{"id":71,"date":"2022-06-18T02:09:57","date_gmt":"2022-06-18T02:09:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/?p=71"},"modified":"2022-06-18T17:23:51","modified_gmt":"2022-06-18T17:23:51","slug":"8-eco-friendly-packaging-ideas-for-your-store","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/?p=71","title":{"rendered":"8 Eco-Friendly Packaging Ideas for Your Store"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As consumers become more conscious of their shopping habits, they\u2019re looking not only for eco-friendly products. They\u2019re also concerned about\u00a0sustainable business practices<\/a>\u00a0across the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Millions of items are shipped from Shopify businesses on a daily basis in the United States alone. The way these purchases are packaged and shipped has a major impact on the planet\u2014and customers are taking note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We spoke to eight founders about their sustainability practices, including eco-friendly packaging options and how they\u2019re shipping and fulfilling their orders with the environment in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n

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ADS – Best way to find winning products and research competitor www.droptrends.site<\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

8 eco-friendly packaging tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s dive into each of these eco-friendly packaging ideas, with advice from ecommerce business owners on everything including recyclable packaging, compostables, sustainable alternatives to plastic bags, filler, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Offer carbon-neutral shipping by offsetting emissions <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Eric and Yana Dales met while doing humanitarian aid work in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Being in a garment manufacturing hub, the Dales saw the environmental drain and social impact<\/a> of fast fashion. In response to the unsustainable raw materials, plastic packaging, and poor labor conditions of these companies, they created the fashion company they wanted to see in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
TAMGA Designs co-founder Yana Dales models one of the company\u2019s dresses. TAMGA Designs<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The couple started TAMGA Designs<\/a>, a sustainable clothing brand<\/a> that aims to be style-, people-, and planet-conscious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to not contribute to the deforestation taking place in ancient Indonesian jungles. They found a production partner that produces fabric from sustainably grown eucalyptus and beechwood trees to create pieces colored with low-impact dyes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The TAMGA Designs team: founders Yana Dales and Eric Dales and head designer Anna Valero Domenech. TAMGA Designs<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Still, their garments are sourced in Asia, travel to their facilities in Canada, then ship out to consumers in more than 25 different countries. With all the miles their garments are traveling, the Dales set their sights on becoming a carbon-neutral company. \u201cWe looked at the carbon emissions per kilometer per kilogram of garments on different modes of transportation,\u201d says Eric. \u201cWe have a big spreadsheet, and at the end of the month, we put together a tally and purchase offsets on those emissions.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

TAMGA shares its process openly in the hope of creating systems other businesses will follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Compostable
Compostable and biodegradable garment bags used by TAMGA Designs. TAMGA Designs<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

TAMGA Designs also packages each of its garments in eco-friendly packaging materials, specifically, 100% biodegradable cassava-based mailers. This compostable packaging solution replaces conventional plastic or kraft mailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really important for small businesses to know this isn\u2019t something that is going to take away from their profitability,\u201d Eric says. \u201cIn the long run, we honestly believe it\u2019s a net-positive impact on our bottom line, because customers do see it and they do value it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Ship items in bulk <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Harriet Simonis, David Fragomeni, and Scott Ferguson first became friends while living in Bali. When surfing the local waves, they were distressed to find that the ocean was overflowing with single-use plastic packaging and discarded fishing nets. That moment served as the catalyst to adopt the zero-waste lifestyles they still practice today. As they searched for plastic-free and eco-friendly products<\/a>, they realized something ironic. \u201cA lot of environmentally friendly products come affixed in plastic,\u201d Harriet says. \u201cIt almost undoes the good.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Determined to create an eco-friendly solution, the trio founded Zero Waste Cartel<\/a>, a brand of bath, body, and kitchen products in biodegradable or reusable packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Zero
Zero Waste Cartel\u2019s David Fragomeni, Harriet Simonis, and Scott Ferguson. Zero Waste Cartel<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Their pledge to go plastic-free came with its own set of distinct challenges. For example, Harriet says the company had a hard time finding a warehouse that would actually use the compostable mailers they provided because of the additional time and effort involved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019ve since found a suitable partner in the United States, where most of their orders are placed, which further reduced their environmental impact by shortening the shipping distance between warehouse and customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Assortment
Zero Waste cartel sells a variety of eco-friendly products to replace commonly used disposables. Zero Waste Cartel<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe prefer to ship in bulk, for the dual reason that it\u2019s a better value for customers and better for the environment too,\u201d Harriet says. Zero Waste Cartel only sells its bamboo toothbrushes in packs of 10 to encourage customers to plan their purchases or share orders, so that products can ship in a more sustainable manner<\/a>. What might otherwise seem like an inflexible policy has resonated with Zero Waste Cartel\u2019s customers, who see value in bulk purchases for the planet and their own wallets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Use sustainable packaging materials that can be repurposed <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since 2016, Roth Martin and Stephen (Hawthy) Hawthornthwaite have created high-end, durable, and machine-washable footwear made from plastic water bottles, under the moniker Rothy\u2019s<\/a>. With products that place style and sustainability on equal footing, Rothy\u2019s counts Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle and supermodel Karlie Kloss as fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Five
