Consumers are more environmentally aware than ever before in 2020 and this is strongly reflected in their online purchasing power. People want to encourage companies that make a conscious effort to limit overpackaging and reduce their environmental impact.

However, reducing the amount of packaging can be worrisome for for online merchants who want to keep returns to a minimum. After all, one of the causes of overpackaging is the popular belief that a more lightly packaged product will be less well protected.

The reality is that it is entirely possible to create eco-friendly, high-performance packaging that will perfectly protect your products. Find out how in this article!

The right choice of container makes all the difference in overpackaging

The main issue with overpackaging is the excessive use of filler materials. This is due to the fact that many manufacturers use containers, such as crates and boxes, that are too large for the actual size of the product. Consequently, to prevent the product from moving around too much inside the box, it is filled with cushioning material for protective reasons that are considered essential.

If you want to limit overpackaging, you first need to determine box sizes that are suitable for the dimensions of your goods. Analysis of the size of the container is a determining factor and takes into account several aspects such as the ideal position of the product inside, the empty space to be filled, the type of transport chosen and much more.

From this perspective, choosing the right size of boxes, wood crates or trunks will help you save on packaging, storage and shipping costs while avoiding overpackaging the product.

Consider suspension packaging for eco-friendly protection

Suspension packaging is an excellent solution for keeping your fragile or valuable products intact while avoiding overwrapping. This type of packaging is designed to protect the various items from transport shocks by moving them away from the points of impact.

An ultra-resistant plastic film is stretched inside the box for this purpose. This film can hold several items in place during the entire shipping process.

Design packaging for the product to be shipped

Alternatively, another option worth considering is a custom packaging design service. Packaging consultants and their associated industrial design team apply their expertise to suggest the best possible packaging solutions that optimize the resources required while maintaining a high level of performance in terms of protection.

This helps you lower your packaging and product return costs and reduce your environmental footprint without compromising your company’s image.

Choose packaging products that contribute to a circular economy

After re-evaluating the fragility of the items to be shipped, you may find it impossible to reduce the amount of material used to package them without exposing them to serious damage.

However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t design eco-friendly packaging. Consider choosing protective packaging products made from recycled, recyclable and/or reusable materials. This will contribute just as much to the circular economy and reduce your environmental footprint while ensuring that your goods arrive safely at their destination.

Design eco-friendly packaging with Creopack

In short, the first step in limiting overpackaging is making sure you choose the right size shipping boxes to avoid using too much filler material. Moreover, packaging design professionals can recommend high-performance and eco-friendly choices that will provide adequate protection for your products.

At Creopack, we are always available to offer you packaging solutions that take your environmental objectives into consideration. Simply contact us to learn more about our packaging design services.