Is corrugated maximising its environmental credentials vs plastic?

Circular_by_nature

Does ‘circular by nature’ say it all? It is clever, simple and compelling. But is it too narrow? The environmental mantra is to “reduce, reuse, recycle, and renew”. Corrugated has all these bases covered. That is a rare advantage in today’s world.

Folks understand corrugated boards contain re-use: recycled fibres make medium and most liners. Consumers like to recycle corrugated because it’s easy. FSC shows we renew. Environmental and commercial benefits align, lowering costs by doing the right thing.

Reduce seems neglected. I don’t get this, as there are several options. Selecting an appropriate board grade in a standard size is a start. There is more choice than a single wall or double wall! Many styles have been developed for specific uses around typical-sized items – this reduces void-fill needs.

And then there is fully bespoke given the ease of customising corrugated. Making bespoke has fantastic cost benefits. The right size and strength = less fibre, manufacturing, transport and recycling. Selling ‘less’ through custom products makes sense for one-off and repeat sales.

I’m left feeling there is a better story for corrugated than this.

Share This Post

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get updates on new innovation

More To Explore

Blog

What do customers want from a packaging audit?

Packaging audits have become popular with sellers of corrugated and associated packaging products. An added value (no charge) service to help customers reduce packaging costs. Also,

Keep sales and estimating separate
Blog

Who sets your prices?

Pricing is important. It affects whether you win the sale and the profit you make. The right process can cut staff costs, raise selling prices