Here in the UK we have done a tremendous job in reducing our usage of plastic bags and generally making a conscious effort to reduce our use of plastic, particularly when shopping. It was not that long ago that you might have come home from a weekly supermarket shop with 5-10 plastic bags full of groceries. You would then empty your goods into the cupboard and stuff the plastic bags into another plastic bag hanging in a cupboard containing dozens of other plastic bags from previous weeks’ shops – how crazy does that sound now?
Great news for the planet, but in contrast we seem to have gone completely crazy when it comes to parcel deliveries and packaging – the site of Hermes, DPD, DHL and (dare we even say) Amazon vans weaving in and out of streets has become more common than the local bus service, and if you drive along any stretch of motorway around the country you are likely to have seen a huge warehouse being built or recently opened.
We have entered an era of complete packaging explosion, but how damaging is that?
Fortunately the increased use of packaging does not have to have a completely negative impact on the environment, our sales of bubble wrap and plastic based filling for example is being replaced by paper padding materials, and plastic envelopes replaced by more eco-friendly kraft or recycled material – giving a life to products that are already in circulation.
Using recycled material helps to conserve our planets natural resources, reduces the amount we are sending to landfill as well as reducing pollution by limiting the need to collect raw materials – it is a win-win situation.
Reusing products also reduces the impact of your parcel deliveries – corrugated boxes for example can be used several times over before being disposed of and even when they are past their best as a box, there are now new innovative ways to recycle the cardboard without having to send it away for any recycling process.
The ProfiPack 400 is HSM’s entry-level tabletop Cardboard Perforator and can shred cardboard to produce high-quality packaging material. By punching and embossing a pattern of slits and quilts into waste cardboard, it turns cardboard into a flexible, strong, recycled, environmentally friendly packaging and void fill material.
Whilst perhaps not the cheapest item you might buy from us, organisations using a ProfiPack machine in an appropriate setting often see a return on investment in under 12 months.
If you are not ready to invest in a machine to create your own packaging, a lot of companies are buying our effective manual wrapping solution which is an equally effective alternative to bubble wrap or loose fill.
When contents need protection against scratching, surface abrasion and minor handling incidents, this WrapPak® system uses patented processes to convert environmentally friendly paper into packaging that prevents damage, including problems caused by internal impacts when multiple items are packed together.
The Geami WrapPak expands the die cut paper to a 3D honeycomb structure providing a unique wrapping product. By locking angled paper cells together, items can be wrapped securely without the need for adhesive tape or cutting. The converter can be placed at any packing station where individual items require a protective wrap. Simply genius.
We are using more packaging material than ever, but we are also getting smarter in our packing – talk to us about your packaging requirements, together we can find a greener solution.
