One of the most sustainable options for packaging is cardboard; we are surrounded by it constantly, from the deliveries which arrive at our door to the takeaway lunch from the local deli. It is one of the few materials which is strong enough to protect delicate items during transport and storage but is also 100% recyclable, renewable, reusable and biodegradable.
As we all become more conscious of the impact we are having on the environment, sustainability is a subject which is growing in importance to both businesses and consumers. With 64% of consumers wanting easily recyclable packaging, cardboard is becoming the best option due to its versatility and the ease at which we can all recycle it by simply flattening and adding it to the recycling bin.
A Sustainable Option For The Modern World
Packaging is now as vital as ever; with so many people choosing to shop online, the number of deliveries has increased hugely. The need for robust, lightweight packaging alternatives to plastic has understandably grown in importance, especially with businesses following the ban on plastic waste exports and the plastic tax.
This is where cardboard boxes have come into their own, as not only a cheaper option but also the right option that significantly reduces a business’s impact on the environment. Unlike other packaging options, cardboard boxes have a long life span, either in its present state or in a recycled form.
Cardboard – A Certified Solution
The majority of new paper in the UK comes from certified sources and is never from tropical rainforests. The FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) or the PEFC (the program for the endorsement of forest certification) set international standards to ensure forests are managed sustainably and that trees are planted to replace the ones that are felled. Usually, planting three new trees for every one felled.
This certification of sustainability is often displayed on packaging and is something which influences the purchases of many of today’s consumers.
Not Just Sustainable But Also Biodegradable
Cardboard is made from paper pulp engineered into layers of paper to form the corrugated cardboard you are familiar with. This structure creates a robust and versatile material that can be designed into a vast array of sizes and strengths to cover the requirements of every business, whether they are selling eggs or doors.
Amazingly more than 80% of the cardboard we use in the UK is recycled! Even when the cardboard has been used frequently, it can still be recycled not just once but many times, making it the most widely recycled type of packaging material. Even if the worst should happen and the cardboard sadly ends up in a landfill, unlike other packaging materials which we see piled high throughout the world; it will simply biodegrade. Returning to the earth as it would have as a tree.
There are many ways to package items, but the most versatile and sustainable has to be cardboard. Its sturdy structure means it can be used again and again for storage, transport or even as a fort! Then easily recycled multiple times into many different forms. When its life does come to an end, it will just return to the earth—making cardboard a great sustainable option.
