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How to Make Your Packaging More Sustainable

The easiest sustainability win is using less material, then switching to materials your customers can recycle. This guide starts with right-sizing boxes and then shows low-risk swaps: paper void fill, water-activated paper tape, recycled-content boxes and mailers, and thinner high-performance stretch film. It explains why single-material packages recycle more easily and why every change should be drop-tested first. It also warns against claims like “eco-friendly” or “biodegradable” that you can’t prove.

Use less material first, then switch to materials your customers can recycle. Fewer, simpler changes beat a big claim you can't back up.

Steps

Find out what is driving the change: a customer request, a corporate goal, or a state packaging law. Ask what they will measure.
Right-size your boxes. Less empty space means less corrugated, less void fill, and lower freight.
Switch the easy items using the table below. Start with void fill and tape, which are low-risk swaps.
Keep each package to one material where you can, such as a paper box with paper fill and paper tape. Mixed materials are harder to recycle.
Test every change with a drop test before rolling it out. A greener package that breaks products is not a win.
Only make claims you can prove, such as percent recycled content or “curbside recyclable” where that is true.

Current item	Lower-impact option	Watch for
Plastic air pillows or bubble wrap	Paper void fill or paper cushioning	Paper can be heavier and bulkier to store
Plastic carton tape	Water-activated paper tape	Needs a gummed tape dispenser
Virgin corrugated	Boxes with recycled content	Confirm the strength rating still fits the load
Poly mailers	Paper mailers or poly mailers with recycled content	Paper mailers resist water less
Thick stretch film	Thinner high-performance film with machine pre-stretch	Run a load test before switching

Common Mistakes

Calling packaging “eco-friendly” or “biodegradable” without proof. The FTC Green Guides cover these claims.
Switching fragile or heavy products to paper fill without testing, which leads to damage.
Changing everything at once instead of starting with the items you buy most.

Call S&S When

You have a customer or corporate sustainability goal, or want to test paper fill, water-activated tape, or recycled-content boxes on your own products.

S&S Incorporated · Packaging made easy since 1965 21300 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44117 216-383-1880 · info@sspkg.com · www.sspackaging.com Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–3:30 PM

How to Make Your Packaging More Sustainable

Use less material first, then switch to materials your customers can recycle. Fewer, simpler changes beat a big claim you can't back up.

Common Mistakes

Call S&S When

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