Protect Your Products and Boost Sustainability with Eco-Friendly Packaging.

One of these combinations is not like the rest: Oil and water. Day and night. Protection for fragile items and eco-friendly packaging. Spoiler alert: if you guessed the last one, you're right.

There’s a myth that packaging a fragile item with various forms of padding isn't eco-friendly. We’re here to tell you that belief is, in fact, entirely wrong. As one out of 10 packages arrives damaged, the perceived sustainability hit from protective packaging pales in comparison to the environmental impact of returning, repackaging, and then reshipping a new product.

That's why it's critical to securely nestle fragile goods inside their respective boxes. Think about it: all it takes is just one accidental drop to damage or completely break an item before it reaches its final destination. And the last thing you want is a customer to enthusiastically unbox brand-new champagne glasses to find a pile of shattered glass instead.

No matter how delicate an item is, there are numerous eco-friendly packaging solutions to guarantee its arrival in pristine condition. Even better, these packaging options are made from recycled material, can be reused or recycled, and help minimize environmental impact. Best of all, incorporating one (or all) of these solutions helps companies like yours showcase a commitment to sustainability.

Here are three eco-friendly packaging options to ensure even the most delicate items travel safely and remain intact:

Pass the Paper

Paper packaging may be the simplest way to encourage consumers to recycle post-delivery. The material itself keeps items cradled and fills space to minimize movement in transit. Then on the consumer's end, paper can be easily separated and placed into a recycling bin.

Take sustainability one step further and use recycled paper. For example, Easypack^Ⓡ Paper is 100% recyclable, made from 100% recycled materials, and is completely reusable — a rare triple-win for sustainability. It’s also FSC-certified, meaning the Forest Services Council independently verified the chain of custody of materials to ensure it is eco-friendly, recyclable, and doesn’t contribute to deforestation. In case it doesn’t make it into a recycling bin, Easypack Paper is also biodegradable.

Air Pillows: Extra Cushion, Less Weight

Reducing a package’s overall weight can help reduce the fuel needed for transport. That’s why lightweight air pillows are a great eco-friendly packaging option. The AirSpeed inflatable air pillows include recycling information printed directly on the products. All Pregis Air Pillows minimise waste by using the minimal amount of film resin, and ship flat increased efficiency, and are inflatable on demand at your fulfilment centre.

Packaging to Protect

Inflated air cushions, which cradle items that are light to medium weight during short trips, can be recycled too.  Our AirSpeed inflatable air pillows are an easy to produce, cost effective and efficient way to provide void-fill or blocking and bracing to protect products during transit. Air cushions are stored as rolls of film and inflated on-demand to save valuable space in your packaging environment. This eco-friendly packaging features a square pattern to redistribute shock, and fits neatly into boxes.

Protect the Environment While Protecting Your Shipments

Remember: Eco-friendly packaging and protecting fragile items aren't mutually exclusive. By choosing materials that are recycled and recyclable, companies can minimize damage to the planet while ensuring purchases get to their destinations intact. At the same time, making eco-friendly packaging choices is a surefire way to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to sustainability.

Need more insight? Send in your details through our proprietary EcoGauge calculator which allows us to assess the environmental impact of your current solutions so you can learn the true cost of your damaged shipments.

Looking to cushion a breakable without breaking the environment?

Contact Pregis