Sustainability is becoming a more considerable influence on the purchasing decisions of more customers. A 2021 consumer study found that around one in three consumers worldwide is willing to pay more for sustainable packaging and products than unsustainable ones.
This statistic highlights how important sustainable packaging has become not just for the environment but for businesses too. They must now move away from old-fashioned, environmentally unfriendly packaging towards more sustainable solutions. One such material that needs to be replaced is shrink wrap.
Shrink wrap is a common material used for food packaging. However, many people are unaware that it can damage the environment if they are thrown mindlessly. According to National Geographic, shrink wrap is difficult to recycle, made of possible harmful substances, and contributes to the larger plastic pollution problem.
Hence, brands looking to become more eco-friendly can start by eliminating shrink wrap in favor of more sustainable alternatives.
4 Sustainable Packaging Material Alternatives to Shrink Wrap
If you want to reduce your business’s environmental impact, many sustainable packaging material options are available to you. Below are four sustainable materials to consider switching to.
- Cap-It™
Paperboard mills company, Graphic Packaging International, Inc., manufactured Cap-It™ as a sustainable alternative to regular shrink films and can rings. The product—a clip with neck rings—is ideal for multipack recycled PET bottles. Compared to shrink wrap, Graphic Packaging created Cap-It to be far more recyclable.
The company aims to support and aid the circular economy through Cap-It. Director of Marketing and Beverage New Product Development Roxanne McSpadden emphasized that the product can circulate multiple times through the recycling chain and eventually become new packaging.
- Nor-Grip
According to European corrugated packaging company, Smurfit Kappa, three in four consumers (75%) prefer paper-based packaging over plastic. This finding created an opportunity for the company to develop sustainable alternatives to shrink film.
They eventually developed Nor-Grip, a paper-based solution to replace plastic multipacks. Its paper material is more biodegradable than plastic shrink wrap and is easier to recycle. Nor-Grip reportedly can also withstand heavy loads throughout the supply chain, despite being paper-based.
- ECOGRIP
Blue Box Partners, Klingele Paper, and Packaging Group’s Pan-European Alliance collaborated to create a practical, new packaging concept that is a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics packaging. The solution they produced was the ECOGRIP, a 100% recyclable alternative to the typical shrink wrap.
The product was manufactured after intense, in-depth research and structural development. ECOGRIP features a fully adaptable concept that can fit any bottleneck or cap and different sizes for 4, 6, or 8 bottles of 0.33 to 1.5 liters.
- Paper Bundler
Dortmund, Germany-based filing and packaging company, KHS Group, harnessed the power of the market-established Innopack Kisters tray packer to use paper as a packaging material. This development enables food and beverage companies to wrap their products in more sustainable materials.
The company highlighted that paper is cheaper than cardboard and uses less energy and materials. These features can allow businesses to save on expenses while also saving the environment.
Wrapping Up
As more companies develop sustainable packaging solutions, it’ll be easier for them to ditch the environmentally-hazardous plastic wrap in favor of eco-friendly alternatives.
Becoming a more eco-friendly business benefits you in many ways. Not only would you be making a positive impact on the environment, but it also helps you gain the trust of your customers.
