Eco friendly packaging, especially paper pulp, has made great strides as we all look to shrink our environmental footprint. Paper pulp is made from recycled paper and/or cardboard and is an eco friendly material option for various packaging needs. Paper pulp has been widely used in the food and protective packaging industries, however it is becoming more popular in other areas for not only protective packaging, but also decorative packaging.
Ditching Plastic for Paper Pulp Packaging
Some products are doing away with plastic packaging material and opting for a more environmentally friendly paper pulp material instead. Paper pulp materials can eliminate millions of pounds of non-compostable trash every year, while also reducing overall product cost. Some common materials for paper pulp are: recycled paper, cardboard, and loose cellulose materials. Other types of paper pulp products that are commonly manufactured are made from sugar cane, bagasse, wheat, and bamboo fibers.
Top benefits of paper pulp packaging include:
- Excellent bracing, blocking and cushioning protection.
- Unaffected by extreme temperatures.
- Inexpensive raw material sources.
- Affordable new development costs.
- Designed to nest for reduced shipping and storage costs.
- Formed to shape –- no assembly required.
- 100% post-industrial raw materials.
- Chemical-free pulping process.
- Zero manufacturing waste –- all scraps are returned to the pulp slurry.
- Final packaging is 100% recyclable.
(Referenced: Sustainable Packaging Industries)
Eco Friendly Upcycling
Recycling material using this process allows for materials to be re-used and upcycled into new products, transforming waste materials into new products that are more environmentally friendly.
Upcycling is a rather new term and is deemed a creative process for reusing old products or materials that can be transformed into something new. Plastic and metal materials can also be upcycled into other products, recycled and melted down to become repurposed.
Packaging of products has typically consisted of a combination of various types of plastics and cardboard that are used to protect or enclose products for transportation, marketing, and sales. With the worldwide effort of reducing the use of plastic materials and products, alternative materials are being researched and implemented every day in place of these plastic materials.
Referenced: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulp_(paper)
Have questions about packaging materials? Send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
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