It’s a fact: from food to face masks, pretty much all physical products need some kind of packaging. Whether it’s purely for postage purposes, or because your product needs protection, packaging is hugely important in the retail sector. Packaging is important for a whole host of reasons – from increasing awareness of your brand to product recognition to ensuring safe delivery of your goods. But as concern about climate change gains traction, so do worries about packaging – from the type of materials to the amount of packaging in circulation. But there are plenty of comparatively sustainable packaging materials out there that can improve your business’s eco-friendly credentials.
As the UK’s leading packaging supplier, we know a thing or two about sustainable packaging materials. Here’s our guide to keep you up to date with the latest trends and types of eco-friendly packaging materials you can use in your business.
Sustainable Packaging Materials – What’s Best?
Glass Packaging
Glass is typically considered the most eco friendly material out there. As well as being fully recyclable, it’s made from abundant natural materials such as sand. This means it doesn’t use up our precious natural resources in production. Consumers love glass, too, because it has a premium look and feel that’s difficult to replicate with other materials.
But while there are lots of benefits to glass, it can be less sustainable than other packaging materials when it comes to despatching and transporting your goods. Glass is typically heavier than other packaging materials, so it costs more to send. This also means you can send fewer units in one journey – and more journeys mean a higher carbon footprint.
Eco-Friendly Plastic Packaging
Plastic has a pretty bad reputation as a sustainable packaging material, but if you use the right kind of plastic, it can be a great choice for a whole host of products. Eco-friendly plastics like recycled PET or post-consumer recycled HDPE offer all the benefits of regular plastic, but are made from products that have already been used and recycled. That means we use fewer virgin plastics, which has a great environmental impact.
Both PET and HDPE plastic are strong and shatterproof, so you can transport your goods without risking breakages. PET in particular is a great alternative to glass packaging, as it’s totally transparent and has a premium finish. Both plastic types are also lightweight, so you can transport more items in a single shipment. This will help you reduce your carbon footprint. Best of all, both rPET and PCR HDPE are fully recyclable time after time!
Aluminium Packaging
Shiny aluminium offers a totally different look to both glass and plastic – and it’s a great eco-friendly packaging material. Aluminium retains its quality and integrity no matter how many times it’s been recycled. This makes it a great option for high-end products that look great in shiny aluminium jars or bottles.
Like plastic, aluminium is lighter than glass, so it offers cheaper, more eco-friendly despatch processes. However, also like plastic, the processes involved in creating aluminium from scratch can be harmful to the environment. It’s important to be mindful of where your packaging materials come from before you buy.
Which Is The Best Option For My Product Or Brand?
At Ampulla, we offer all three of these eco-friendly packaging materials in a huge range of forms so you can pick the option that works best for you. We’ve got years of experience in the packaging industry, so when it comes to choosing your perfect sustainable packaging, we’d recommend taking a few things into consideration.
First, your brand aesthetic. It’s important to ensure your packaging matches your brand look, whether that’s sleek and minimalist or bright and colourful. Our recycled PET bottles are available in a range of colours as well as classic clear, so shop our range here. For vintage or retro style brands, glass may be the best fit.
Affordability is also key. It’s not just about the price per packaging unit – you should also take despatch costs into account. Glass is heavier than aluminium and plastic, so it’s more expensive to post.
Other things to consider include ease of labelling, opacity of your bottle or jar, the type of dispenser cap you want to use and whether your product needs additional protection from light or air. No matter what you need from your sustainable packaging materials, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for in our extensive eco-friendly range.