Rothy\u2019s regularly works with different organizations to design limited edition products, like this collaboration<\/a> with female-founded skate group GRLSWIRL. Rothy’s<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lauren Taflinger, Rothy\u2019s director of production, says the company has recycled and repurposed more than 34 million water bottles to date. Rothy\u2019s production process also knits shoe uppers to shape, which creates virtually zero waste, unlike traditional cutting, where 30% to 40% of material is wasted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like TAMGA Designs, Rothy\u2019s also offsets its carbon emissions from production and fulfillment by partnering with the Envira Amazonia Project<\/a> to fund ecosystem services and forest conservation projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pointed
An array of Rothy\u2019s designs: classic flats, pointed flats, and sneakers. Rothy’s<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rothy\u2019s team took a logical approach to reduce waste<\/a> in its shipping and packaging practices. \u201cRather than shipping a box within a box, our shoeboxes are the vehicle for both shipping and returns,\u201d Lauren says. Rothy\u2019s vegan, biodegradable boxes are made from 85% post-consumer recycled materials. Rothy\u2019s hopes to reduce the additional use of paper cards and make their boxes even more versatile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rothy\u2019s
Rothy\u2019s biodegradable shoeboxes are durable enough to ship on their own. Rothy’s<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to sustainability, Rothy\u2019s take, from products to packaging, is all about reimagining the details so that every component of a customer\u2019s order produces less waste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Offer a returns program for your empty product containers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Visual artists Tara Pelletier and Jeff Kurosaki are the life and business partners behind Meow Meow Tweet<\/a>, an organic skin care company that features adorable animal illustrations on its eco-friendly product packaging<\/a>. The couple\u2019s love of animals, also the motivation behind their vegan lifestyle, eventually inspired them to create products made with organic unrefined plant oils, cold-pressed essential oils, and botanicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rows
The Eucalyptus Lemon deodorant sticks in their compostable kraft paper tubes. Meow Meow Tweet<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jeff and Tara want everything they create to either return back to the earth or be reusable. In pursuit of that goal, they use biodegradable packing peanuts as filler and non-reinforced paper tape throughout their environmentally friendly shipping process. Their solid products, like deodorants, soaps, and lip balms, come in biodegradable kraft packages, while liquid products like cleansers, toners, and sunscreen, are packaged in recyclable packaging like glass or aluminum bottles. Plastic pumps can be recycled by their partner, TerraCycle<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Meow Meow Tweet encourages purchasers of its Everyday Sunscreen to reuse, recycle, or return the product\u2019s aluminum bottle and plastic pump. Meow Meow Tweet<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 The company offers a bulk return program for its empty bottles and containers through Returnly<\/a>, a Shopify app that allows customers to mail back reusable packaging to be sterilized and refilled. With this system in place, customers are embracing the imperfections of dents and scuffs, while reducing the impact of disposable culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Recycle on behalf of your suppliers and offer shipping-friendly items <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 2017, husband and wife team Lily and Max Cameron founded Wild Minimalist<\/a> to offer sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic items. \u201cWe serve this growing community of people who want to move away from mindless consumption of things that end up in a landfill,\u201d says Max. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wild Minimalist sells renewable bamboo cutlery, reusable coffee cups, food packaging like produce bags, and wooden cleaning brushes\u2014simple alternatives to the many disposable items people use every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Owners
Lily and Max Cameron and their son Grant in Wild Minimalist\u2019s retail location in San Anselmo, California. Wild Minimalist<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, US regulations require that items imported into the country be wrapped in plastic, but there\u2019s no requirement for these plastic bags, wrap, and pouches to be recycled. The Camerons now ask suppliers to ship items in their original packaging so that they can complete the recycling process on their behalf and avoid any unnecessary waste caused by repackaging. \u201cWe want to take responsibility for the upstream waste where we can,\u201d says Max.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
A zero-waste starter kit offered by Wild Minimalist includes a French cotton net bag, cotton mesh produce bags, cotton muslin produce bags, beeswax wrappers, a stainless steel lunchbox, a stainless steel tumbler, and bamboo travel utensils. Wild Minimalist<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lily and Max have also adapted their product offerings to ship easier and have a lower carbon footprint. \u201cWe used to carry a lot of glass jars, which are very popular in the zero-waste community,\u201d says Max. But sustainably shipping glass requires bubble wrap cushioning, so the brand no longer carries glass items. From taking responsibility for upstream waste and adjusting their product line, Lily and Max are operating with a sustainability-first mentality in all areas of their business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Work with wholesalers to reduce individual shipments and limit return shipping<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the beauty industry, it seems like there\u2019s an unavoidable trade-off between sustainability and effectiveness. That\u2019s the exact issue Arden Teasdale and Hayley McKenzie, founders of Unwrapped Life<\/a>, set out to tackle. \u201cWe wanted to ensure that any products from our company have very limited to no impact at their end of life,\u201d Arden says. Unwrapped Life\u2019s signature shampoo and conditioner bars come wrapped in compostable packaging, leaving behind virtually no waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
