Materials

1. Reduce total material use.

• Determine what is necessary for product protection and eliminate unnecessary materials.
• Minimize cutting waste through efficient die-line layouts and designs.

2. Design for reuse.

• Design for possible internal or customer reuse.
• Ensure reusable packaging is compatible with existing packaging and recycling infrastructure.

3. Design for recyclability.

• Ensure packaging is compatible with accessible recycling systems.
• Try to use a single material to enhance recyclability.
• Avoid materials that reduce recyclability, such as laminates, films, wet strength additives, foil stamps, and metallic inks.

4. Choose sustainable paper and paperboard.

• Maximize the use of certified paper, preferably FSC-certified if virgin.
• Use unbleached and acid-free paper.
• Opt for sustainable green printing when feasible.
• Avoid poly laminate paper as it hinders recyclability.

5. Use sustainable corrugated transit packaging.

• Utilize FSC or certified post-consumer fiber (PCF) cardboard.
• Maximize carton packing efficiency.
• Use paper tape when possible and avoid staples and other restrictive materials.

6. Choose plastics with easier recyclability.

• Use items with a single resin type to increase recyclability (e.g., 100% PET).
• Maximize the use of recycled and recyclable plastic.
• Avoid PVC and PS ridged foam.
• Refrain from printing on clear plastics to maintain recyclability.
• Ensure that the consumer can easily separate paper and metal foil labels from plastic before recycling.
• Clearly label biodegradable and compostable plastics to promote proper disposal and reduce recycling stream contamination.
• Compostable plastics should have supporting test results to confirm that all materials will break down or become usable compost.

7. Minimize Polybags.

• Avoid individual polybags when possible.
• If necessary, secure and protect items for shipping and handling with a bag of appropriate size and thickness.
• Use polybags made of #2 or #4 clear recyclable plastic film.
• Avoid polybags with PVC.Guidance for adhesives, coatings, inks and bleaching process

• Better: Certified non-VOC adhesives
• Best: Avoid adhesive use altogether Preferred because it avoids the use of chemicals and allows for easier recycling.

• Good: Water-Based Coating Emits fewer VOCs than solvent-based varnishes
• Better: UV Coating No VOCs, high performance, and protects the printed surface from UV damage.
• Best: No Coating Preferred because it reduces the use of chemicals and resources.

• Overprint varnishes are solvent-based and can emit VOCs during the application.
• Foil and poly laminations use adhesives and create a mixed-material package that can reduce recyclability and contain undesirable materials.

• Good: Water-Based Inks Use less energy than traditional lithographic printing and also has a low VOC footprint.
• Better: Soy & Vegetable-Based Inks Natural, oil-based inks help avoid the use of petroleum-based inks and are easier to separate from the fibers during recycling.
• Best: No Ink Preferred because it reduces the use of materials and resources.

Note that metallic inks can contain aluminum, mica, and bronze powders that hinder recyclability and require more intensive printing processes.

• Good: TCF—Totally Chlorine Free Bleached Paper products that are produced without chlorine or chlorine-derived compounds.
• Better: PCF—Process Chlorine Free Includes recycled and virgin fiber content, both of which are bleached without chlorine or chlorine-derived compounds.

• Best: Unbleached paper & paperboard Reduces the processing and chemical resources needed to produce the final product.

• Traditional ECF - Replaces elemental chlorine with chlorine dioxide in the bleaching process.
• Enhanced Chlorine Free ECF - Removes more of the lignin from the wood before bleaching, reducing overall chemical and energy use.

Design packing and shipping methods for transport efficiency: Efficient packing can result in significant savings in energy, greenhouse gas emissions, water, materialism, and transport costs.

Void Filler:

• Use biodegradable packing peanuts made from cornstarch. They are also compostable and dissolvable in water.
• Do not use plastics, expanded polystyrene, or shredded paper.

Shipping Cartons & Boxes

• Ink
• Recycled content
• Glue when possible

Packing Tape:

• Look into non-poly options wherever possible.

Pallet Wrapping.

• Note on recycling?

Pallets

• Maximize utilization of all available space on pallets for transport to carrier facilities or to the customer.
• Use pallets made from sustainably sourced (FSC Certified) materials or materials such as recycled wood or recycled plastic polymers when possible.
• Repair and reuse pallets as much as possible before recycling them at the end of their lifespan

We require all vendors and manufacturers we partner with to comply with local, national, and international laws and follow industry standards for recycling adherence and transparency.

Our goal is to offer transparent, accessible, and precise information about the overall recycled content and the impact of environmentally conscious sourcing and production on our packaging. We will also provide useful and practical information on how to reuse, recycle, or dispose of packaging materials in line with our values and sustainability goals.

How 2 Recycle Membership?