After extensive research into materials, infrastructure, and pending/future legislation, EcoEnclose has determined which bio-based inputs align with our standard for regenerative materials. Learn which materials have passed our rigorous analysis and why we’ve been deliberately cautious of bioplastics.

We instead encourage our brands to design their product and shipping packaging for circularity instead of biodegradability.

We recommend using paper instead of bio-based or biodegradable plastics. See below for the top reasons, and view our resources to dive deeper.

• Recycling is more circular than composting and is the preferred end-of-life for most packaging.

• Composting exists to be an ecological net-positive waste stream for organic waste.

• Certified compostable packaging often doesn’t compost in real-life settings.

• Compostability is not a cure for marine plastic pollution.

• Compostability and recyclability are solely about end-of-life, not lifecycle.

Most paper mailers are made with paperboard, a thicker material falling between standard copy paper and cardboard. Paperboard varies in thickness and measures in points (pt). You should choose your mailers based on the paperboard thickness needed to protect your products. EcoEnclose offers a wide variety of paper mailers.

Most soft-goods shipments perform remarkably well in a standard 10 - 12pt paperboard mailer, but others (bulkier apparel) require a thicker paperboard to get the job done. Remember that the thicker the paperboard, the more paper used, and the higher the environmental impact. Balance this consideration against the mailers that work most successfully with your products.

And train your team to select the right sizes for the right shipments.

• Work with your packaging provider to source samples of mailers in various sizes to see what works best for your products.

• Paper mailers can hold around 75% of the volume of the same poly mailer due to a difference in flexibility. We recommend trying two sizes of paper mailer: the same size as your current poly mailer and one size larger.

• When replacing large poly mailers, you may need to substitute for a box or corrugated mailer to maintain structure versus a thinner paperboard mailer, which works better for smaller shipments.

Gussets give a few inches of depth to a standard mailer by adding a folded strip of paper on the sides or bottom, thus increasing the capacity inside a standard mailer. We offer gussets on several of our paper mailers and find them most effective when used for inherently bulkier shipments like a sweatshirt or which holds multiple pieces of apparel or soft goods - instead of standard, mostly flat shipments.

• Every shipment may not require gussets. Use flat mailers whenever possible and gusseted mailers for shipments with multiple products or bulky apparel.

• Gussets do not mean the shipment will be inherently safer in transit. When gusseted millers are under-packed, their corners and creases are potential places for stress to be absorbed and may impact the structure of the mailer.

• Gussets typically increase the cost of a mailer.

Successfully switching to paper packaging in your eCommerce and shipping typically entails the following major steps:

• Piloting and testing paper packaging for performance and damage concerns

• Onboarding sizes in phases

• Training your DC/fulfillment centers/factories to work with new materials successfully

• Troubleshooting issues and concerns

Ship testing is the best way to assure performance once a new packaging product is introduced (or considered) for your products. Ship tests are a small set of sample shipments that utilize the new packaging, shipped to people who can give you good feedback on the packaging once it arrives. Many ship tests are sent to other company offices across the country, family, friends, and anyone who can provide detailed feedback or pictures of the packaging once delivered. Ship tests ensure new packaging fits your products well, protects them in shipment, and arrives in good condition.

We always recommend shipping tests before you transition fully to a new packaging solution - this can save you the headache of purchasing large volumes of packaging that will not work for you! Have a period of overlap during your transition and place survey prompts to draw customer feedback. We recommend pursuing feedback using printed QR codes on mailers or after-shipment check-in emails.

For enterprise accounts - those who ship 2,500+ orders per week - we recommend trying a staggered ship test, starting at 1,000 units & then moving up in volume over a few increments instead of starting with moving over your entire volume. If you choose to work with EcoEnclose on your enterprise-level plastic-free packaging strategy, we will help you execute these ship tests.

Use our tools to guide your assessment: How many ship tests are needed? And Damage rate calculator

Most brands are comfortable with 2% damaged packaging rates but <0.5% product damage rates. It is normal for packaging to be somewhat roughed up through the shipping process, but product damage and loss rates should be quite low. If they are not - this indicates that the packaging needs to be improved, redesigned or troubleshooting on the packaging application should be completed.

• Damaged packaging: Holes, rips and tears, small punctures, bursting at the seams, opening completely during transit. The industry standard for eCommerce is a 2% or less rate of damaged packaging.

• Damaged product: The product itself is rendered unusable by the consumer, necessitating a return or replacement. Aim for a 0.5% or less rate of damaged product.

Do not transition every plastic packaging in your business in one month! Audit your business to identify where you incorporate single-use plastic and transition them one at a time. Even within a packaging category (such as mailers), transition your items one at a time.

For example, focus on your smaller mailers first, as smaller paper mailers tend to have a more 1:1 comparable performance to a poly mailer. Then, work your way up in mailer sizes over time.

Paper demand is at an all-time high as many companies transition from plastic to paper. We anticipate that supply chains will remain volatile as shocks ripple through the commodity markets and economy.

When you work with EcoEnclose for your paper packaging strategy, we will work with you to understand your requirements and build redundancy and slack into your paper packaging manufacturing. If you are not working with us, find other ways to build redundancy and excess capacity.

Build a training program for your fulfillment team, as adjusting to new material will require a learning curve for your team. Some key differences between paper and plastic include the following.

