We are often asked: Is flexible retail packaging environmentally friendly? We can emphatically say... YES (and we’ll explain in further detail later). Today we will enjoy another Earth Day and will inevitably be reminded of things we could and should be doing to “go green” and “be green." We are proud that flexible retail packaging is doing its part and continues to have such a profound effect on our world. Individually and as groups of people we can and should be doing things proactively to help our environment.
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Environmentally Friendly Packaging and the 5Rs:
What started out as the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) became the 4Rs and now we have the 5Rs! Each time we add a level to this list, it is another reminder of the flexible retail packaging industry and how it can help our world. Earth Day is a great reminder to think differently and try new things that will ultimately help preserve the world around us.
- Refuse
- How many times each day do we see packaging that has a negative impact on our environment? Heavy glass jars that require a ton of energy to make, store, and ship, or massive plastic canisters for protein powder and liquid detergent are used in situations where flexible retail packaging should be considered. This first step puts the power in our hands. As consumers we can refuse to accept retail packaging that won't change with the times. Take back control, invest in companies that care about the environment enough to package their product responsibly.
- Reduce
- Studies have shown that one of the best ways to help our environment is to reduce what we are currently using. Not fancy new film structures that cost 50% more, but changing what we are already using. We're talking about switching from a glass jar to a spouted stand up pouch for baby food, or using a printed stand up bag instead of metal canisters and tins. Not only are these alternatives cheaper than the older style of retail packaging but they ship flat, store flat, require less energy to make, and take up a fraction of the space in your warehouse.
- Reuse
- We all know we can be creative with various items that were once used to hold something else. Flexible retail packaging allows us do just that over and over and over again!
- Recycle
- Environmentally friendly packaging must be recyclable. Flexible packaging is landfill friendly and can be ground up into tiny pellets called regrind which is a major component in making other products such as plastic lumber, park benches, and picnic tables.
- Rot
- There have been major improvements in film structures that can biodegrade over a period of time. The results have been incredible. As far as environmentally friendly packaging that has barrier properties to keep the contents fresh, we are well on our way and very close to being able to say “we’ve got it.” Again, as a society this has to be protective and cost effective.
In closing…as we enjoy another Earth Day, let’s remember the importance of reducing our ecological footprint as much as possible, with recyclable stand up pouches. Remember, It's your product, package it properly... AND... responsibly. Happy Earth Day!
