How To Use Recycle Packaging To Your Benefit

Many brands describe their commitment to using recyclable packaging materials solely in terms of the benefits to consumers and the environment. Making the switch to a recyclable pouch or another style of product packaging made out of more environmentally friendly materials can also benefit brands. Here are three ways for brands to benefit from using recycled and recyclable packaging.

Recyclable Package Can Be Cost-Effective

The rise in interest in packaging that can be recycled has lowered the cost of sourcing these materials. Developments in recycling technology and the introduction of widespread store drop-off programs for packaging materials that cannot be processed in curbside or multi-stream recycling programs makes polyethylene and Mylar packaging a cost-effective recyclable choice for many brands.

Brands can also benefit from using post consumer recycled materials. In the case of these materials, approximately 25% to 30% of each film layer is composed of PCR materials. This can substantially reduce the amount of virgin or new material used to make packaging materials, with benefits in terms of your carbon footprint and packaging costs. Even if recyclable packaging costs a little more, flexible materials eligible for store drop-off programs open up a vast range of design and branding possibilities.

Versatile And Effectful

Gone are the days when only paper and some metal packaging could be recycled. Store drop-off programs now make it possible to offer products in recyclable stand up pouch packaging. Some of the benefits of flexible packaging include lighter weight and smaller sizes for distribution and shipping.

The effects of using recycled packaging are largely up to a brand. The amount of emphasis put on ecological commitments in branding can determine the extent to which a brand gains a reputation as being clean, green, or earth-friendly. It is important to walk the walk and not just talk the talk to avoid the consumer backlash associated with greenwashing.

Use Recyclable Packaging for Branding

A brand that chooses recyclable packaging and notifies customers of this decision on the packaging has taken the first steps toward new branding possibilities. An easy way to grow from this decision would be to print Quick Response codes or QR codes on the packaging that link to a landing page about how to recycle packaging or a brand’s commitments to the environment and sustainability.

When a package clearly indicates that it can be recycled, it may appeal more to customers in-store environments and in online marketplaces. Studies suggest that a growing percentage of consumers seek out products that are packaged in recyclable materials. Making sure that packaging clearly indicates a recycling method could prove to be a deciding factor for environmentally conscious consumers.

Packaging made of PCR or recycled material is becoming more affordable. When fewer brands used sustainable packaging, the cost of these materials remained prohibitive for many smaller companies that wanted to make the shift. As of late 2020, major packaging users hit 6.2% on average recycled content, indicating a rise in the popularity of recycled packaging and potential for future growth.