The Flexible Packaging Blog

Reviews, trends, and tips covering all things flexible packaging to protect your products and your bottom line.

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | Environment

By: Nathan Dube
December 27th, 2022

Plastic and sustainability are not two words you find in the same phrase very often. After all, with the terrible repercussions of plastic use, such as the great pacific garbage patch and the increasing presence of microplastics in the environment, plastics are anything but environmentally friendly, right? Think again. Much of what you have heard about plastics in mainstream media, online forums and social media websites are often short on facts while boasting questionable numbers. When you actually take the time to look at the science of sustainability and compare the life cycle assessments of the most popular packaging materials such as glass, metal, plastic, cardboard, paperboard, and paper, plastics come out as the most sustainable option almost every time. So why is it that whenever we hear about plastics on the evening news or social media, it is always something about how bad they are for the environment? And that brings us to today's topic: The Plastic Apocalypse. Now, when most people hear the word apocalypse, they think of things like "the end of the world" or perhaps "a nuclear explosive event." But the word apocalypse does not mean the end of the world. Our modern English word apocalypse comes from the ancient Greek word apokálupsis, which means to reveal or revelation. And that is precisely what this article is going to be. A revealing of the truth about plastic sustainability: after reading this article, you will have a much better understanding of plastic sustainability and its effect on the natural environment.

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | Environment | The Business of Packaging | Investment | Packaging Design | Food Packaging | Packaging Psychology

By: David Roberge
December 15th, 2022

A brand’s commitment to adopting environmentally conscious practices has become increasingly important to today’s consumers. As more people recognize the need for environmental awareness, shoppers prefer companies that take steps to reduce their environmental impact and ecological footprint. So, where does sustainable labeling fit into the mix, and how can it help boost trust in your product? In this article, we will explain why sustainable labeling is such an essential part of your labeling process in a world where ever more people are demanding their favorite brands "go green."

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | Environment

By: Nathan Dube
December 13th, 2022

Post-industrial recycled stretch film such as steelflex green is an excellent way to make your company and packaging line more sustainable. And, with the continual call from the public for companies to "go green," it is an excellent option for any business looking to make their stretch wrapping more earth-friendly. In today's market, businesses need to think about the different ways in which they can do their part to make less of an impact on planet earth. One way in which many companies are trying to do this is by switching from virgin packaging materials to post-consumer recycled and post-industrial recycled alternatives. This makes steelflex green a perfect choice for people looking to use more PIR and PCR packaging on their packaging line. But what are the benefits of using steelflex green post-industrial recycled stretch film? Is this film the right solution for your business to become more environmentally friendly? After reading this article, you will have a good idea of whether or not steelflex green is the right sustainable stretch film option for your business.

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | Packaging Design

By: Nathan Dube
December 6th, 2022

In our digitally connected world, we go through many corrugated boxes—just Amazon alone ships millions of packages to customers worldwide. Do you have empty cardboard boxes sitting unused in your house somewhere? Yeah, me too! You are probably wondering what to do with them. You could toss them in the recycling bin and hope they get recycled. But, with contamination issues in single-stream recycling, how do you know if they are really getting recycled? Single-stream recycling is the most widespread recycling platform in the USA. For consumers who use it, here is how it works. Consumers are given two bins from their waste management vendor. The vendor drops off one bin for trash and one bin for recycling. All recyclable materials are tossed into the recycling bin. The waste management company picks up the bin and transports the materials. They deliver the materials to a warehouse. In the warehouse, the materials are sorted for recycling. Any materials contaminated with food particles, liquids, or other contaminants are sent to a landfill. This is where contamination becomes an issue. Many consumers do not adequately clean and dry the materials before putting them in the recycling bin. When this happens, any contaminated materials end up in a landfill. When it comes to contamination issues, you could always throw these materials in the trash. But do you really want to do that? Corrugated cardboard that ends up in the landfill takes up a lot of space. It produces tons of methane, one of the most destructive greenhouse gasses known today. Wouldn't it be cool if there was something else that you could do with all those empty boxes? Something besides just throwing them away? What if there was a way to reuse the boxes? There may be another way to recycle them with the assurance that they will be recycled. What if you could turn all those boxes into something useful or even a work of art? Are there ways to put these empty containers to better use? Well, the short answer is YES! From charitable causes like Give Back Box to artisanal expressions of high art and pop culture, there are many different things you can do to reuse and recycle all those empty cardboard boxes. With over sixty-five years in the packaging industry, Industrial Packaging is no stranger to corrugated boxes. We know the complications in recycling that come with this type of packaging. But we also have some extraordinary ways for you to repurpose those boxes. We also know about the various sustainable alternatives to corrugated boxes. These can help make your packaging more environmentally friendly. In this article, we will explore some of the charitable and creative ways that you can reduce, reuse, and recycle corrugated boxes. Additionally, we explore some of the sustainable alternatives to cardboard boxes.

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | Environment

By: Nathan Dube
November 22nd, 2022

Biodegradable stretch film is becoming a hugely popular packaging material. And this trend will only increase in popularity as we enter 2023. Many people are just learning about biodegradable stretch films. When they do, many of those people become intrigued by the product and reach out to learn more about the material. With an ever more prominent call from consumers to "go green," it should be no surprise that companies everywhere are looking for plant-based and biodegradable packaging materials to ensure that their company becomes more sustainable and leaves less of an impact on our planet earth. So it makes sense that while biodegradable stretch film is brand new to the market, many people are researching the material and purchasing it for their product palletizing needs. And while people obviously know that biodegradable stretch film is biodegradable, many buyers ask, "is biodegradable stretch film recyclable?". And if you are asking yourself the same question, we are happy to announce that we can answer this question for you! This article will reveal whether or not biodegradable stretch film is recyclable. After reading this article, you will know if biodegradable stretch film is a suitable sustainable packaging material for your needs.

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | Environment

By: Nathan Dube
November 10th, 2022

Do you know the difference between compostable and biodegradable packaging materials? At first glance, you would be forgiven for thinking they are identical. But they are absolutely not the same thing. And you must understand the difference between these two types of sustainable packaging materials before you attempt to make a purchase. That is because there are entirely different disposal protocols for each of these earth-friendly packaging supplies. Suppose you do not follow the instructions for the proper disposal of each of these materials. In that case, they may not biodegrade, negating the materials' sustainability and causing more harm than good to our planet. But what are the differences between compostable and biodegradable packaging materials? How do you properly dispose of each material? And where can you purchase compostable and biodegradable packaging materials? After reading this article, you will have a good understanding of the difference between compostable and biodegradable packaging materials.