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sustaiNablE PackagiNg Things to Know Before You Ditch the Box
Each year , more and more ISPA resource partners are stripping away the layers of packaging that coddle their products .
otHErs arE sWitcHiNg to using recycled materials , glass instead of plastic , or biodegradable materials . Regardless of the exact method , the end goal of making your products ’ packaging more sustainable is a net reduction in environment-damaging waste , as well as a boost in positive media exposure and brand image .
simple changes For many resource partners , a great place to start going green is in your products ’ primary packaging ; that is , the packaging that immediately contains or protects your products . For example , an eye cream may have up to three types of primary packaging : the plastic container it ’ s housed in , the box that the container sits in and the plastic wrap over the box . When trying to make your packaging more sustainable , ask yourself , “ is this piece of packaging necessary ?” Many unnecessary primary packaging materials are removed in spa retail , anyways ; ask your spa partners for feedback about the amount of packaging that is used . There ’ s little reason to wrap a package in plastic if most spas remove your product from its individual plastic-wrapped box anyways .
There ’ s a secondary upside to this scorched-earth approach to increasing your packaging ’ s sustainability : by eliminating entire layers of unnecessary plastic , paper and boxes , you ’ ll often save money . Take note , though , that taking away too much can affect the safety of the product during shipping . We recommend carefully evaluating each layer of packaging and the role it plays in product protection before coming to any decisions .
In addition to primary packaging , you can increase sustainability by reducing your secondary and tertiary packaging . This is the packaging that ’ s generally non-consumer-facing : the big box that holds a dozen of your individually packaged products , the packing materials used to stuff that box and the materials used to package multiple boxes for shipment . All of these packaging types are points where you could look to easily eliminate layers of packaging or switch to a more sustainable material . While customers may never notice that you ’ ve made your supply chain more environmentally friendly , the planet certainly will .
46 PULSE ■ October 2018