In today’s fast-paced market, your business faces the challenge of blending its brand identity with environmental responsibility. As your customers become increasingly aware of their environmental impact, there’s a growing expectation for your business to embrace sustainable practices across the board.

This dilemma becomes especially poignant when it comes to the packaging of your products. After all, packaging is a significant contributor to global waste, with single-use plastic packaging, especially being a symbol of this environmental concern.

But is ditching packaging altogether the right move for your business? After all, research shows that your branded, personalised packaging plays a crucial role in building brand trust and encouraging repeat purchases. Studies reveal that a staggering 73% of UK shoppers [1] rely on packaging to guide their purchasing decisions. Moreover, for certain products like tea bags or confectionery items, going completely packaging-free simply isn’t feasible. And let’s not forget about gift sets – they inherently require packaging designed to elevate the presentation of your products.

So, how can your business strike the perfect balance, ensuring that your packaging is not only distinct but also sustainable? In this blog, we’ll walk you through the essential considerations you need to weigh when selecting your packaging and, most importantly, your packaging provider.

Three Key Components of Sustainable Printed Packaging

When it comes to selecting packaging solutions that align with your brand’s commitment to sustainability, there are several key factors to keep in mind. Here are three essential considerations to guide you in making eco-conscious choices:

Look for paperboard packaging

Opting for paperboard packaging is a significant step towards reducing your environmental footprint. Unlike single-use plastics, paperboard is biodegradable and recyclable, making it a more sustainable choice for packaging materials [2]. By prioritising paperboard packaging, you can contribute to waste reduction efforts while maintaining the integrity of your brand identity.

Not only is paperboard one of the most sustainable materials you can choose for your packaging, but it may also be vastly preferred by your customers, for example, a study by Ipsos showed that for two-thirds of the people surveyed [3], paper and cardboard packaging made a product more attractive than other packaging materials.

Don’t forget about the ink – it has to be sustainable too!

While selecting packaging materials, it’s not only important to consider the packaging material but also the ink used to print your design on it.

In reality, no ink currently available on the market is entirely degradable. However, they can meet the requirements of the EU standard EN 13432 for biodegradable packaging if formulated appropriately. According to this standard, packaging is considered fully biodegradable and compostable if at least 90% of the material decomposes into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass within a maximum of six months [4].

Pay attention to the stickers – on FSC and the Carbon offsetting scheme

When sourcing packaging providers, look for certifications such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and inquire about their participation in carbon offsetting schemes. FSC certification ensures that paperboard is sourced from responsibly managed forests, promoting sustainable forestry practices. Additionally, participating in carbon offsetting schemes allows companies to neutralise their carbon emissions and support environmental conservation efforts.

Sustainability At Heart – How We Do It at Wisden Packaging

At Wisden Packaging, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We strive to align with the key considerations outlined earlier in this blog to ensure our practices are environmentally responsible.

All of our printed cartons are crafted using paperboard that we meticulously recycle, reflecting our commitment to minimising waste and utilising sustainable materials.

Moreover, we go beyond the basics to ensure that our printed packaging meets the rigorous standards set forth by the EU standard EN 13432. Our ink provider formulates printing inks to ensure they do not impede the biodegradability of our products, making them readily compostable.

Furthermore, we are proud to hold certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), demonstrating our dedication to responsible forestry practices. Additionally, we actively monitor and offset our carbon emissions by sourcing our paper and board products from merchants partnering with Carbon Footprint Ltd.

Ready to take the next step towards sustainable packaging solutions?

Contact us today to discuss how we can help.

Sources

1. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09590550710773237/full/html

2. https://www.oliverinc.com/blog/how-sustainable-is-paperboard-what-you-need-to-know

3. https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/Most-Americans-Say-That-the-Design-of-a-Products-Packaging-Often-Influences-Their-Purchase-Decisions

4. https://www.flexotechmag.com/news/18983/hubergroup-flexographic-printing-inks-for-

compostable-packaging/