Rigid packaging is not pliable, which means you cannot bend or twist it like flexible packaging. It’s a sturdy material that gives things shape and helps them stand on their own. Its materials include things like cardboard and plastic boxes, cans and bottles, and jars made from glass or metal. Using cardboard or paperboard boxes out of other rigid materials is increasing. The reason is these packaging materials provide more opportunities in terms of customization. You can get them in any shape or size and print them with your desired patterns. These rigid box materials are good for nature as well.
Introduction
It doesn’t matter what you’re selling. You’ll always need some sort of packaging for it. You may wonder what type of packaging you should use: plastic, paper, glass, or aluminium. Rigid packaging is also a wonderful option. If you employ it for your products, it creates a good impact on the environment. To design eco-friendly packaging in the present day, one must first consider how it will fit into the supply chain. From raw materials used to the delivery networks, this is a matter that affects every part of the packaging industry. Here we are going to discuss how such packaging can reduce the impact on the environment:
1. Analysis of Rigid Packaging Life Cycle
To create products with less impact on the environment, designers can utilize a life cycle analysis process. It’s a thorough check of the money and resources that go into making the rigid packaging, from start to finish. This includes the first parts of the life cycle, like getting the raw materials and making them. It also consists of the final product’s distribution, use, collection, and disposal when its use and transportation phases are over.
But it will take a lot of work to fully understand how this affects the natural world. You can also check out the latest trends in luxury rigid boxes to find out more. At each step of the packaging process, carbon emissions are made, which add to the total carbon dioxide emissions. With LCA, you can step back and look at it from a different point of view. So you can see where you can improve and how far you’ve come.
2. Reduce Packaging Volume
The best way to make custom packaging less bad for the environment is to use as few materials as possible. You can do something with this if you can’t switch to something else. Remove any extra layers, tapes, or glues from your packaging if you want to use less. You could also use embossing or direct printing in the mould of the luxury rigid boxes instead of labels. Another way to save space and cut down on waste when packing is to stop using polystyrene blocks or bubble wrap as fillers. Another way is to reduce the amount of air between the layers of packaging. You can also design cardboard boxes so that they collapse during transport. They will take less space; hence you can load more in a go.
3. Sustainable Materials for Rigid Packaging
Using sustainable raw materials and packaging is the easiest way to reduce your impact on the environment. Moreover, you do not have to bring any change in your supply chain. Materials made from plants, such as wood and bamboo, are sustainable as they renew over time. Other common sustainable materials may include recycled plastic, aluminium, steel, or other materials. The most common materials for rigid boxes are plastic, paper, and cardboard. The Centre for International Environmental Law found that making one kg of plastic puts 3.5 kg of carbon dioxide into the air. Instead, paper and cardboard can have a small carbon footprint if made in a way that is good for the environment.
However, never forget that cutting down trees is the second most important cause of greenhouse gases. Thus, recycling custom rigid boxes are the best option to reduce the need to cut down trees. Recycling is sustainable as it reduces the need for virgin materials at the start and landfill space at the end. It is possible to recycle paper and cardboard multiple times, though not forever.
4. Select Eco-Friendly Committed Suppliers
When companies check in with verification agencies, they can get certification for their environmental practices. Your brand can make a smart step in the right way by working with suppliers who care about the environment. For example, labels like the EU Eco-label are important to look for. This label shows that a product is good for the environment because it meets the ISO 14024 standard. You can search for it online if you are new to this ISO term. One way to get this label is to look at how rigid boxes affect the environment over their whole lifecycle. The ISO 14001 standards allow firms to set up an effective system for managing the environment. However, it needs systems to constantly assess and review key actions that may impact the environment.
5. Make Changes to Your Supply Chain Circle
Let’s say a French luxury brand sells items in bamboo and cardboard custom-printed boxes. The trees used to make cardboard come from forests in Germany. The other packaging material, bamboo, comes from forests in South Korea. Then, the boxes are made in China and sent to Poland for engraving and printing. In the end, they are sent to a warehouse in France for sale. By making shipping easier and faster, we can greatly cut the damage that packaging does to the environment.
Nearshoring is the process of moving a factory or other business operation closer to a target market. Omni-shoring, on the other hand, is the process of spreading production across multiple locations. It means you can bring together your supply chain, but not in one country or under one set of rules. Instead, it will spread over many countries and take many forms as it affects each step of production.
Conclusion
The product lifecycle connects the customers, luxury brands, suppliers, and transporters. So, keeping track of each step is important to reduce the damage rigid packaging does to the environment. You can find sustainable materials that can be used again or that can be recycled. You can also look closely at your product’s life cycle to see where you can make changes. Setting up a factory near your target market is also a good way to save money, time, and carbon emissions.