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ECO-FRIENDLY RETAIL PACKAGING
6 IMPORTANT TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOW
So, you want to go green. Or greener. But when it comes to retail packaging, what would that really mean? Words like eco-friendly and sustainable come to mind. But such terms have been so over-used, if not mis-used, that we can easily become conf-used!
Let’s sort out the confusion with a few definitions as we look at some great options for green retail packaging.
ECO-FRIENDLY:
Webster defines eco-friendly simply as, “not environmentally harmful.” Others further qualify the term by asserting it must help conserve resources like water and energy while helping to prevent or reduce pollution. There are a number of variables that contribute to eco-friendliness. It’s important to note that meeting only one of these attributes is considered eco-friendly. You don’t have to save the environment in one giant leap. Every little step helps.
HERE ARE 6 TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT GOING GREEN:
REUSABLE:
OK. This one’s easy. We all understand that reusable packaging is designed to be used more than one time. Cotton totes, poly grocery totes, and thermo insulated bags are obvious examples. They are meant to be kept for countless future uses.
Conversely, even though you might repurpose a paper grocery bag, it was not specifically designed to be reuseable, and therefore doesn’t fall into this category. But depending on the content of the paper, your grocery bag could still merit eco-friendly status as described in our next definition.
RECYCLED
Retail packaging made with recycled materials is categorized by its content. It can contain post-consumer recycled content (PCR), or pre-consumer recycled content, also referred to as, post industrial materials (PIR).
A product made from post-consumer content is made from waste that’s been used by a consumer, thrown away, and rescued. You contribute to this process when you use your recycle bins.
A product made from pre-consumer recycled content is made from manufacturer waste like scraps, rejects, and trimmings.
The higher the percentage of recycled material in a product the more eco-friendly it is considered. Our elegant Gaia euro totes contain an impressive 40% PCR content, while our Kraft colored jewelry boxes consist of a whopping 100% recycled board and paper!
RECYCLABLE
Recyclable is not the same as recycled. Recyclable packaging can be collected after it is discarded and its material reused. Trick question: Is a bag made with recycled materials recyclable?
FSC CERTIFICATION
'FSC' stands for Forest Stewardship Council, which promotes sustainable forestry worldwide. The FSC certification is considered the "gold standard" for designating products harvested from forests in an environmentally conscious manner.
Now here is where it gets a little confusing. FSC-certified paper is usually made of virgin tree fibers, so it is different from recycled paper. However, recycled paper is sometimes also FSC-certified. For instance, our solid tinted Kraft shopping bags are FSC Certified, made with 100% recycled fiber, with a minimum of 95% post-consumer content. Don’t worry, you will not be tested on this material.
RENEWABLE vs SUSTAINABLE
Any material that can be quickly regrown or replenished after harvest or use is a renewable resource. Trees and bamboo are good examples.
Sustainability considers the bigger picture of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. Materials as well as processes are considered in manufacturing the product. And after a finished product completes its life cycle, the material should be recyclable or biodegradable.
Some describe “sustainable” as a mindset and “renewable,” a method. Others seem to use the terms interchangeably. Both concepts certainly overlap in their concern for the environment.
Now that you’ve had your whirlwind tour of all things eco-friendly, you have the basic knowledge you need for going greener with your retail packaging. A final word to the wise. Just because a manufacturer makes a claim that a product is eco-friendly, the boast is meaningless unless they specify what attributes (like those listed above) make it eco-friendly. To see more examples and read more about these terms, see our eco-friendly cheat sheet.
Let’s sort out the confusion with a few definitions as we look at some great options for green retail packaging.
ECO-FRIENDLY:
Webster defines eco-friendly simply as, “not environmentally harmful.” Others further qualify the term by asserting it must help conserve resources like water and energy while helping to prevent or reduce pollution. There are a number of variables that contribute to eco-friendliness. It’s important to note that meeting only one of these attributes is considered eco-friendly. You don’t have to save the environment in one giant leap. Every little step helps.
HERE ARE 6 TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT GOING GREEN:
REUSABLE:
OK. This one’s easy. We all understand that reusable packaging is designed to be used more than one time. Cotton totes, poly grocery totes, and thermo insulated bags are obvious examples. They are meant to be kept for countless future uses.
Conversely, even though you might repurpose a paper grocery bag, it was not specifically designed to be reuseable, and therefore doesn’t fall into this category. But depending on the content of the paper, your grocery bag could still merit eco-friendly status as described in our next definition.
RECYCLED
Retail packaging made with recycled materials is categorized by its content. It can contain post-consumer recycled content (PCR), or pre-consumer recycled content, also referred to as, post industrial materials (PIR).
A product made from post-consumer content is made from waste that’s been used by a consumer, thrown away, and rescued. You contribute to this process when you use your recycle bins.
A product made from pre-consumer recycled content is made from manufacturer waste like scraps, rejects, and trimmings.
The higher the percentage of recycled material in a product the more eco-friendly it is considered. Our elegant Gaia euro totes contain an impressive 40% PCR content, while our Kraft colored jewelry boxes consist of a whopping 100% recycled board and paper!
RECYCLABLE
Recyclable is not the same as recycled. Recyclable packaging can be collected after it is discarded and its material reused. Trick question: Is a bag made with recycled materials recyclable?
FSC CERTIFICATION
'FSC' stands for Forest Stewardship Council, which promotes sustainable forestry worldwide. The FSC certification is considered the "gold standard" for designating products harvested from forests in an environmentally conscious manner.
Now here is where it gets a little confusing. FSC-certified paper is usually made of virgin tree fibers, so it is different from recycled paper. However, recycled paper is sometimes also FSC-certified. For instance, our solid tinted Kraft shopping bags are FSC Certified, made with 100% recycled fiber, with a minimum of 95% post-consumer content. Don’t worry, you will not be tested on this material.
RENEWABLE vs SUSTAINABLE
Any material that can be quickly regrown or replenished after harvest or use is a renewable resource. Trees and bamboo are good examples.
Sustainability considers the bigger picture of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. Materials as well as processes are considered in manufacturing the product. And after a finished product completes its life cycle, the material should be recyclable or biodegradable.
Some describe “sustainable” as a mindset and “renewable,” a method. Others seem to use the terms interchangeably. Both concepts certainly overlap in their concern for the environment.
Now that you’ve had your whirlwind tour of all things eco-friendly, you have the basic knowledge you need for going greener with your retail packaging. A final word to the wise. Just because a manufacturer makes a claim that a product is eco-friendly, the boast is meaningless unless they specify what attributes (like those listed above) make it eco-friendly. To see more examples and read more about these terms, see our eco-friendly cheat sheet.
