Why Use Eco-Friendly Packaging? What Is Eco-Friendly Packaging? Is Using Eco-Friendly Materials Always Eco-Friendly Packaging? Through this article, you will learn about the definition of eco-friendly packaging, several common eco-friendly materials, and examples of using eco-friendly packaging. Keep reading!

I. Why Use Eco-Friendly Packaging? According to the Green Alliance, about 12.2 million tons of plastic waste cannot be properly disposed of each year, causing great damage to the environment. A survey conducted by PackHelp, a sustainable packaging startup in Poland, found that 30% of consumers are willing to spend more money to buy products with sustainable and environmentally friendly concepts. Therefore, in recent years, many companies have begun to think about how to solve the problem at the source - by using eco-friendly packaging.

II. What Is Eco-Friendly Packaging? There are countless definitions of eco-friendly packaging. What kind of packaging can be called eco-friendly packaging? According to Packaging Engineering Journal, eco-friendly packaging materials refer to "materials that are easy to use, do not cause too much harm to the environment during production, use, and recycling, and can degrade themselves or achieve recycling and reuse after use, in compliance with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)."

It is worth noting that many people think that as long as eco-friendly materials are used as packaging materials, it can be called eco-friendly packaging, ignoring the source and production process of eco-friendly materials, which may have an impact on the environment.

In other words, when we think about eco-friendliness, we cannot only use whether the product is recyclable as the only criterion. We should also consider the production process and even the transportation process before we see the actual product to achieve true eco-friendliness!

So how can we design a truly environmentally friendly packaging? We can consider the following three aspects:

(I) Material: Are native organic materials or recyclable materials used? (II) Production process: Is the process and supply chain minimized to effectively reduce carbon footprint? (III) Reusability: Can it be reused effectively to extend the usage cycle?

In short, using eco-friendly materials does not mean it is true eco-friendly packaging!

 

As consumers, we should keep our eyes open and understand whether the brands we support are truly fulfilling their social responsibility or just using environmental protection as a promotional tool.

As brands, we should carefully examine every aspect of our products and packaging, choose our suppliers and materials wisely, and take on our social responsibility.