally sourced recycled materials, rather than being produced from 100% raw materials, which also minimizes the environmental damage caused by over-transportation.

Corrugated boxes provide effective protection for your products

Today, many businesses are making right-sized boxes for their products to help reduce material waste. Doing so can also go a long way to help reduce your business's carbon footprint in shipping and transportation. Since the boxes are usually rectangular - meaning they can be conveniently and neatly stacked together with very little wasted space - this allows businesses to pack more product into fewer vehicles, which has a negative impact on the company's carbon footprint The footprint made a huge difference.