Corrugated board is ecofriendly

The Sustainability Benefits of Corrugated Cardboard Packaging

Corrugated cardboard, has many sustainable advantages. Aside from being cost-efficient, it鈥檚 also recyclable. But perhaps most importantly, in a world saturated with microplastics from a never-ending tide of plastic packaging refuse, corrugated cardboard is biodegradable. In fact, left to the elements, it takes just two months for corrugated cardboard to break down and decompose. In contrast, it can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years for most common types of plastic packaging to break down.  
As environmental factors become increasingly important to influencing buyer decisions, there鈥檚 been a boom in sustainable manufacturing. At the center of this dynamic shift in product branding and packaging has been corrugated cardboard. Cheap, versatile, recyclable, and compliant with local regulations, corrugated cardboard packaging has emerged as a reliable material to both increase profits while decreasing environmental impact.  

In this guide, the packaging experts at 九秀直播 delve deeper into the sustainability and economic benefits of corrugated cardboard. Discover why so many manufacturers have switched to this all-purpose packaging material, and if adding corrugated paperboard to your line would be perfect for your products. 

What鈥檚 the Big Deal About Sustainability?

As Gen Z continues to enter the workforce and generate better buying power as consumers, the issues of sustainability and environmental impact have risen in relative importance. rate sustainability as one of the most important decision factors when choosing a brand or product. Millennials aren鈥檛 too far behind with 71% indicating sustainability was important when deciding between products. As these two demographics begin to make up a larger and larger share of the consumer base, attitudes towards products, packaging, and brands have begun to shift.  
Savvy manufacturers have begun to change their production strategies to line up with the values of younger generations. The Sustainable Packaging industry is projected to , with over 82% of consumers stating that they would gladly pay more for sustainably packaged goods than non-sustainably packaged goods. Products that don鈥檛 utilize plastic packaging and aren鈥檛 tested on animals are becoming increasingly popular. Companies like , , and are already operating under new policies that make them more sustainable, or are currently making changes to be more sustainable in the very near future. 
In essence, if you aren鈥檛 considering sustainable manufacturing for your products right now, you鈥檙e already behind. And as more and more consumers begin to demand sustainability from the products they purchase, refusing to adapt is just as good as leaving money on the table. 

Many companies find the biggest roadblock to switching to sustainable production processes is the initial cost. It does require a not insignificant upfront expense to make the change. However, the long-term benefits of becoming sustainable often outweigh the costs. Additionally, making use of corrugated cardboard can help offset those costs. Its multitude of uses make it a relatively cost-effective material. And it鈥檚 extremely sustainable. It takes just 60 days for corrugated cardboard to decompose. By contrast, it takes plastic bags like the kind you get at the grocery store 20 years. Other cheap packaging materials like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) take upwards of 500 years to decompose, while polyurethane can take decades under constant weather conditions to thousands of years in a landfill to completely decompose. 

Does Becoming Sustainable Mean Sacrificing Shelf-Presence or Packaging Functionality?

In most people鈥檚 minds, when you say 鈥渃ardboard鈥� people think of bulky, unappealing carboard boxes, like the kind your Amazon packages come in. While it鈥檚 true corrugated cardboard in its most basic form is used to create these, that doesn鈥檛 mean that鈥檚 all it鈥檚 capable of being.

This topic covers different industries, we recently wrote another guide about the different types of folding cartons and their uses. It鈥檚 an extremely adaptable material, meaning your packaging is really only limited by your imagination. There are so many different types of packaging that can be made out of paperboard, and all of them serve different purposes for different industries. 

Corrugated board offers the strength and protection needed to safeguard products during transport and retail handling鈥攁n essential requirement for today鈥檚 supply chains. But it鈥檚 also an incredibly versatile material, enabling innovative structural and graphic design possibilities. A prime example is Pizza Hut's Moving Box Table. This specially designed pizza box folds into a miniature table, providing a convenient dining surface during moves or in settings lacking traditional furniture. It exemplifies how corrugated packaging can be both functional and adaptable to various consumer needs.

