Sustainable solutions are important for the future of our planet. As a small business owner, you may have learned how your products or services negatively impact the environment, and you may be looking for ways to reduce your footprint. One of the best ways to do this is by introducing sustainable packaging solutions. 

Sustainable packaging is any type of packaging that minimizes environmental impact throughout all of its life cycle stages: sourcing, development, use, and disposal. By choosing a sustainable packaging solution, you’ll not only do your part in helping the environment, but you’ll experience some of these other benefits as well:

Sound enticing? Below, we’ll explore some of the most sustainable, cost-effective packaging solutions your company can adopt. 

Best Sustainable and Cost-Effective Packaging Solutions

From recycled plastics to seaweed packaging, there are many unique sustainable packaging solutions on the market. However, there are a few that are more cost-effective than the rest, getting you a little more bang for your buck. 

1. Packaging Made with Recycled Cardboard and Paper

Cardboard boxes and paper bags are an industry favorite for packaging, and since they’re both made from natural materials, they’ve long been applauded for their eco-friendliness. However, in this circumstance, it’s important to remember that a sustainable material must be eco-friendly throughout its entire lifecycle, and one of the flaws of standard cardboard and paper packaging is its sourcing. Each year, millions of trees are cut down and tons of energy is used to produce paper bags — even more energy than is used to make plastic bags. 

Therefore, a more sustainable packaging solution is to source post-consumer or post-industrial recycled cardboard and paper. This is also a cost-effective solution because it’s less expensive to reuse and recycle materials than it is to source new ones. 

2. Packaging Made with Organic Fabrics

Many businesses have started to offer reusable fabric bags, a great sustainable option for a variety of reasons. First, it ends the need to continuously purchase single-use paper or plastic bags. Although a reusable bag will cost you more in the short term, it will reduce your operating costs tremendously in the long term. 

Second, reusable bags can help build brand awareness and loyalty. If you offer a reusable bag with a cool design or company logo on it, customers can show it off to other potential customers who may be interested in your product. 

In order to make fabric reusable bags even more eco-friendly, consider using organic fabric materials, such as: 

  • Hemp
  • Organic or recycled cotton
  • Palm leaves
  • Bamboo linen

These materials will biodegrade entirely in about 100 days, instead of the 10,000 years it would take a standard plastic bag to degrade. 

3. Poly Bags Made with Plant-Based Additives

In regards to sustainable and cost-effective packaging solutions, custom poly bags with plant-based additives win in every category. The renewable resources used to manufacture them provide many of the qualities desired in man-made polymers: strength, durability, and affordability. They’re a great option for small business owners like you, looking to boost your customer base, save your money, and help your planet. Here’s why:

  • Reduced waste – With custom poly bags, you’re able to customize your quantity and design, ensuring you’ll have the exact number of bags you need, and the exact space you need to fill them appropriately. 
  • Lightweight – Poly bags weigh much less than other packaging options, so they’ll save you money on production and shipping costs. 
  • Recyclable and biodegradable – Poly bags made with plant-based additives are recyclable in closed-loop systems where the material is known. They’re also biodegradable, reducing the reliance on fossil fuels by up to 20%. 

A-Pac Manufacturing cares about helping small businesses like yours find more sustainable packaging options that won’t break your budget. That’s why we’re now offering NuPlastiQ poly bags to interested customers. NuPlastiQ, a plant-based product, can be mixed with our versatile formula to create durable poly bags with up to 20% less fossil fuels. Contact our team to discuss this eco-friendly packaging solution.

How to Choose the Right Poly Bag to fit your needs cta