10 Aug 2011 Sustainable Packaging – Niche Products and Broad-Based Solutions
Posted at 16:31h
in Inside Sustainable Packaging
I have spent several decades in the packaging industry and almost five years specifically in the green packaging market. During that time, I have come to appreciate both innovations that may have limited appeal but solve a specific or unique problem, as well as products that may not be as newsworthy but provide a solution to a much wider group of customers.
What Is a Broad-Based Solution?
In my mind, it is a product that would have mass appeal and solve a common or very typical packaging problem. For example, when we and others began promoting 100% recycled content corrugated for shipping boxes, the concept did not win awards or grace the cover of packaging magazines, even though it could potentially benefit every single shipping box buyer and user.
We realize that in some green circles plastic is an objectionable word and an unacceptable packaging solution under any circumstances. However, those of us who have assumed the responsibility and task of satisfying unique customer requirements understand that plastics bring a unique set of properties that in most cases cannot be duplicated by paper or other substrates. These application benefits include water resistance, light shipping weight and of course transparency or visibility. 
As most of the country suffers through a record heat wave, droughts are becoming more common worldwide, including here in the USA. Those trends make it an excellent time to remind people about the environmental benefits of using shipping boxes made of recycled corrugated.
Water Shortage Is for Real
I admit we are a little spoiled in the Midwest, especially here in the Chicago area where we take beautiful Lake Michigan for granted as an ample source of drinking water and a summertime water park. In many other parts of the country, long before this current heat wave, water has been consistently in short supply, in some cases for several years. In other words, for some this is not a new problem and they have been dealing with water conservation efforts for some time.
The problem is not just in the dry southwest or in agricultural areas; it is even impacting our largest American cities. A report last year identified cities literally running out of water, and the list included Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Orlando, Phoenix and several cities in Texas. 
Please understand the above unflattering description of our padded paper mailers is not my own but one expressed regularly by customers. “Please send me two more cases of those ugly padded mailers,” is a request we’ve heard on several occasions. However, our customers love them for their inner beauty, because if you look past the unusual color and the somewhat puffy appearance, they are indeed an attractive and sustainable packaging solution.
What Makes Our 
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“What makes one package greener than another?” It’s a rather simplistic question that does not permit a brief or concise answer. It was recently asked of me by an intern working for a governmental agency, and I began by telling him that my response was only my opinion, but one that would hold up in most circles. I added that when we attempt to answer that question we look at packaging in three critical areas:
It’s difficult to believe that we’ve been doing this for three years, but this week marks the third anniversary of the launch of our popular blog. In 2008, our then-marketing director Brad Shorr urged us to blog and share what we know and what we do, with the world. I reluctantly agreed, even though operating a business that openly ran contrary to my nature as well as my experience in the packaging industry, where you learn to never, ever risk educating the competition.
Nearly 300 blog posts later, I am thrilled by the results of our outreach and even more grateful for the people and companies it has brought into our lives. If we have educated a competitor or two along the way, it was a small price to pay for the information we’ve been able to share with hundreds, if not thousands, of people, as well as the relationships we have made.
One of the things we most appreciate is the feedback we receive from our ISP readers, which is quite often sent to us offline. To commemorate this three year milestone we’ve shared a few of the most frequently asked questions. 
I often say that one of the greatest benefits of operating a green business is all of the extraordinary people and companies we get to meet. Our new friends at 
Many people believe the only way to reduce corrugated usage is by buying and using fewer boxes. While that is certainly one approach, a better and more effective one is making sure you are packing and shipping the best style of container for your product and application.
When RSC Boxes Are NOT the Best Design
Recently, we have encountered several applications for large, relatively low profile products such as unassembled furniture and picture frames. In each case, people were shipping product in oversized, low profiled RSC style boxes with large overlapping layers of redundant corrugated board.
The problem, of course, is that the four flaps on top and bottom of any RSC style box typically do little but add cost. You could almost excuse the extra cost if it delivered better protection to the product, but sadly, in most cases it does not. The two large major flaps coming together in the middle of the box essentially create a weak joint on the box, especially if they are not taped well. The large spans of unsupported corrugated also make the design very susceptible to crushing and corner damage. 
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Even though we are best known for the boxes we sell, it’s what we can create for the inside of the box that truly sets us apart in a crowded field of packaging suppliers.
Recently, we have blogged about partitions and molded pulp options, and our inflatable and other “stock” void fill options are also quite popular. However, the need for custom packaging continues to grow as companies work not only to minimize packaging but also to completely eliminate unfavorable materials such as EPS foam in favor of greener alternatives. Of course, this all has to be accomplished at minimal cost and deliver the product being shipped safely to its destination. 
More than a year ago, Packaging Digest published this article about some