Eco-Friendly Packaging Options For Ecommerce Retailers

The most ubiquitous packaging materials are of course bubble wrap and peanuts. The pros and cons of both are well documented, but the most important thing to know is they are typically made from plastics (as in oil) and are not bio-degradable. With the amount of bubble wrap and peanuts used around the world each day the problem is pretty self evident.

These products are made from some pretty nasty stuff Polyethylene, Polystyrene and Polyurethane (which consists of all sorts of harsh chemicals including acetone, methylene chloride and fluorocarbons).

Aside from the toxic chemicals used with most plastic based packing materials and the huge energy resources that going into creating them; the amount of landfill taken up after they are discarded is significant.

Here are some ideas for alternative packaging options to consider using when preparing your customer orders for shipment.

Soy based expandable foam products are a more eco-friendly option. Derived from soy, and therefore renewable and biodegradable, this product conforms precisely to the shape of your products. This maximizes protection by minimizing movement on the inside of the carton. The product is also very light weight, reducing the additional shipping expense of heavier materials. Realistically expandable foam is best for larger operations due to the space the specialized equipment and process will require.

Consider using old newspapers as they can also be a good option as well. Shredded or balled up newspaper has decent cushioning ability. My opinion is that shredded paper has a neat look in the box and adds some "eco-cred" to your products. Aesthetically the balled up news print leave a little to be desired, and there is no efficient way to "ball up" enough paper to keep up with a high volume fulfillment operation. Shredded paper, although requiring an extra step (to shred) does led itself to a higher volume set up.

Again, it's not as pretty, but old cardboard boxes can be cut into strips and then rolled tightly. Place the rolls vertically into the packing box around the item in the box, the rolls will then expand providing a cushion. Similar to newsprint, if some care is taken up front to cut or prepare the boxes neatly the end product could work in a way that looks good to your customers.

Reusing something like paper or cardboard for packaging is always preferable to recycling, and of course, MUCH better than throwing those items away. Cushion packaging is sold that is made from one hundred percent post consumer waste paper - give that a try if you don't like the look of used newspapers.

Biodegradable packing peanuts are available, made from grain sorghum and corn starch. For environmentally friendly soft foam in rolls, starch-based products such as Cell have the added bonus of being anti-static which is great for cushioning computer parts and Biodegradable packing peanuts are available, made from grain sorghum and corn starch For environmentally friendly soft foam in rolls, starch-based products such as Green Cell have the added bonus of being anti-static which is great for cushioning computer parts and electronic equipment.

For wrapping and packaging inside the box, use or reuse something. And the same goes for the cartons you are using - go for boxes made from recycled cardboard. The options these days for recycled corrugated boxes are very diverse and any place selling boxes will likely provide these product options as well.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, retailers and suppliers of Packaging & Paper Products including hologram, label & tag, packaging materials, paper & pulp, & other HDPE sacks etc.

'Green' Packaging Gaining Ground

While the use of eco-friendly options is rising, adoption is limited to upscale releases due to high costs. Most makers recycle and employ fewer materials instead.

China's export manufacturers are increasingly adopting earth-friendly alternatives to traditional packaging choices. PLA is replacing petroleum-based polymers to create degradable plastic containers and gift bags. More innovative solutions include microwave-, oven- and refrigerator-safe food canisters made from natural wheat straw pulp.

Such options, however, are used only for high-end releases targeting the US and the EU. At present, conventional materials still hold sway because they are cost-effective, functional and practical. In most cases, incorporating environment-friendly packaging raises manufacturing outlay 30 percent.

Wheat straw pulp containers, for instance, are roughly 50 percent more expensive than plastic foam. A ton of the natural raw material currently stands at 5,000 to 6,000 yuan ($731 to $877). Gift and packaging bags made of paper processed with pulp culled from sustainable forests cost 2 to 5 percent more as well.

To heed the growing call for ecologically safe practices, however, suppliers have taken to recycling instead. Paper waste is reduced to a pulp and reprocessed into new sheets. Others are simplifying designs to ensure minimal use of materials.

Standardized packaging is actually the norm at many large home appliance companies so that wastage can be reduced. Buyers' logos and patterns differentiate the cartons, but even then, prints are limited to three colors. Modifications, however, are accepted for a fee.

Still there are others that work with clients to balance minimum wastage and functionality. Electric kettle manufacturer Guangdong Longde Group Co. Ltd collaborates with buyers to ensure its recycled paper packaging can still provide optimum protection.

Reusable, degradable alternatives

Paper is increasingly being used to replace wood and EPS foam as packaging material for home appliances. The inner padding or cushioning for the cartons now comes in corrugated or honeycomb paper board. Compared with EPS foam and wood, paper can be reused in multiple ways and is cost-effective. Replacing EPS foam with honeycomb paper board for the cushioning is estimated to cut outlay by about 20 percent.

