13 Creative Eco-Friendly Packaging Examples and Ideas You Should Check Out
If you want to build a sustainable business, your packaging should be a key focus. Here are 13 creative and eco-friendly packaging ideas from brands from around the world.
By Francesca Nicasio — 25 May, 2022
Consumer purchasing habits are becoming more environmentally friendly, according to a worldwide study covering 17 countries and over 10,000 participants. Here’s the good news: You can accommodate this evolving customer behavior by leveraging creative eco-friendly packaging ideas.
74% of consumers are willing to spend more money on sustainable packaging, so it’s an excellent way to raise revenue and enhance your brand image. In addition, these packaging solutions decompose quickly and naturally, minimizing your company’s contribution to single-use plastic waste and pollution.
If you’re looking to establish yourself as a sustainable brand, you can get started by exploring these creative eco-friendly packaging ideas from some of the most ingenious brands and manufacturers.
1. Water-Activated Tape
FRECKL STUDIO offers a collection of minimalist and uniquely designed fashion items. As the company explains, it’s their attention to detail that enables them to curate each piece to fit the individual styles. This attention extends to their creative eco-friendly packaging.
Instead of sending orders to consumers using regular packaging tape, they opted for a clever, more sustainable option to seal their packages: Custom Water-Activated Tape from noissue.
noissue’s Custom Tape uses 100% recycled paper, non-toxic water-activated adhesive, and soy-based inks to ensure that the product is biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable. It adheres to the paper or box when moistened, hence the name.
FRECKL STUDIO also uses a special type of Tape Dispenser from noissue. One that comes with a tank you can fill with water and lets you wet the tape as you roll. Here’s an ASMR video of that in action below.
2. Recyclable HangTags
Southern Californian ecommerce brand, But first, West, makes handmade, customized pet accessories. They cap off their merchandise with Custom Hangtags from noissue that match their branding.
Hangtags don’t have to be boring or wasteful. noissue’s Custom Hangtags are made from circular materials such as recycled card stock and digitally printed using HP non-toxic or soy-based inks — making them recyclable and home-compostable. Soy ink has been proven to de-ink more easily than petroleum ink.
3. Dissolvable Paper Gift Wraps
Personal care brand Plus resorts to sustainable packaging solutions to curb plastic pollution by introducing dissolvable soap packaging. Plus paper gift wraps dissolve down the drain in less than 30 seconds — an easy start to encouraging a zero-waste lifestyle. In addition, they use bio-renewable ink that is safe for the environment and does not contain harmful chemicals.
Dissolvable wraps are great product packaging ideas for specialty stores that sell gift items like books, skincare, and luxury bath products. Wrap the products the same way you would use an ordinary gift wrap. Then send the package off and let your customer’s unboxing experience end with the packaging’s magic-like disappearance.
4. Reusable Embosser
LoverGirl is a Sydney-based jewelry company. Their handmade accessories are made from the highest-grade materials in Australia. As part of its commitment to sustainability, the ecommerce brand claims its “pieces are designed to last forever; our packaging isn’t.”
The company uses noissue’s recycled Padded Mailers, Custom Cards, and compostable Custom Tissue Paper for packaging its products. But the cherry on top is their hangtags, which they level up with noissue’s Custom Reusable Embosser for a more personalized look.
You can achieve the same results by getting a Custom Embosser to personalize your stationery, hang tags, or cards. This will allow you to leave a lasting impression on your customers without wasting resources, such as ink — for as long as you want.
5. Biodegradable Plastic
GenZ-founded Impact Snacks is a plant-based superfood snack manufacturer. Their mantra, “Choose Good,” is reflected throughout their operations — from their use of holistic ingredients to their bioplastic packaging.
The snack brand uses marine biodegradable wrappers that are 100% compostable at home. After finishing a snack, you can simply throw it into the bin or turn it into compost for your house or garden plants. Bioplastics are one of the most sustainable choices you can make for packaging food products.
6. Reusable Drawstring Bags
Align Slimes specializes in creating handcrafted slimes that help with reducing stress. Orders come with a mini bag of borax to activate the slime. All are packaged neatly in a Custom Drawstring Bag from noissue.
These reusable bags are a convenient and stylish alternative to plastic or paper bags. Made from 100% organic cotton, they can be customized with your logo and website name. If you want to give your shoppers a useful bag they can take on the go, drawstring bags fit the bill. On top of that, this creative eco-friendly packaging also doubles as a free advertisement for your brand.
7. Reusable tote bags
Even if yours isn’t an ecommerce business, you could still consider using eco-friendly packaging. Just like Chellsie Kiger. The hair salon owner gifts branded Tote Bags from noissue to her clients to show her gratitude for their continued patronage.
