How Folding Carton Packaging Helps Reduce Packaging Waste in E-commerce

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that packaging waste contributes to about 82.2 million tons or 28.1% of the country’s waste generation. This waste is sometimes recycled, but it mostly ends up in oceans, landfills, and incinerators.

Folding carton packaging significantly reduces packaging waste, helping e-commerce businesses lower spending and minimize their environmental impact. Today, we’ll examine what folding carton packaging is and how it reduces packaging waste in e-commerce.

What Is Folding Carton Packaging?

Folding carton packaging is cardboard or paperboard packaging designed to fold flat for efficient storage and shipping. It can be easily assembled into a sturdy 3D box for holding products. This packaging can hold food, consumer products, pharmaceuticals, and other products. Companies can opt for the following fold-in carton packaging type:

• Seal-end carton
• Sleeve carton
• Crash lock bottom (Auto-lock bottom boxes)
• Straight tuck end (STE)
• Reverse tuck end
• Sleeve cartons
• Gable top cartons
• Windowed folding carton

How Does Folding Cartons Packaging Reduce Packaging Waste?

Folding carton packaging cuts down packaging waste considerably. Here’s how.

Reduces Material Use

Folding cartons primarily use paperboard, a strong, lightweight material that’s less bulky than corrugated cardboard. The result? Packages are lighter, and resource consumption per product is also greatly reduced.

Diverse Applications

Packaging products using folding cartons eliminates the need for using different packaging for different products. Companies in e-commerce can use the same packaging for products like electronics, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, and cosmetics, to name a few. Folding carton packaging is highly customizable and can fit various structural designs, which prevents over-packaging and reduces total packaging volume.

Appropriate Sizing and Custom Fitting

Overly large boxes are a waste of money, space, and time. With folding carton packaging, e-commerce businesses can design cartons that fit products snugly and encase them much more naturally. 

Custom-fitted packaging is beneficial in two ways. First, it means little to no use of filler materials like air pillows and bubble wrap. Secondly, businesses can optimize space during storage and shipping, reducing damage risk in both cases.

Sustainable and Recyclable Packaging

It’s hard to generate packaging waste when you can recycle the packaging material. Most folding carton packages are created from recyclable materials like FSC-certified paperboard, kraft paper, and biodegradable coatings. Companies can simply recycle the leftover material to create new packages.

Great for Minimalist Branding

Plastic wrapping, extra printed sleeves, stickers, or inserts are unnecessary with folding carton packaging. That’s because this packaging type has clean surfaces perfect for printing both text and graphics. As such, e-commerce companies can maintain their original designs and enhance customer experience without incurring additional costs and compromising on sustainability.

Reduce Your Packaging Waste With Folding Carton Packaging

Don’t let excessive packaging waste slow down your business and push you further from your business goals. By embracing folding carton packaging, you can cut down on packaging waste significantly, saving a ton of money in the process and reducing your business’s environmental impact.

Switch to folding carton packaging and transform your e-commerce operations into a leaner, greener, and more responsible model, one box at a time.