Eco-friendly shipping – Top Tips on Everything You Need to Know

Picture of June Andria

June Andria

As the Content Manager at NextSmartShip, I specialize in crafting compelling narratives and innovative content that engages our audience and drives our brand forward.

Picture of June Andria

June Andria

As the Content Manager at NextSmartShip, I specialize in crafting compelling narratives and innovative content that engages our audience and drives our brand forward.

Table of Contents

A well-thought-out eco-friendly packaging and shipping process is increasingly becoming one of the most critical aspects of running a successful online business. This explains why e-commerce retailers must now accept eco-friendly shipping deliveries focusing on eco-friendly packaging.

Eco-friendly shipping

Online customers are paying attention to how their orders are packaged. They’re expressing a growing preference for brands that use either recyclable materials or those with a limited environmental impact.

This is where the concept of eco-friendly shipping comes into play. The way you package and ship your products has a significant effect on the environment. If you can find ways to use environmentally friendly packaging materials, you might just find that you are earning more loyal customers.

This article highlights the importance of eco-friendly shipping solutions, Eco-friendly packaging, and how to provide eco-shipping friendly services to your customers.

Table of Contents

What are the Benefits of Eco-friendly Shipping Solutions?

Adhering to best shipping practices has a lot of advantages for online merchants. And now, by providing eco-friendly shipping options, you can add to those advantages. Here are a few reasons to make your deliveries more environmentally friendly:

Eco-friendly shipping boosts your Brand.

Customers are continually looking for brands that are environmentally conscious and strong at reducing waste. As a result, it’s critical that you win and sustain the customers’ trust by demonstrating your commitment to green shipping.

Utilize recyclable materials

Recyclable materials are often used in eco-friendly shipping supplies. This means that biodegradable packaging materials such as corrugated  bubble wraps and corrugated card boxes can be quickly recycled and reused. As a result of all of this, they have a lower environmental impact.

It is cost-effective

This is particularly true when it comes to the use of packing materials. The heavier and more expensive the shipment is, the more packaging products you use. However, you can save money on packaging and shipping if you use less packing.

Reduce carbon emissions

A study conducted by, shipping emissions could account for around 17% of all global carbon emissions by 2050, but this could be avoided if environmentally sustainable shipping solutions are implemented.

Customers pay attention

Roughly 81 percent of respondents’ value companies implementing environmental policies, according to a Nielsen survey.

Types of eco-friendly shipping packaging

Carbon emissions are an unavoidable byproduct of transporting goods by land, sea, or air, and they have a detrimental impact on the environment. You will reduce the environmental impact of shipping by practicing eco-friendly shipping.

Here’s a rundown of the various eco-friendly shipping packaging options.

Corrugated bubble wrap

Corrugated bubble wrap is a green alternative to plastic bubble wrap or styrofoam wrapping peanuts if you need to cushion a delicate object. This is usually made from 100% recycled cardboard derived from post-consumer and post-industrial waste. Both recycled and compostable corrugated bubble wrap is available.

Recycled materials in air pillows

Another fantastic eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to Styrofoam or bubble wrap is inflatable air pillows. They are suitable for filling voids in boxes or providing cushioning around packed goods and come in a range of sizes. They are reusable, recyclable, and biodegradable. Be sure to buy air pillows that are made entirely of recycled materials and stress biodegradability.

Cardboard boxes

Cardboard packaging, the most widely used components of packaging, can be quickly reused and recycled by the user. Most importantly, they are simple to obtain in quantities that are appropriate for the company.

Wooden Crates

If you are shipping heavy-duty goods such as glass and electronics, can be packaged in wooden crates. Wooden crates allow for better ventilation during wine fermentation, maintaining the wine at a constant temperature and moisture-free atmosphere.

Recycled Cardboard and Paper

Paper and cardboard, fortunately, are two of the most recyclable materials available. Try to source post-consumer or post-industrial recycled paper and cardboard to make the packaging and shipping as eco-friendly as possible.

Although cardboard and paper are organic products, their use may have a significant environmental effect if they are sourced in an unsustainable manner. Materials labeled as FSC-certified, on the other hand, are sourced from sustainably managed forests and could be a safer option in some cases.

Plastics that are eco-friendly and recycled

There’s no avoiding the fact that certain shipping requirements necessitate a durable and dependable material that won’t crack and can withstand heavy loads. While many of the organic raw material alternatives can be excellent for cushioning and filling, there are periods when only plastic will suffice.

5 Tips on how to achieve Eco-friendly shipping

Eco-friendly shipping is becoming more popular, and smart business owners around the world are adapting now to meet their customers’ expectations related to environmental sustainability and to stay ahead of the curve tomorrow.

Here are some tips on how to provide eco-friendly shipping services to your customers

  • Pack your orders with environmentally friendly shipping materials such as recycled packaging, environmentally friendly plastics, and biodegradable materials are examples of this.
  • Keep the product sizes consistent. This ensures that the boxes and packaging are as small as possible for the size of your products to avoid wasting materials. This saves room and money, as well as results in less waste.
  • Instead of dropping off your items yourself, arrange for them to be picked up. The courier’s delivery trucks will then combine several pickups, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere.
  • Liaise with “green shippers,” such as DHL, UPS, and USPS, who are concerned about sustainable packaging and utilizing low-carbon emission forms of transportation.
  • Provide eco shipping tracking receipts with paperless options so consumers can monitor their orders without having to rely on discarded paper slips.

Conclusion

Eco-friendly shipping is the way to go if you want to reduce the environmental effect of transporting your merchandise across the world. So, whenever you’re ready, contact Nextsmarship for an eco-friendly shipping plan that suits your business needs. We’ll help you pack and ship your orders in an eco-friendly manner. It will not only save you a lot of money but also inspire customer loyalty and boost sales.

Get Custom Solutions

NSS Million Dollar Acceleration Plan

X

How to Choose a Fulfillment Partner

Learn how the perfect fulfillment match can elevate your customer satisfaction and streamline your process.