As Earth Day approaches this month, let's shine a spotlight on a material that's both an industry favourite and a sustainability champion: corrugated cardboard. This remarkable earthy-looking product not only delivers a myriad of retail items to consumers but also serves as the go-to choice for packaging shoes, appliances, cosmetics, fashion, and apparel. Indeed, it's a game-changer in sustainability and the ultimate retail accessory.
Let's begin with the statistics. According to Forbes, a recent study in the journal Science Advances revealed that over the past 60 years, approximately eight billion tons of plastic have been produced, with a staggering 90.5% left unrecycled. This stark reality underscores the urgency of this year's Earth Day theme, "Planet vs. Plastic," which calls for a 60% reduction in plastic production by 2040. And henceforth the continued spotlight on corrugated cardboard.
So, why does corrugated cardboard hold such appeal? Firstly - what actually is it? Corrugated cardboard is crafted from paper fibres sourced from wood pulp and formed using a machine called a corrugator. Its lightweight, sturdy, and incredibly versatile nature makes it indispensable—just think of the multitude of products that have arrived at your doorstep, clad in cardboard of various hues!
Here is why corrugated cardboard stands out as our top choice for packaging:
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Renewable: With sustainable forest management practices in place, the wood used to produce the pulp remains an infinitely available resource, rendering cardboard a renewable material.
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Recyclable: Corrugated cardboard is 100% recyclable. In the UK alone, over 80% of cardboard is recycled, making it the most recycled packaging product in the country, according to cardboard.org.uk.
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Transformable: We're continually amazed by cardboard's transformative potential. It can be printed with vibrant colours, fashioned into bespoke designs tailored to specific products, and engineered to fit snugly through your letterbox. Once its packaging duties are fulfilled, it can be repurposed for many uses, from composting to crafting imaginative play structures or safeguarding your floors during DIY endeavours.
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Biodegradable: Whether enriching your garden compost or nourishing a wormery, cardboard proves its worth beyond recycling—it biodegrades naturally, minimising environmental impact.
Each time you opt for corrugated cardboard over less eco-friendly alternatives, you're making a tangible difference. Your choice aligns with the ethos of Earth Day, which garners support from over a billion people across 193 countries, uniting in the mission to safeguard our planet. This year's official theme, "Planet vs. Plastics," underscores the imperative to confront the plastic pollution crisis head-on.
It is estimated that 75 to 199 million tons of plastic are currently in our oceans. And so far as we know, all the plastic that has ever been produced is still in existence. It doesn't break down for between 100-1000 years, and decomposes to become microplastics that can still pollute. When we consider that cardboard can biodegrade as quickly as 2-3 months, it further supports this sustainable packaging solution as one of the best ways forward.
As we approach Earth Day on April 22nd, let's reaffirm our commitment to environmental stewardship. Together, we can champion sustainable solutions and protect the planet for future generations. And that might just be a solution wrapped in corrugated cardboard.
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