You know what, an important part of manufacturing and delivering sustainable food products is to make use of sustainable packaging. But you must be wondering why is it so important? Well, this post is going to get you through quickly the importance of using sustainable food packaging materials in the present time.
If you are not sure about what really sustainable packaging is for food then the commonest type of explanation for this is that sustainable packaging diminishes its carbon footprint via recyclable ingredients, eco-friendly production practices and even extending the lifecycle by following a proper circular economy system. For any sort of packaging material to be considered sustainable, it must follow the criteria like:
- The materials used for production has to be sustainably sourced
- It should be recyclable and or even or compostable at the end of its lifecycle.
- The design it has must be optimised to boost the product quality
- The expense of production should be counterbalance by long-term use and even application
Importance of sustainable packaging
Well, if you are wondering what really makes sustainable packaging critical is that it diminishes the carbon footprint of a product, across all its overall stages. This, in turn, aids in decreasing the overall ecological footprint of producers and even consumers.
- Sustainable packaging makes use of recycled materials in its production that actually leads to greater conservation of raw materials.
- Sustainable and biodegradable packaging materials are somewhat non-toxic, safe and even result in fewer allergens for consumers.
- Through overall sustainable packing, businesses can concentrate less on the management of natural resource depletion and even more on operations and even higher level of production rates.
Sustainable packaging must no longer be considered an option, but actually a necessity actually you know what, sustainable food packaging is described as: the use of packaging that seeks to diminish the environmental impact throughout its life cycle at the same time maintaining food safety and even quality. The life cycle of food or hospitality packaging encompass:
- Sourcing materials
- Distribution
- Manufacturing
Disposal is most of the times the most problematic stage for the environment, as most of the food packaging is not compostable or even recyclable. This simply denotes that it ends up in landfills, where it simply releases methane gas, a greenhouse gas that is a lot more potent than carbon dioxide. It could also end up in the oceans, where it can damage marine life.
The need of sustainable packaging
Not all types of food businesses have made the switch to overall sustainable packaging yet, and you could even be wondering if it’s the correct move for your brand. There are numerous reasons why you do need to start using sustainable packaging. The most critical one is to be responsible in your business processes and even diminish your environmental impact.
Of course, as already mentioned before, food packaging is a huge contributor to landfill waste and even also adds to greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to such a thing, the production of unsustainable food packaging makes use of non-renewable resources, such as oil to make plastic.
Making the switch to overall sustainable packaging diminishes your impact on the environment and your overall reliance on fossil fuels, which sets you up for a better future. In case you continue to use conventional type of packaging methods, you will eventually run out of overall resources.
The point is sustainable food packaging is something that is purely made from circular materials that are somewhat renewable, recyclable or even compostable. This simply means that there is less strain put on the planet’s resources, and virgin materials get kept out of circulation in favors of reusable ones. The overall environment aside, it is absolutely critical to consider the human influence of unsustainable food packaging.
For example, low-quality type of plastic packaging can leach chemicals into the overall snacks or food over time and that is something that harms the health. Sustainable packaging is most of the times made from materials that are food safe and non-toxic, so you can be definite that your food is not at all being contaminated.
Commonest Types of sustainable materials
There are many diverse types of sustainable food packaging type of materials that you can come across and some of the commonest ones include:
- Compostable Food Wrapping Paper (Even known as Parchment Paper)
- Recyclable Coated Greaseproof Paper (Even called Butcher Paper)
- Recyclable Coasters
- Recyclable type of Sandwich Bags
- Recyclable Takeout Bags having handles.
Of course, when you speak with the food packaging products manufacturers, you can be sure that you have the variety that you expect to choose from. Once you know about more options, you can choose wisely. Recycled paper is a well-known choice for food and even hospitality packaging, as it is absolutely strong and durable. You can use other things too for packaging and all like:
Edible Cutlery
Now, the usage of biodegradable packaging, such as edible cutlery, is somewhat gaining traction as a hip trend. It is absolutely possible to eat or recycle these goods and preserve them in the absence of the use of preservatives for a long duration of time.
Wheat straws
Straws could lead to ecological pollution, even if they get used in small quantities. Now is a great time to consider it if you haven’t in the past. When delivering juice, give the customers wheat straws. These products are absolutely non-toxic since they are recyclable and even biodegradable. Thus, you can ensure that you lessen everyday trash in the nation.
Paper boxes
As there has been an increase in demand for home delivery of meals, every restaurant should definitely stock up on packaging materials to keep up with the overall order. It is possible to simply preserve food in powerful paper boxes and bowls having the covers for a lengthy period while still upkeeping its freshness.
Conclusion
To sum up, you can check out flexible laminated packaging and other sustainable options for your food packaging. This would enhance your business in manifold ways!
Infographic provided by Eagle Flexible Packaging, a sustainable flexible packaging company