The Custom Tote Bags with a bold, retro “Chellsie Kiger” print are made from 100% organic cotton and printed using water-based inks. These materials produce fewer carbon emissions than their traditional counterparts.
Tote bags provide the same branding and functionality benefits as drawstrings. However, tote bags are more popular for daily use.
8. Compostable Cards
Home to custom embroidered clothing and textile supplies, Thread Honey upcycles vintage garments and ornaments into fresh designs. The company also sells embroidery kits and patterns for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
Together with branded Tissue Paper, Water-Activated Tape, and Padded Mailers from noissue, Thread Honey demonstrates its commitment to sustainability — from its products to its creative eco-friendly packaging.
The company inserts Custom Cards into its eco-friendly packaging to add a touch of thoughtfulness. These cards from noissue are printed with soy-based inks on 100% recycled materials and feature a brand photo with a reminder to recycle the packaging. Try adding these cards to give your packages a personal touch.
9. Seaweed-Based Packaging
Innovative food packaging company Notpla helps overthrow single-use food packaging, which totals 10.7 billion items of packaging waste. The company uses seaweed to create non-plastic packaging. Made from 100% natural plants, they develop biodegradable, home-compostable, and edible containers perfect for the food industry.
A good example is their seaweed pipettes, which are perfect for drizzling sesame, olive, or flaxseed oil over any food product. Pairing these pipettes with on-the-go seaweed food boxes is a revolutionary move to reduce plastic condiment sachets from overflowing landfills.
10. Aluminum and Glass Bottles
Another contributor to the relentless growth of plastic waste is the use of disposable bottle containers. This is why NeatClean, a brand campaigning against plastic bottles, has pioneered the use of refillable, circular packaging for their cleaning products. The brand offers reusable aluminum and glass bottles and refill formulas to eliminate the need for shipping tons of packaging waste worldwide.
Each NeatClean Starter Pack comes with a reusable aluminum spray bottle and a 30ml refill cleaner formula. After mixing the formula with 470ml tap water in the bottle, you’ll have a 500ml cleaner. The next time you run out of cleaning products, you only have to buy refills.
The brand also uses eco-friendly packaging to stay true to its goal. If you’re still finding your path to creative yet sustainable packaging for your skincare and home products, this reusable-refillable combo is an excellent place to start.
11. Stock Paper Tubes
Small businesses that sell candles, cosmetics, and ceramics can secure their products better by using sturdy, thick-walled containers instead of standard plastic or paper pouches. Stock Paper Tubes from noissue make for an ideal sustainable packaging option.
Our Stock Paper Tubes can be customized for your brand’s packaging needs. Each paper tube has a removable lid to display your logo and product details. Its simple design may encourage customers to reuse them if they don’t recycle them immediately.
Secure packaging doesn’t have to be inefficient — it all comes down to how you use your resources efficiently. Use shredded paper, honeycomb wraps, or biodegradable packing peanuts as fillers for these Stock Paper Tubes and keep your products safe.
12. Recyclable and Compostable Stickers
Opening a package with free stickers is always a delight. These thoughtful add-ons can put a smile on your customers’ faces. If you can’t afford to spend time outlining and snipping them one by one, noissue’s Custom Die Cut Stickers are better alternatives.
Compared to regular stickers, these compostable die-cut stickers use recycled materials (like acid-free paper) to reduce virgin plastic consumption. At the end of their lifecycle, they would re-enter the circulation instead of ending up in landfills, which could help save both our forests and oceans.
The design and use of your stickers are completely up to you. Choose artworks and icons that are relevant to your brand, and use them as tissue paper seals, box seals, or free inserts. This custom packaging idea is a budget-friendly and guilt-free way to make your brand stand out.
13. Dissolving Containers
SOAPBOTTLE is the inventor of an ingenious container for liquid personal hygiene products: a biodegradable, natural soap bar container. Its design inspiration came from zero-waste edible food packaging.
Each bar includes an easy-slip metal clip and a ribbon for trouble-free usage and storage and is outlined with a water-insoluble layer, which prevents the gel inside from dissolving the soap casing immediately. Once you’ve finished the liquid product, you can use the bar as hand soap until it runs out. Whatever remains can decompose within a few days in landfills.
Wrapping It Up
Becoming a sustainable brand is a journey worth taking for the sake of your business, your customers, and the planet. Get started by looking for creative, eco-friendly packaging options. Take a cue from these inspiring brands and show your customers that you value environmental consciousness as much as they do.
Regardless of the type of products you sell, noissue has the right packaging solutions for your needs. If you seek sustainable packaging materials tailored to your brand, we can help tell your unique story effectively. Explore your options today.