What does your fulfillment have to do with a fruit box?
Ding Dong! The doorbell rings, and I know my fruit box from the farmer has arrived. Of course, the fruit (as the name suggests) is in a box – more specifically: in a returnable box. This will be picked up during the next delivery and refilled. The keyword here: Sustainable shipping. What is completely normal for the fruit box is still uncharted territory for online retail. Why is that? After all, there are now plenty of alternatives to the old single-use cardboard box and plastic filling material.
To make you signposts in the industry (and thereby provide you with a Unique Selling Point), we have examined five ways in more detail on how you can make your fulfillment more sustainable.
Method 1: The reusable box/packaging
Already in 2009, Memo developed its own reusable shipping system, the memo Box. Since then, customers can choose this sustainable shipping option during the ordering process. According to company information, 23% of customers used the memo Box. In 2017, the company was even awarded the Sustainability Prize Logistics by the Federal Association of Logistics (BVL) Austria and Germany.
The system is quite simple: The customer chooses the memo Box, Memo itself decides which size is selected. After receiving the goods, the customer has 14 days to return the box to the company free of charge. If no return is made, Memo will charge the customer for the box and they can then call it their own. The stable alternative to cardboard boxes withstands a total of 500 cycles.
Now you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to enable sustainable shipping. For smaller, unbreakable goods, such as clothing, the Finnish start-up RePack has developed a foldable shipping bag. This way, the smart packaging can first transport goods and later, folded down to the size of an envelope, be sent back to RePack worldwide free of charge. Through its innovative system, CO2 emissions are reduced by around 80%, according to the company’s promise.
In addition to sustainable shipping, RePack offers a large network of retailers. Since every return is rewarded with a shopping voucher that can be redeemed at any RePack partner, customer loyalty automatically grows. Of course, each bag is cleaned after use. This is done in workshops for people with disabilities. Thus, behind RePack lies not only an ecological but also a social idea.
Method 2: Climate-neutral shipping
Admittedly: The farmer certainly has a shorter way to my home than you as an Amazon seller to most of your customers. However, that doesn’t mean you have to lag far behind him in terms of sustainable shipping.
Large shipping providers like DHL and DPD offer climate-neutral shipping. For this, CO2 emissions are measured and offset through investments in climate projects.
At DHL, all packages within Germany are shipped climate-neutral. Packages to EU countries can also be shipped climate-neutral for an additional charge of €0.20. Additionally, the shipping service provider already uses electric vehicles in some cities to reduce CO2 emissions. DPD also relies on free climate-neutral shipping in Germany and already uses cargo bikes in Nuremberg, for example.
Method 3: Packaging made from recycled materials
But what about the product packaging itself? Those who cannot completely eliminate it can at least opt for sustainable alternatives to make their fulfillment more sustainable.
bio-lutions’ approach to this is quite simple, yet brilliant. One person’s trash is another person’s raw material. Thus, the company uses organic waste to produce new compostable packaging without chemicals.
A similar approach is pursued by Arekapak. They aim to create new packaging from fallen palm leaves. The packaging is not yet being sold, but it is definitely exciting to follow this idea further. Currently, the team is continuing to work on the prototypes and the realization of the project.
Even those who prefer film packaging can find what they are looking for. For example, repaq offers plastic-free and compostable film packaging made from cellulose. However, there are many more innovations, from packaging for temperature-sensitive goods to alternative insulation materials.
Method 4: Filling material made from recycled materials
Which brings us to the next point: the filling material.
Does it always have to be Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap? Or how about using mushrooms instead? Ecovativedesign has launched a new type of filling material that uses mycelium as a “glue.” Agricultural waste is cleaned and processed for this method. Then, the mushrooms are added as a stabilizer. After just a few days, the filling material is already usable. The Mushroompackaging has even convinced the electronics giant Dell.
Those convinced by this approach can even order their own DIY kit and produce their materials themselves. The only catch: the long transport route from the USA. But Germany also has good alternatives to offer. Landpack near Munich offers several different filling materials. For example, they have an insulation made of straw as an alternative to Styrofoam. According to the manufacturer, it can keep goods below 4° for up to 65 hours.
The company also offers materials made from hemp and jute. They serve both for insulation and shock absorption. Another alternative, who doesn’t know them? The good old packaging chips, but please biodegradable. They are usually made from starch and are at least as good as packaging chips made from Styrofoam. However: They can be disposed of in the organic waste bin or in your own compost pile like all the other presented options.
Method 5: Recycling packaging yourself
But who says that you have to outsource processes or hire suppliers to ensure sustainable shipping? Surely you also receive one or another return. What do you do with the cardboard then? Throw it away?
Offer your customers the option to receive a reused cardboard box. Many cardboard boxes are still perfectly fine after their first use and are thrown in the trash anyway. An undamaged box can definitely be reused. 87% of consumers even support the reuse of already used boxes.
If you give your customers the choice beforehand of whether they value a brand new box more than reducing unnecessary waste, surely some environmentally conscious customers will allow the box another use. However, with this method, you should only reuse boxes that are truly undamaged.
Additional benefits
Those who focus on sustainable shipping and package their products as waste-free or compostable as possible reach a growing target group of environmentally conscious consumers. A study by Facit Research 2017 found that the sustainability of a product or a retailer plays a significant role in the purchasing decision for about two-thirds of respondents.
For those who don’t find that reason enough, it should be noted: You can even save money with reusable packaging! Certainly, the initial investments are higher, but since you can now use your packaging multiple times, you don’t have to buy new packaging material for each individual delivery. Think of the memo Box, which can be used 500 times. This way, the acquisition of reusable transport boxes will quickly pay off.
Eyes open when choosing packaging
As beautiful as the green idyllic world may sound, you should still question every product. Of course, it’s nice when shipping service providers invest in climate projects, but wouldn’t it be even better to use emissions-free shipping whenever possible? Does a package really need to be transported 10 kilometers in a diesel truck, or would a courier service with an e-bike suffice in this case?
If you decide on a new packaging or filling method, you will most likely need to contact a supplier. At this step, you should also inquire about the production of the alternative packaging and ensure that it is truly ecological. What good is packaging made from recycled material if it has to be shipped halfway around the globe to reach you? A critical look behind the green facade is definitely worthwhile!
PraxPack: Solution search at the federal level
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research has also recognized that a change is urgently needed. After all, over 50,000 tons of plastic packaging and over 750,000 tons of paper, cardboard, and carton packaging are generated annually just in online retail.
Therefore, projects like “praxPACK” are being supported, where the Ökopol Institute is searching for new solutions to reduce the mountains of packaging waste generated. They focus on ideas that benefit both the environment and the retailers. Only in this way can a change take place. So we have reason to hope that many more alternatives to single-use packaging and filling materials will soon come to market.
Conclusion: Sustainable fulfillment is becoming increasingly important
Those who focus on sustainable shipping and ecological packaging have a clear USP and reach an ever-growing target group. There are already some sustainable alternatives to single-use packaging and filling materials available today. However, the range is expected to grow even further. Sustainability is definitely a trend that you should follow and implement in your company as much as possible.
Nevertheless, you should first consider the individual options and evaluate them on a case-by-case basis. Does it fit your business? Does it really make sense? Those who take the time to do this and make conscious decisions can compete well with the farmer and his fruit box.
Image credits in the order of the images: © SeNata – stock.adobe.com / © landpack.de / © Davide Angelini – stock.adobe.com
