Cardboard is still the choice for sustainable packaging shipping

‘Sustainability’ and ‘CO2 reduction’ are far more than just tropes and buzzwords. Increasing evidence shows that end-users are demanding a guilt-free shopping – and shipping – experience, rapidly prompting buyers to turn their attention towards packaging innovation.

Meanwhile, sustainability continues to top the list of client considerations. At Mondi, we want to contribute to a better world, which is why we’re working on bespoke solutions with natural materials to help reduce the environmental impact as much as possible.

Sustainable by design: Why cardboard is still a go-to choice for sustainable packaging

To compound things, a rising number of countries are now banning several types of single-use plastics. There is a significant advantage for paper. It is made of natural, biodegradable wood fibres and has the lowest carbon footprint of all packaging types[1].

Innovation and sustainability don’t have to stand in opposition – they are a perfect match

We believe all packaging should be environmentally friendly. Our Corrugated Solutions team’s functional and technical trademarks have set new standards in the market, and with projected climate statistics and changing consumer attitudes, that’s an important asset.

We are sustainable by design, using paper where possible and plastic when useful. By taking this holistic view, we work with our customers to create the most suitable and sustainable solutions for their needs.

Our customer-centric approach to EcoSolutions comes down to asking the right questions across the value chain to consider the needs of your business, your product and our planet. Here, we match energy-efficient, manufacturing innovative choices with an inventive approach to find the optimal packaging solution for each customer. The net result is a solution that’s on brief and within budget whilst nailing all the critical technical and cosmetic considerations.

Our inhouse designers and sales experts will guide customers through the conceptual phase of each bespoke packaging solution design, following three simple rules:

• Replace less sustainable products with solutions that help our customers fulfil their commitments.
• Reduce the volume of raw materials used, lowering the overall environmental impact through operational efficiency and raw material choices.
• Recycle more by developing paper and plastic solutions designed for recycling.

Better protection

Rectangular, corrugated boxes are stable and easy to stack for efficient storage and transportation. This solution is a vast improvement on plastic bags, which are slippery, irregular in shape and prone to handling damage in fulfilment and logistics centres.

Improved user experience

In the world of eCommerce, packaging has become our shop front. Any YouTube search for “Unboxing” will prove the consumer’s fascination with first impressions. Paper offers a tactile experience to online shoppers, which a plastic bag can never match.

Suitable packaging plays a crucial role in creating a positive online shopping experience. Over half of respondents (57%)[2] confirmed they are willing to pay up to three euros more for online goods delivered in a packaging they can rely on to meet all of their needs, including the protection of goods, easy handling and being environmentally friendly.

Sustainable by design

Mondi’s best-in-class designs received several WorldStar Packaging awards within the last years for unique solutions. A Sustainable design focus provides a wealth of innovation opportunities, and we’re now the go-to standard for best practice.

Our raw materials boast a low carbon footprint and the highest recycling potential. Not only this, our commitment to innovation has led us to hold the world’s strongest paper type, capable of withstanding the force of 15 spring mattresses!

Replace, reduce and recycle

The science is clear. We need to significantly reduce our CO2 emissions or face catastrophic climatic challenges. Mondi joined WWF Climate Savers in 2018 and a leadership programme that contributes to reducing carbon emissions, in line with UN targets to keep global warming below 2°C.

We are committed to supporting our customers in reaching their own sustainability goals. Packaging is only part of the solution, but it’s a crucial first step and one that we’ve got covered.

Armand Schoonbrood, COO Mondi Corrugated Packaging

[1] Packaging Digest 2017 Sustainable Packaging Study

[2] Annual consumer research on packaging and shopping trends across CEE markets commissioned by leading packaging and paper group Mondi, in association with Karmasin Research & Identity.