Pizza Hut Moving Table

Corrugated Cardboard is Eco-Nomical

One of the biggest benefits of corrugated cardboard is its cost-effectiveness. Because paperboard can be shipped and stored flat, it costs less to transport than most other raw packaging materials. In addition, multiple packaging components can be made from a single paperboard, meaning you get much more out of your packaging materials and produce much less waste. 
Corrugators can be set up in a number of different configurations to produce corrugated boxes. Some corrugators, like the 九秀直播 Corrugators have seen major advancements allowing them to be more efficient. For example, our corrugators have eliminated gripper margins so that they use more of the board and produce even less waste. As a result, our corrugator machines have a reduced physical footprint within your production line, leading to a reduced carbon footprint for your manufacturing process as a whole.  

This makes corrugated cardboard both eco-friendly and economical, or 鈥淓co-Nomical.鈥�

Most Corrugated Cardboard Packaging is Recyclable

One cardinal rule of most product packaging is that, eventually, it will need to be tossed out. There is a new movement within the packaging industry to focus on reusable or repurposed packaging to extend the usage packaging gets before being discarded, but most products still rely on single-use packaging for their products. With standard plastic packaging, much of it is going to end up in a landfill where it will languish for decades or even centuries. During this time it can pollute groundwater and further add to the multitude of sources adding untold microplastics into the environment. If it鈥檚 somehow dislodged from the landfill, it may even become part of the , floating on the ocean鈥檚 surface as a tangible reminder of how product packaging has a real impact on the ecosystems we live in and near. 

The beauty of corrugated cardboard is that most of it can be recycled. Whether it鈥檚 to be repurposed into other cardboard objects or used to create compost, making corrugated paperboard your go-to packaging material means you鈥檙e helping keep more trash from ending up in landfills, clogging up streams and rivers, or floating around in the ocean. But if that isn鈥檛 enticing enough, the recyclability of paperboard means that, depending on its initial use, cardboard packaging can sometimes even be recycled into other types of corrugated packaging. This can reduce the cost of manufacturing even further.  

Corrugated Cardboard Packaging Helps You Stay Compliant

We鈥檝e mentioned how as a manufacturer, you need to learn to adapt to changing consumer preferences for sustainability. But it鈥檚 not just Gen Z you need to worry about. The European Union and some areas of the United States have taken notice of the increasing burden consumer packaging is placing on the environment and have taken actions to compel companies to do better. A series of regulations known as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws have popped up in recent years making the producer of packaging liable for ecological damage. The main enforcement mechanism is fines or taxes levied on the shipping or sale of certain goods utilizing particular types of packaging. Companies that make the switch to recyclable materials can sell products for less, compete better, and make more profit. 

To give an idea of the scope of these regulations, in the past year with 5 states passing legislation. And the trend does not look to be slowing down. This presents another problem to manufacturers who haven鈥檛 moved to adapt as consumers demand more sustainable solutions. The broad consideration of EPR laws indicates adopting more sustainable forms of packaging like corrugated paperboard may be a necessity in the near future as these regulations begin to increase the cost burden on non-compliant manufacturers. 

Increase Your Sustainability While Decreasing Costs with 九秀直播

九秀直播 is a world leader in corrugating and corrugated finishing equipment production. For decades, we鈥檝e been at the forefront of the paper packaging industry with innovations designed to make the manufacturing process more efficient and cost-effective. Our corrugating finishing systems come equipped with advanced technology allowing for faster, better production of corrugated packaging. 

This cuts down on waste and allows you to get more returns for each and every dollar spent on packaging materials. Additionally, we鈥檝e designed our corrugators to run seamlessly with minimal input from your personnel, allowing for smaller machine footprints and a faster production line. 

If becoming more sustainable is your goal, we can help. Our machines allow for the speedy production of corrugated paperboard packaging solutions. They integrate effortlessly into your current line so you can make the switch to eco-friendly materials without too much hassle. Additionally, they can be configured to produce all sorts of packaging designs, and can even print on both the inside and outside of packaging for a design that鈥檚 sure to stand out from the crowd. 

But you get much more than just a machine when you buy from 九秀直播. You get a genuine partner who wants to help you succeed. If you need help creating the perfect production line, our experts are here for you. We鈥檒l also help train your team how to use your new corrugator or finishing equipment  and can walk you through virtual troubleshooting over the phone when something goes wrong. We鈥檙e always just a phone call away if you run into trouble. 

Get in Touch with 九秀直播 Today! 

No matter what sort of product you鈥檙e working with, 九秀直播 can help you create a cost-effective, sustainable solution using corrugated cardboard packaging.  

Get in touch with one of our equipment experts today and we鈥檒l discuss the best options for your line and particular manufacturing job. 

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