Packaging and The Environment - Corrugated Cardboard

Eco-friendly products are currently in high demand.corrugated cardboard boxes are not usually 100%
Consumers are very much aware of the needrecycled, (70-90% on average), it is possible to
for products which can be reduced, re-used orpurchase boxes which are entirely made from
recycled. This even goes as far as the packagingrecycled corrugated cardboard.
materials in which the product arrives. ManyIt is not just the corrugated boxes which can be
traditional packaging materials are not eco-friendly,made of recycled materials but also inserts for
such as polystyrene loose fill or plastic blisterthese boxes., such as those used to hold wine
packs, but many of these products havebottles in place or specialist die-cut inserts.
alternatives which would achieve the same results,Boxes are not the only product made from
whilst keeping costs to a minimum. As suppliers,corrugated cardboard. Single-face corrugated
more attention needs to be paid to sourcingpaper rolls, corrugated mailing wraps, shredded
packaging which is much more 'ecologically sound'.kraft papers & corrugated sheet-board
Corrugated cardboard is used as one of the mostmade from 100% recycled materials can all be
fundamental items in packaging, the humblepurchased.
cardboard box. Used extensively throughout theThe incentive to use recycled corrugated
world, cardboard boxes or cartons are thecardboard packaging materials is due to a number
backbone of most transit packaging. Corrugatedof factors. These include the reduced cost of
cardboard may at first seem like a very badpackaging materials, (as recycled materials
resource for use in eco-friendly packaginggenerally cost less than virgin materials), &
materials, (destruction of forests, destroyingthe opening up of further demographic markets,
eco-systems) but this is not strictly true, as manyas many consumers will base their purchasing
of the paper based materials in use are cut fromhabits on how eco-friendly a product appears to
sustainable woodlands. Aside from this, there arebe, including the packaging materials products are
other benefits to using corrugated cardboarddespatched in.
packaging.It is no longer just good enough to provide a
All cardboard boxes can be reused &quality product at an affordable price. It must be
recycled. This means that less resources are usedconsidered just how eco-friendly your product is,
in the future, as recycled corrugated cardboardincluding any packaging materials which are
can be used in making further cardboard boxes,involved. If this is over-looked, then be prepared
and re-use of boxes ensures maximum life-spanto pay in lost sales & lost customers.
of the original materials. Although many