Packaging is a first impression on the consumers. They estimate the products and their quality from the packings. However, Eco-Friendly Packaging has become the most demanding thing. The purpose behind this demand is environmental safety and the reduction of all kinds of waste. Well, it depends on the material that makes the packaging sustainable. For this purpose, there are various kinds of materials that we mostly use for the sustainability process.
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Materials of the Eco-Friendly Packaging
If the material is not compostable, and recyclable, then it is dangerously harmful to the environment. The meaning of Eco-friendly materials is that they are easily recyclable, reusable, and compostable. They do not create a vast amount of waste that leads to pollution. For example, plastic is a material that takes hundreds of years for the complete decomposition process. Moreover, it produces toxic components and elements that are equally harmful to the environment. This is the reason that scientists have put their efforts into finding out the right kind of materials that are sustainable.
Examples of Sustainable Packaging Materials
There are numerous materials used by manufacturers to make Eco-Friendly Packaging. Each has its own properties and advantages. However, the one thing that you must ensure is that the packaging boxes must be sturdy. They must protect the products in the best ways. Moreover, the quality, and the flavor especially of the food products are not affected. Here are the best examples for the material of sustainable packaging.
Compostable Bags
They look like plastic bags but they are biodegradable material. These plant-based materials are wood pulp, vegetable starch, soy proteins, and lactic acid. These natural materials are consumed by the microorganism that helps them to decompose into the soil. We know this procedure as compost. For this reason, there are two kinds of composting plants. One is home-based composting and the other one is commercial composting. At home, they take 180 days for composting, while at commercial plants they take 90 days.
Commercial composting is better than home composting. Because they produce enough airflow, heat, and moisture that decompose the waste perfectly. This is the best alternative to plastic as plastic does not decompose properly. As a result, heaps of waste produce that we don’t even use again. Using sustainable packaging material that decomposes easily and does not create waste is always rewardable.
Edible Packaging
Have you ever heard about the kind of packaging that you can eat? If not, then you are going to be surprised on hearing that you can eat your packing. Especially for the food and beverage industry, edible packaging is becoming popular. The ice cream cones are an example of edible packing. Instead of using plastic cups and bowls, selling ice cream in cones is not a fashion. It is a careful way to eliminate packaging waste. Consumers eat the cone after finishing the ice cream.
On a similar note, coffee cups, straws, and wrappers of cupcakes and candies are also edible. They produce from natural organic material that complies with health standards. Moreover, they have nutritional benefits too.
Biodegradable Packaging
They are bio-based plants that easily break down into microorganisms like algae, fungi, and bacteria. Examples of biodegradable packaging are bio-based polymers, paper, and cardboard. It is an eco-friendly material as it takes less energy for its production. They are similar to compostable packaging as both decay to earth. However, the main difference between them is that biodegradable decomposes in landfills while compostable provides nutrients to the soil.
Hemp
Hemp is a plant-based natural fiber. The material of hemp comes from plant stems like jute, bamboo, ramie, and linen. They are easily compostable and equally durable. However, they decompose in less than two hundred days. But still, they are multiple times stronger and more durable than plastic.
Cellulose Packaging
There is a substance inside the plant cell wall that is cellulose. It is a composition of glucose molecules in a long chain that makes polysaccharides. Its manufacturing process takes less energy than that of the plastic. Being a recyclable material, cellulose material is an optimal solution for Eco-Friendly Packaging.
Mushrooms
Mycelium-based mushroom packaging is a perfect alternative to polymers. They are lightweight, natural, and strong materials that decompose in the earth without creating pollution. Moreover, the advantage of mushroom packaging is that they are highly protective. This means that there is no need for plastic bubble wrap and Styrofoam for the protection of goods. There are two kinds of mushroom packing. One is the mylar bags including silica packers and the other is the plastic jars and glass.
Paper and Cardboard
Both paper and cardboard are eco-friendly packaging materials. They are durable, lightweight, and sturdy. According to studies, consumers prefer cardboard packaging at the top. However, there is a difference between both paper and cardboard in terms of their use. For smaller products, paper is the best packaging. Because it is lighter than cardboard. The cardboard is perfect for heavy objects as it is sturdy and durable. Moreover, cardboard is also a good option for shipping purposes.
Concluding Remarks
The final remark regarding Eco-Friendly Packaging is that they are the need of the hour. Customer behavior has changed after the single-use plastic material repercussions. Well, it is the material of the packaging boxes that are critically important. Natural plant-based organic materials make sustainable packaging. Be cautious about the packaging material as our environment has already suffered a lot due to our negligent use of excessive plastic materials.