A set of shampoo and conditioner bars from Unwrapped Life. Unwrapped Life<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This no-waste mentality is also being adopted in other areas of the company\u2019s operation. \u201cOur entire packaging process is paperless. We\u2019re fulfilling and shipping orders off of phones and tablets, without printing packing slips,\u201d says Arden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employees have embraced this mentality by ditching single-use plastics and adopting reusable drinkware and compostable coffee filters for the office. \u201cWe’ve all really changed our lifestyles to cater to this company and its mission,\u201d Arden says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Plastic
Eco-friendly packaging from Unwrapped Life, with kraft paper wrapping that can be composted. Unwrapped Life<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Arden and CFO Allison Teasdale are now hard at work finding fulfillment centers that can commit to their strict no-waste and no-plastic policy. In the meantime, beyond their online store, they have stockists all over North America that act as their distributors. Allison says they partnered with many retailers to ship large orders to local stores to reduce their carbon footprint while meeting the demands of their customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Reduce the size of your packaging <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Holy Lamb Organics<\/a> has come a long way since its early days, when founder Willow Whitton sold bedding out of a repurposed school bus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The brand has attracted a loyal following that includes rave reviews from O, The Oprah Magazine<\/em> and Diane Sawyer. Part of the appeal can be attributed to husband-and-wife team Jason and Mindy Schaefer\u2019s steadfast adherence to a zero-waste production process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur production model is carefully designed to make the most effective use of every cut, and any excess in a cut is used for something else,\u201d Mindy says. The same goes for the company\u2019s wool suppliers, who use cardboard rolls and kraft paper for their eco-friendly packaging, while scraps can be sent back to their suppliers to be repurposed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The team of makers behind the mattresses and bedding from Holy Lamb Organics. Holy Lamb Organics<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A
The efficient cutting and repurposing of scraps allow Holy Lamb Organics to achieve a virtually zero-waste production process.Holy Lamb Organics<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to sustainable shipping, the Holy Lamb Organics team has a knack for getting their items to fit into smaller packages\u2014an eco-friendly packaging solution for larger items. \u201cWe keep our boxes as light as possible by not adding extra collateral or material, and vacuum sealing all mattresses so they ship smaller,\u201d says Jason. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For all the other shipping and logistics components they cannot control, Mindy says the team uses a carbon offset program to help mitigate the effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pillow
Minimal packaging and bedding folded to allow products to ship in smaller containers. Holy Lamb Organics<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Up next for the team is exploring fulfillment partners who can help shorten the distance of each shipment by having their products stored at warehouses closer to the majority of their customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Use compostable packaging and mailers <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A big trend in eco-friendly packaging right now is compostable and biodegradable packaging. Speaking to this growing area of focus for many retailers, Hero Packaging<\/a> is a supplier dedicated to making 100% compostable mailers, which replace traditional hard to recycle poly mailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Hero Packaging’s offerings include compostable tape shown here and alternatives to poly mailers. Hero Packaging<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Life and business partners Anaita Sarkar and Vik Dave were originally running a fashion business when they realized how much plastic waste went into fulfilling their orders. \u201cWe were throwing away a lot of packaging from suppliers then having to repackage things again, adding to the world\u2019s plastic and landfill woes,\u201d Vic says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So they took matters into their own hands. \u201cWe did some digging and found out that you can actually have compostable shipping labels and mailers to replace plastic,\u201d says Vik. The material Hero Packaging uses is cornstarch and cassava based. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that business has taken off in their native Australia, Vik and Anaita have begun seeing a large portion of sales of their eco-friendly packaging from North America. To respond to newfound demand, they\u2019re keen to start partnering with fulfillment centers in the US. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were throwing away a lot of packaging from suppliers then having to repackage things again, adding to the world\u2019s plastic and landfill woes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Vik jokes that \u201cbeing a business which is essentially located at the bottom of the Earth makes it difficult to viably ship heavy boxes to different parts of the world.\u201d The couple says their goal for the current financial year is to further reduce their carbon footprint by shipping closer to their customers in the most sustainable way available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take sustainable steps with eco-friendly packaging<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The common thread with all of these brands is a desire to be more environmentally responsible. For some, this commitment offered a way to connect with customers around shared values. For others, the time, energy, and research involved in sourcing sustainable packaging solutions just felt like the right thing to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on your industry, location, and resources, the right packaging and shipping solutions for your business can vary widely. Whatever you choose for your business, know that your efforts will pay off as more and more customers are speaking up for the environment with their dollars.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As consumers become more conscious of their shopping habits, they\u2019re looking not only for eco-friendly products. They\u2019re also concerned about\u00a0sustainable business practices\u00a0across the board. Millions of items are shipped from Shopify businesses on a daily basis in the United States… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":72,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=71"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":113,"href":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71\/revisions\/113"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/72"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=71"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=71"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.droptrends.site\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=71"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}