Cardboard is also being adopted in lieu of film packaging for small home appliances because it is less expensive and easier to recycle. The plastic is used to laminate paper gift boxes as well. This type of surface treatment, however, results in paper that is harder to recycle. As such, several companies are now incorporating the more earth-friendly UV oil finish, which costs the same as film laminates.

Shandong Teanhe Green Pak Science and Technology Co. Ltd, meanwhile, uses the same papermaking process to produce ecologically safe food and medical packaging products derived from natural wheat straw pulp. The food-grade items are nontoxic, 100 to 120 C oil- and water-resistant, and microwave-, oven- and refrigerator-safe. Not only can the containers be recycled, they can also degrade into fertilizer after being buried in soil for 100 days.

Concerns over cost, practicality

In general, it is the large and foreign-invested businesses that first delved into implementing measures toward achieving sustainable production, including developing environment-friendly packaging. But this has not spread widely enough to the smaller and locally owned operations. As such, green manufacturing has yet to achieve economies of scale. Consequently, costs are often higher.

Shandong Teanhe's workaround over the price issue is to target the midrange and high-end market. By doing so, the company has been able to post 30 percent annual growth since 2008. Even then, R&D is being carried out to improve processing and lower outlay for the wheat straw containers.

Apart from cost issues, eco-friendly substitutes sometimes do not perform as well as conventional materials. Most gift boxes, for instance, are still film-laminated because UV oil finish does not resist air and moisture as well as traditional plastic.

In addition, a few ecologically safe alternatives are actually more polluting because of the way they are processed. To decrease paper weight while still ensuring durability, many paper manufacturers work on improving starch paste, some of which now contain formaldehyde. Safer variants free from the toxic chemical are also available but at a higher cost.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, retailers and suppliers of Packaging & Paper Products including hologram, label & tag, packaging materials, paper & pulp, & other HDPE sacks etc.

New Packaging Technology, Large Shipping Boxes and Environmental Concerns

New technology has come about utilizing traditional renewable energy sources such as trees and timber. It appears that paper might be going through a process of rebirth as modern societies realize the importance of trees and vegetation for human life and recreation. Part of the gradual transition back to basics is due to the fact that the long-term effects of using petroleum-based technology for packaging prove detrimental. While the quality and strength of plastics is undoubted, their decomposition and bio-degradation time sometimes ranges in the thousands of years and this is a major concern.

An example are multi-wall bags - one of the veterans of the packaging industry. Their proliferation has accompanied societies from inception of industrialization to modern times. They face challenges as related to some quality characteristics such as providing grease and moisture barriers for various products and manufacturing demands. Meeting these demands, together with the growing opposition of using trees as paper raw material naturally opened widely the door for plastics. Some of them are manufactured from waste in oil refineries etc. and they are virtually indestructible. Plastics, in turn, introduce a number of new problems which appear to be circling back to the realization that while cutting trees is bad, this could be compensated with a tree-planting strategy. What is more, statistical data shows the forests in the US have increased by almost forty percent over the passed one hundred years and by about 10 million acres in the last twenty years. Some paper is manufactured following guidelines and certification by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative - it mandates that for every tree used, two new ones are planted. Alas this data is only good for the US and is not quite representative since much of the packaging supplies and the large shipping boxes are manufactured overseas.

Certain newer packaging provides grease, moisture etc protection without the use of poly liner. This makes the new product fully recyclable which combined with the fact that it is produced from around ninety percent renewable materials makes it a viable alternative to old-school paper and plastics. Certain aspects of this manufacturing process employ proprietary, patented nano-technology via which water-based coating is applied to the walls of the paper. This coating bonds with the material and insulates it from water and gases. Furthermore, protection levels against moisture and oil can be adjusted according to product or legal requirements. Another great benefit is that this water-based coated paper recycles better since the bonded coating remains in the fiber throughout the recycling and results in stronger more durable paper. This stronger product can then be utilized as containerboard for production of durable large shipping boxes.

Increase Your Product Quality With Custom Plastic Packaging

Custom plastic packaging is ideally used for catering to the needs of the fast moving consumer goods industry. Interestingly, custom packaging is the most important ingredient for successful and smooth movement of consumer products. The plastic which is used in the packaging material, which in turn is used as consumer goods, is of high quality and it helps preserve food items by increasing their existing shelf life.

