Discover Eco Friendly Postal Packaging.
With online orders increasing dramatically, demand for environmentally friendly postal packaging is high, as customers wish to make an effort to live more sustainably.
Sustainable packaging of online goods is a hot topic amongst businesses and consumers right now, but what does it actually mean? According to a recent survey by whistl, 75% of UK consumers would like less packaging to be used for their online orders, with 92% of customers describing eco-friendly postal packaging as something that can be recycled.
Whilst recyclable packaging for online orders is brilliant, we also believe that truly sustainable packaging should be sourced, manufactured, shipped and used with as little environmental impact as possible. Recyclability is just one of the factors we consider when sourcing our postal packaging products, but there are in fact many more ways in which postal packaging can be made more sustainable and environmentally friendly. This includes using fully recycled materials, using less water consuming manufacturing processes, finding less carbon emitting delivery methods and using more environmentally friendly materials with biodegradable or recyclable properties. Our long term goal is to be able to source and supply packaging that meets with each of these criteria.
It’s easy to see why recyclable paper based packaging is seen as the most eco-friendly type of packaging, but unfortunately it is not entirely as environmentally friendly as it may first appear. It is estimated that approximately 3 billion trees are cut down each year to be pulped for paper based packaging. Our future aim is to work towards using only FSC approved recycled paper materials for manufacturing our ecommerce packaging range, as this would help reduce the number of trees needed to create new packaging products. We continue to work towards this and hope to create a demand for more sustainable packaging whilst also being mindful of potential cost implications for our customers .
We are also keen on expanding our range of biodegradable packaging items such as our cornstarch bags, to offer more sustainable alternatives to paper based envelopes and boxes. Cornstarch packaging is made from corn, which is defined as a sustainable crop as it is renewable, easy to grow, and requires little water and energy to process. It makes a good alternative to plastic as it is fully biodegradable. This is much better for the environment compared to plastic packaging where it is estimated that less than 14% of the 86 million tonnes of plastic packaging is recycled globally (Vox.com)
If your business is looking for more sustainable packaging, here we take a look at some examples of eco friendly postal packaging available at Inca UK…
Examples of eco friendly postal packaging - # 1 Wholesale eco-friendly mailing bags.
0296 is our bestselling wholesale postal bag which measures 24cm x 30cm. This kraft paper envelope has earnt it’s sustainable packaging credentials as not only is it made from recycled paper, but it is fully recyclable at home too. This wholesale postal packaging is perfect for sending lightweight products such as small accessories, jewellery, gifts, certificates, paperwork or artwork. As this eco friendly postal envelope is classed as a Royal Mail large letter it is popular with ecommerce retailers looking to reduce postage costs.
Examples of eco friendly postal packaging - # 2 Biodegradable postal packaging.
Our brand new compostable bags are made from 100% cornstarch which is fully biodegradable. Using our eco-friendly packaging supplies helps to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill as these bags will take 3-6 months to fully decompose without a trace! These compostable packaging bags have all the useful properties of plastic as they are durable, waterproof and strong, but none of the environmental impact. Just add an address and they can be used on their own as mailing bags, or place inside any of our other outer postal packaging boxes such as our fold flat gift boxes, for the complete environmentally friendly postal packaging solution.
Examples of eco friendly postal packaging - # 3 Recyclable postal boxes
Large Letter Boxes
For online retailers posting smaller items, we have a range of fold flat recyclable postal cardboard boxes which are designed to fit through a letterbox. These recyclable postal packaging boxes are currently available in 3 sizes - and measure just 2cm deep to ensure they are letterbox friendly and can be sent as a Royal Mail large letter - 1308, 1309, 1310. These fully recyclable postal boxes are great examples of sustainable postal packaging.
Small Parcel Boxes
If you’re looking for wholesale supplies of postal packaging for small parcels, try 0295. This fold flat postal packaging box is quick to assemble and can be made up in seconds. The quality cardboard ensures that any contents inside are well protected and that your goods will be well presented when they arrive at their final destination. These environmentally friendly postal packaging boxes take up little storage space for online retailers, and can easily be recycled at home by the customer.
Our brand new magnetic boxes are popular with online retailers looking for hamper boxes for their business. These sturdy hamper gift boxes are easy to assemble and have a magnetic closure to secure the lid in place. They are supplied as empty hamper boxes, but can be filled with any products you wish - food, cosmetics, clothing, gifts - the list is endless! These cardboard hamper boxes are fully recyclable once the magnets are removed, but their high quality means that they can also be reused by the end user as storage boxes or gift boxes for new recipients. They are currently available in kraft and black.