An Introduction to Eco-friendly Packaging
Eco-friendly packaging is increasingly popular, due to growing awareness of Plastic Pollution amongst retail consumers. A recent survey by YouGov1 indicated that “Two thirds (69%) of Britons think all companies should be required by law to use green packaging, even if it means higher costs. Furthermore, the same survey also found that “89% of consumers in the UK feel guilty about the amount of plastic waste they produce”.
This increasing awareness of plastic pollution (and emotive Public Policy debates that go with it), demonstrate why manufacturers need to embrace eco-friendly packaging, and to embrace it quickly.
If you are a manufacturer who is keen to make this transition, then allow us to guide you the following key concepts in eco-friendly packaging:
Basic Eco-friendly Packaging: Recyclable materials
There is a popular joke amongst motorsport mechanics, which states that “Any type of car is an ‘off road vehicle’ …provided you’re brave enough to drive it”. In a similar vein, one could also say that “All packaging materials can be recycled …given enough time and money”.
However, because most manufacturers don’t have endless time and unlimited money, the majority of solutions within the Recyclable packaging sector have focused on single-laminate materials, such as PolyEthylene (PE), PolyPropylene (PP), and PolyEthylene Terephthalate (PET).
These so called “mono-materials” are easily recycled and reprocessed into new products, without the need to identify, mechanically separate, and then chemically filter, mixed-polymer packaging. This simplicity greatly increases the speed of reprocessing and decreases the cost of recycling, making mono-materials the most pragmatic choice for eco-friendly packaging.
To learn more about our range of Recyclable Packaging please click here, or if you need further advice, get a call-back from one of our Expert Advisors, by clicking here.
Note: These Recyclable Materials are also man-made and synthetic. This means that they do not break-down into elements that can be digested by plants and animals in the ecosystem. For a more eco-friendly approach to packaging, one must consider compostable materials.
Advanced Eco-friendly Packaging: Compostable materials
Compostable packaging typically refers to traditional wood-pulp based materials such as kraft paper and cardboard. However, it also applies to innovative new materials such as PolyLactic Acid (PLA), which is a ‘plastic like’ elastomer, derived from the fermentation of organic materials, such as Corn Starch and Tapioca Starch and PBAT (polybutylene adipate terephthalate) which is produced from both petroleum-based and renewable resources.
There are two primary categories that define compostable packaging: home compostable and industrially compostable.
Home compostable materials are formulated to biodegrade under standard household composting conditions (microbial activity, ambient temperature and moisture). This allows them to be discarded in garden compost heaps or compost bins without causing harm to plants or soil health. It is important to note that, even though it’s more convenient, the rate of biodegradation for home compostables is generally slower than industrial composting7 . This is because home composting does not take place under controlled and optimal conditions.
Industrial compostable materials, such as PLA (PolyLactic Acid) and PBAT (PolyButylene Adipate Terephthalate) require controlled composting environments, with elevated temperatures (typically around 55–70°C), high humidity and the presence of certain additives, to accelerate the breakdown process and ensure that the resulting compost is free of harmful residues. [To learn more about Industrial composting and PLA and PBAT, you can find more information here].
It is worth emphasising that, regardless of method used, the end-product, commonly referred to as compost, can be used as a soil medium, for enriching plant growth. The safety and standard of the compost depends on the quality of the process, with industrial composting generally resulting in more consistent, pathogen-free, soil conditioner due to the controlled process parameters7.
Eco-friendly Packaging: Making the right choice.
Both Recyclable Packaging (such as SUPERGREENPAK Pouches) and Compostable Packaging (such as SUPERGREENPAK Desiccants) present unique advantages and challenges.
Recyclable Packaging is a pragmatic ‘first step’, which shows your customers that you are heading towards greater sustainability.
Compostable Packaging is more eco-friendly still, but frequently requires a decrease in packaging performance, in order to achieve this degree of degradability. This performance shortfall can be mitigated in certain circumstances (e.g. by adding a thicker outer packaging layer, or a larger format desiccant sachets).
Non-Recyclable Packaging may still be the right choice for your product, if it requires very high levels of protection against moisture, or gas, or UV ingress.
Selection between these options ultimately depends on the specific needs of your business, plus your product’s characteristics, and the strength of your consumer’s preferences.
For a more in-depth discussion of your needs and the solutions that are available, give us a call on +44 (0)1628 531 900 and we will be very happy to help you !
Alternatively, please click here for a telephone call-back.
Want some samples of these SUPERGREENPAK products ?
No problem ! 😊
click here for a sample of our Recyclable Pouches
click here for a sample of our Compostable Pouches
click here for a sample of our shelf-life extending Humidity Regulators
click here for a sample of our shelf-life extending Desiccants
click here for a sample of our shelf-life extending Oxygen-Level Controllers
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If you’re interested in our SUPERGREENPAK range, and are looking to move to sustainable packaging, click here to book a free consultation !
Our team has over 70 years’ worth of experience helping customers solve their packaging problems, and we’d be very happy to help you too.
Call us on +44 (0)1628 531 900 …or click here for a call-back.
What to Read Next:
– The Importance of Green Packaging
– What is sustainable Packaging?
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Citations:
[1] Waldersee, V. (2019) Most Brits support ban on harmful plastic packaging, YouGov. Available at: https://yougov.co.uk/consumer/articles/22724-most-brits-support-ban-harmful-plastic- packaging (Accessed: 29 August 2024).
[2] (PDF) Sustainability and Circular Economy Business Development. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381720061_Sustainability_and_Circular_Economy_Business_Development (Accessed: 29 August 2024).
[3] Geyer, R., Jambeck, J. R., & Law, K. L. (2017). Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Science Advances, 3(7), e1700782.
[4] Waldersee, V. (2019) Most Brits support ban on harmful plastic packaging, YouGov. Available at: https://yougov.co.uk/consumer/articles/22724-most-brits-support-ban-harmful-plastic-packaging (Accessed: 29 August 2024).
[5] Zaccone, M. C., Santhià, C., and Bosone, M. How Hybrid Organizations Adopt Circular Economy Models to Foster Sustainable Development. Sustainability (Switzerland) 2022, 14(5 C7 – 2679). https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052679
[6] Meike Ketelsen a et al. (2020a) Consumers’ response to environmentally-friendly food packaging – A systematic review, Journal of Cleaner Production. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652620301700 (Accessed: 29 August 2024).
[7] European Bioplastics. (2025). Bioplastics in home composting. Available at: https://docs.european-bioplastics.org/publications/pp/2025/EUBP_PP_Bioplastics_in_Home_Composting.pdf (Accessed: 27 April 2024).
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