In case custom packing is not used, consumer food items would have shorter shelf life as climatic conditions would have an adverse effect on their durability. In the absence of packaging, the food items would start to decay within hours of being processed. Plastic packaging is performed in an environment wherein there is no inclusion of dust or air as that can adversely affect the quality of the food item.

Custom packaging is of various types and it can therefore be classified into various sub-categories. These sub categories are basically aimed at defining the kind of product that they are used to package.

Packaging may include thin shrink, small outline, optical duel, flat no deal, thin micro lead, and several other categories. In order to package day to day consumer goods such as milk, edible items such as chocolates and electronic equipments, the use of industrial packaging material is considered the most effective and durable.

The industry of custom packaging is growing by the day as large companies rely completely on plastic packaging to ensure that their goods are packed appropriately and at a low cost. The reason why plastic manufacturing is on the rise is because large organizations use it as a means of packaging their consumer goods.

While there are several large storing and manufacturing companies which deal with plastic packaging, Tetra pack R is supposed to be the largest of them all. Also known as PET, this organization has special manufacturing procedures that retain good gas as well as humidity while packaging edible goods. This helps in increasing the shelf life of edible consumer goods.

Custom plastic packing is mainly used for packing sport drinks, soft drinks, water, dressing bottles for salad as well as mouthwash. Pickles, jam, peanut butter as well as jelly are also preserved with the aid of this packaging. Another derivative of custom packaging is polyethylene. It is a high density packaging material and is mainly used for storing detergents, shampoos, cosmetics, laundry and trash bags. Even retail bags are made from the same material.

Considered to be a vital business function, plastic packaging is the life line for numerous consumer goods. To avoid environmental pollution, the use of recycled packaging has picked speed in recent years and has come up as the most suitable solution for increasing the existing shelf life of highly perishable consumer goods.

we made-from-india.com have come up with a common platform for all plastic and rubber manufacturers, suppliers, exporters and buyers, to trade with each other at the click of a mouse. A few years back, transactions used to take place ‘on –field’, with both parties sitting face-to-face, before closing the deal. Here, the major plus point is the transaction is taking place ‘on-line’ and you can strike a profitable deal right away. Sitting face-to-face can be done anytime.

How to Select the Best Food Packaging Paper

The Food Packaging industry has undergone a rapid change and with the advent of technology, it has become rather simple and safe to pack and unpack food items and keep proper hygiene for the same. Most food products sold these days are wrapped and packaged in paper as it is the safest and most hygienic way of packing. Most manufacturers and food sellers wrap up food products and fruits in paper, which is evidently used since the 2nd century BC. Paper packaging is not new and will certainly remain for several years to come. Before one decides to select the best food wrapping paper, one needs to check for the food type that is to be packed and the best quality of paper which can withhold the same and retain its freshness.

Wax Packaging

Wax packaging has been appreciated by a lot of people because its consistency meets the standards of food packaging needs making it an optimum choice. The wax being applied on the covering materials helps to increase the overall strength of the material, there by enhancing its quality, as well. Depending upon the acceptance of wax packaging, there are various manufacturers that have introduced wax paper packet in the market which are quite durable and Eco friendly also.

While choosing the best food packaging paper, people should always make sure that paper should meet the requirement so that they can have the benefit of eating healthy food. These days, paper comes in different styles and people can choose the best one depending upon the quality and their requirement. People can easily cover every kind of food stuff ranging from bread products to other poultry products like chicken and red meat. So, make sure you keep this information in mind and choose the best food packaging paper so as to enjoy healthy food.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, retailers and suppliers of Packaging & Paper Products including hologram, label & tag, packaging materials, paper & pulp, & other HDPE sacks etc.

Rust Preventative Paper and Packaging

In many cases, rust can happen to metal tools and parts that are exposed to moisture and oxygen over time.Metal corrodes, or "breaks down" due to chemical reactions caused by atmosphere and surroundings. Oxidation of iron atoms weakens metals.When metal reacts with water and oxygen over a period of time, it loses electrons, and this loss results in the iron becoming weak, corroded, and rust covered. Fork Truck exhaust, heat treatments, and other by-products from the metal manufacturing process especially sulfurous gases, acid vapors, and ammonia gases can also contribute to rust. Those processes and environmental changes such as humidity, long periods of time spent in storage, and transportation accelerate the rust.

Preventing Rust Before it Starts: Why is it important to use rust frustrative VCI paper and rust preventative VCI packaging?

Rust and corrosion contribute to waste-of both metal parts and money for businesses and consumers. Rust and corrosion is both unsightly and can greatly damage and weaken the structural integrity of metal parts, causing them to become unusable.

