The innovations in sustainable packaging are only getting better, however not every new solution may be the most viable for your business.
Eco-friendly packaging has come a long way in the past few years - new solutions are always becoming available. Honeycomb Padded Paper Mailers and Compostable Mailers are two of the latest solutions to hit the market and from face value, both are viable sustainable packaging options. However, which is the most suitable solution for your business and customer?
Honeycomb vs Compostable
Honeycomb Padded Paper Mailers
Honeycomb Padded Paper Mailers are a robust kraft paper mailer lined with honeycomb paper padding that protects fragile items during transit. They are an excellent sustainable alternative to plastic bubble mailers that are 100% recyclable as well as compostable.
The brown kraft paper look makes them an obvious eco solution, which is beneficial from both a branding and environmental perspective. Customers can easily connect the appearance with them being recyclable. Their recyclability also means they are very easy for the end user to dispose; they can simply be put in a curbside recycling bin or home compost.
While Honeycomb Mailers are a robust protective packaging solution, due to the nature of paper, paper mailers in general are not 100% waterproof. This means they can potentially lose their structural integrity if significantly wet.
Additionally, Paper Mailers are on the higher end of eco-friendly mailer price scale. However, their long shelf life still makes them feasible for small businesses as they can be bought in bulk to reduce unit cost, stored and used over an extended period.
Compostable mailers
Comparatively, Compostable Mailers are made from a plant-based material that is certified commercially compostable, and often home compostable as well. This means that within 180 days in a home compost or 90 days in an industrial composting facility they will completely break down.
They are a sustainable and affordable alternative to poly mailers that is both non-toxic and waterproof. However, they are reliant on who your end user is and them knowing how to properly compost the product. A Closed Loop survey reported that only 34% of their respondents are currently composting, while 36% are ‘compost aspirers’ with the main barrier being having no garden.
Since the infrastructure to support composting is not as advanced as general recycling, and home composting is not always feasible to the end user, educating your customers on the options for disposing of compostable packaging is essential.
In addition, due to the nature of Compostable Mailers, if stored for an extended period in the improper environment - longer than 8-12 months depending on the supplier, and not in dry and dark space - they will start to break down. So, as a business owner, it’s important to consider your volumes and storage environment.
What’s the right solution for you?
At the moment, Honeycomb Mailers are more viable to the majority of end users due to the recycling infrastructure available. However, that doesn’t mean Compostable Mailers aren’t still feasible for the right application and end user. As the infrastructure to support green waste becomes more accessible, their position in the market will only strengthen.
In saying that, education is the key to making sustainable packaging work. Talk to your customers and provide them with the information they need to properly dispose of your packaging.
We’ve packaged up everything eco-friendly into one place, so it’s easier for you to make more sustainable choices. To shop our range or read more articles like this one, visit signet.net.au/eco-friendly.
