Eco Packaging Deserves Great Eco Branding: A Quick Guide

Posted on Aug 16th 2017

Have you made an effort to choose eco-friendly packaging? If so, you ROCK! Thank you for supporting Mother Earth. But, do your customers know how much you care?

You might be thinking…”No! I get sustainable packaging for me and the planet, not to get credit.” or “My customers don’t need more messages from me."

News Flash: Your customers WANT you to ship in ecofriendly ways. In fact, one study found that 75% of customers want to receive products in sustainable packaging! So don't miss the opportunity to showcase your green packaging and:

Build customer loyalty,
Encourage customers to refer their friends,
Motivate recipients to be eco-friendly themselves by reusing, recycling or composting their packages (and maintain the earth friendly cycle of packaging that you started).

Our mission at EcoEnclose is to help eco-minded businesses like yours be successful and to maximize the positive impact you can have on the planet. So we are psyched to share six strategies - with real life examples! - for communicating your GREEN packaging efforts.

1. Custom Print Packaging With Eco Messages

This can be as simple as adding a “100% Recycled" message to your box or bag. A detailed note describing why and how your packaging is sustainable can provide more nuance and transparency. Customers who read the packaging closely will get the message, and once they do, it will forge a deeper connection with your brand and values. You can also be directive - state your recycled content and then ask your customers to reuse, recycle or compost their packages.

2. Custom Print Packaging to Convey Sustainability

In some cases, unique packaging that evokes sustainability - without flat out saying "we are green!" - can be powerful. This strategy works well for companies that have made environmental stewardship so fundamental to their businesses and brand, that customers already expect to get green packaging. Their unique design adds a great “wow factor” to the customer experience, and reaffirms their eco commitment.

3. Take Advantage of EcoEnclose's NEW Stock Printed Mailers or Tape

Yay! We now stock printed items - including Water Activated Tape (great for anyone ordering our boxes) and printed 100% Recycled Poly Mailers (available in 10x13”). We hope these are a great option for companies who are not yet ready to invest in custom designing their packaging, but still want to showcase their eco commitment and add something unique to the customer experience. The language and imagery of our stock printed options are designed to a) convey an ecological connection; b) inform the recipient about the recycled inputs and the recyclability of the product; and c) encourage them to reuse or recycle.

4. Make Creative Reuse Core to the Customer Experience

A few companies we work with have made packaging reuse a fun part of the customer experience. Salmon Sisters challenged their customers to find the most interesting way to reuse their 100% Recycled Poly Mailers. Rescue Crate included seed paper in their monthly boxes so customers could plant boxes and paper, to bring more wildflowers into the world. Zappos (not a customer, but we still love this initiative) launched a fun #imnotabox campaign, with a shipping box that encouraged their customers to reuse packaging and share their creative reuses on social media.

5. Add Notes In Your Packaging

If you use EcoEnclose products, consider adding our free We Care Cards, to put into your outgoing packages. These handy cards help your customers quickly see that you’ve shipped your goods thoughtfully. You could create your own card or hand write a note on your packaging slips letting your customers know you’ve gone green and would appreciate if they can dispose of their mailers or boxes responsibly.

6. Highlight Your Strategies in E-Communications

Add a note about your commitment to eco-friendly packaging and shipping to your website - on your Product Pages, the About Us section, or even at the bottom of your My Cart page. This informs people before they even make a purchase (and could even make them more likely to hit “submit” on their order!). Alternatively, a note about your shipping and packaging strategies could be included in your order confirmation emails. Let folks know that their orders are not only on their way, but that they are enroute in earth conscious bags or boxes! And of course, don’t forget to be social! A lot of EcoEnclose companies do a great job highlighting their earth conscious strategies - including their packaging and shipping - on social media.