Some metal parts manufacturing and metal forming companies use rust frustrative oils instead of rust frustrative paper to prevent metal pieces and parts from corrosion and rust. The R.P. oils act as a barrier or coating between the metal and the elements, shielding parts and pieces from salt, moisture, air, gases, and contaminants. These R.P. oils are effective in preventing rust and corrosion, but have negative side effects.

Let's compare R.P. oils to a rust preventative paper alternative.

R.P. Oils:Both time consuming and labor intensive to apply rust frustrative oils, usually by spraying, dipping, or brushing on metal parts.

Rust Preventative VCI Paper: Green VCI paper and poly bags are easy to use and require very little labor, as parts are simply wrapped in paper or placed in a Green VCI poly bag and remain corrosion-free for years.

R.P. Oils:Rust frustrative oils pollute groundwater, lakes, and streams.

Rust Preventative VCI Paper:VCI bags are clean, dry, and safe for the environment.

R.P. Oils: To effectively dispose of storage containers and R.P. oil soaked items can be very costly.

Rust Preventative VCI Paper:Rust frustrative VCI paper is completely 100% recyclable, and VCI poly bags can be reused and/or recycled.

R.I. Oils:These oils can take a toll on employee health (they're known to contain carcinogens), VOC's, and cause slip and fall accidents.

Rust Preventative Paper: VCI Bags and paper have no harmful VOCs.The packaging is effective in that rust preventive paper bags are pre-coated with rust inhibiting chemicals, which migrate off the paper onto the metal surface. These molecules cover the entire metal surface and prevent moisture and air from corroding and rusting parts.No mess, no danger to employees.

VCI paper prevent corrosion that can lead to waste, and part failure. Corrosion is responsible for damage to automobile electronic parts, computer parts, mobile phones and more. During production, storage, or shipping, corrosion protection is equally important. Learn more about the many advantages of VCI bags and rust frustrative paper and packaging.

Environmentally Friendly Packaging Solutions For Everyday

At some point, everyone needs packaging solutions for shipping something to a friend or relative in another city or state. Shipping outlets are particularly busy during the holiday seasons which typically begin sometime in early November or late October. There are many different styles and types of shipping containers and the packaging materials a shipping company could provide to their customers in order to make sure their items arrive safely and securely to their destination.

What many of the consumers are concerned about, besides their items getting to there destination undamaged and on time, is that the company they choose to ship them is Eco-friendly. Many packaging companies are cutting down on the amount of paper, wrapping and covering they use to insure that the items are safe. This doesn't mean that a consumers item are any less safe, they are simply packaged tighter and smaller in order to save on excess shipping materials.

One of the things a shipping company is doing to help the environment is to stay away from is the Styrofoam packaging peanuts. These are non-biodegradable which means they will last in a landfill if not recycled for years and years. Recycling them is one option a shipping company has and many of them will encourage their customers to return their unwanted packing peanuts to be used again in someone Else's package.

Bubble wrap and plastics are another concern of those who want to make the earth a better place for those who come behind us. Reusing and recycling this type of plastic is one of the answers. Another is to use recycled plastic wraps to begin with. There are several major companies that manufacture plastic packaging materials that are made from plastic bottles and plastic shopping bags as well as other materials. Once someone receives a package with this type of recycled plastic wrap in it, they could then used again and again.

A packaging design is going to be smaller and more compact in order to accommodate a smaller amount of packaging material but the same size item. There is really no need for an item to be shipped in a large box with a lot of air. Air is never a good cushion for breakables. There are air-bag style packaging supplies that some shipping companies use and again, these are made of thinner plastic in order to use fewer resources and to be more recyclable.

Packaging boxes could be returned to a shipping store after someone receives a gift in order to help recycle. That box could be used several more times as long as it holds out and with the packaging tape as thick as it is, this should not be a problem. A shipping outlet will make sure that a box is securely taped on all corners and at all openings so that nothing will fall out or get caught during processing or handling.

People ship all kinds of items everyday and there are a few things that can not be shipped. These would include anything that is dangerous such as flammable liquids or sharp objects. These items pose a hazard to the carriers who handle and deliver the packages in addition to the drivers. It is imperative that a customer be honest and upfront about what they are shipping. The best way to ship anything is to leave it unwrapped and out of the box and allow the professionals at a shipping store to package it up and ready it for shipping. They will know exactly how much paper and padding an item will need in order to arrive in one piece and not over do it.

www.made-from-india.com maintains a database for manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, retailers and suppliers of Packaging & Paper Products including hologram, label & tag, packaging materials, paper & pulp, & other HDPE sacks etc.

Packaging solutions for everyday needs can be found at a packaging store that specializes in using recycled materials and using less. When it comes to saving the environment, using less packaging materials and reusing what's already out there is the best option for those who want to help out Mother Earth.