• Handle paper packaging carefully, as the material is more rigid and delicate. Paper packaging can tear and puncture more easily than plastic counterparts. As such, your team members need to handle them more carefully.

• Fill paper mailers to less capacity than poly mailers. If you typically stock a few sizes of poly mailers and ask your team to select sizes based on the dimensions of each shipment, you will want to train them to choose a slightly larger paper mailer than they would have had they been working with poly mailers.

• Seal paper mailers with more pressure and time to ensure a strong adhesive bond to keep the package from opening during transit.

• Paper requires more pressure applied to the sealing adhesive strip than plastic-based materials. Apply pressure for a few seconds longer to ensure the adhesive of the mailer has cured (this is especially true for recycled paper surfaces, which have shorter and fuzzier fibers than virgin paper). Missing this step can cause paper mailers to open during transit, leading to returns, damages, missing shipments, and products.

• In addition to the added time and pressure needed to seal the mailer, expect to give equal attention to the adherence of the shipping label. Recycled paper fibers are shorter and more textured than virgin paper or plastic, and it may require a stronger adhesive or more pressure to get a firm stick on the shipping label. We offer a high tack direct thermal shipping label with a hot melt, industrial-strength adhesive. These are ideal for paper mailers with adherence issues with standard shipping labels.

Paper void fill and hangtags typically require more time than automated plastic alternatives. For example, many brands swap plastic void fill pillows with paper-based GreenWrap. While we love this switch, fulfilling with GreenWrap is more time-intensive than pillow machines. We can help you transition from an automated air pillow void fill to an automated paper pillow option when working at high volumes.

Some brands will buy more than one year of their plastic packaging needs at a time to manage supply chain risks, reduce unit costs, or both. We recommend purchasing so that you are holding six months or less of your paper packaging needs at any one time because paper has a shorter shelf-life than plastic products, particularly in extreme temperatures or humidity.

If possible, invest in custom branding that engages your customer more deeply in your plastic-to-paper journey and the ethos of your company. Many brands showcase their brand identity and build customer loyalty with bold on-package messaging that conveys:

• The sustainability attributes of your packaging and any sustainable add-ons

• The proper disposal instructions for the end-receiver

• Your broader sustainability goals and transition to paper process

One of our favorite examples comes from Burton Snowboards [left], whose website showcases more information about their specific packaging goals.

If custom-branding is not an option for you, communicate through

• Custom-printed recycled notecard or a We Care Card to each shipment

• Messages printed on your packing slips

• Digital marketing channels - social media, on your site, confirmation/shipping emails, etc.

Be sure to avoid greenwashing in these efforts.

• Provide as much detail about the product and its production as possible.

• Communicate attributes and disposal directions clearly and directly, highlighting features such as:

• Product inputs: Recycled and post-consumer waste %

• Specific end-of-life and disposal instructions

• Accurate sustainability certifications where relevant

• Avoid misleading, vague, and unclear messaging, such as: “Eco-friendly Packaging” or “Sustainable Packaging,” “Recyclable” (versus curbside recyclable), “Responsible” or “Responsibly-sourced,” and “Recycled” (versus 100% recycled)

Our guide to Marketing Your Sustainable Packaging includes language to use and avoid, EcoEnclose Sustainability Icons that can be used in any branded packaging design, and tips on how to communicate sustainability efforts best.

Work with EcoEnclose on your sustainable packaging. You can be confident that our Creative and Sustainability teams will ensure your artwork is clear, free of vague language, and aligned with the most up-to-date labeling regulations and requirements.

You defined success in steps 1 and 2. Now, it’s time to assess your current state against those initial success criteria and requirements.

Strategic questions to help evaluate:

1. Did you meet your baseline decision-making criteria and requirements? If yes, consider this process a success!

2. What kind of sustainability impact and benefit came from this transition?

   • What is the carbon impact of your packaging?

   • What is the total environmental impact of your packaging? How does it compare to your previous packaging? (Measure this with our Packaging Sustainability Calculators)

   • How many pounds of single-use plastic did you remove and prevent?

   • What percentage of your packaging is now plastic-free?

   • How many pounds of recycled materials did you use in new packaging and thus create demand for?

3. What impact did the transition have on your customer experience?

   • What damage rates did you see? Was there a noticeable increase or change? Did you see an increase (or decrease) in returns?

   • What feedback did customers share? Consider proactively seeking feedback by contacting customers or providing a link or QR code in shipments for them to share input.

   • Was there a bump in social media shares or repeat purchases?

You will undoubtedly learn a lot during this process - use this step to document your best practices, learnings, and ideas for future iterations and improvements.

Circular packaging is made from packaging and becomes packaging again: how close to this vision is your current packaging suite?

First is by using as much recycled content as possible in your packaging, specifically post-consumer waste - this supports and financially bolsters the recycling industry to recover materials continually.

Second is to design your packaging for recyclability in municipal recycling streams whenever possible. Recycling has come under a lot of fire recently, with myths circulating like “everything you recycle gets landfilled anyway.” In reality, a well-run recycler that has taken the time to educate its community about what should and shouldn’t be recycled can sort and sell 90% or more of what they receive to be remanufactured.

Recycling the material means it can be quickly turned into something useful in its next life, a strategy that offsets the need for more virgin input to enter the market. See our design tips and tricks, verified and created in collaboration with our recycling partner and national zero-waste leader Eco-Cycle.