Sustainable Packaging Solutions: What Does It All Come Down To?

Packaging. You want a cost efficient solution that will ensure safe delivery of your product. And you want it to be environmentally responsible. There are many companies out there which advertise an eco-friendly solution, but when it comes down to the purchasing decision, which is the best? You might say, "That’s easy, just pick something that is compostable," but it’s not as straightforward as you think…

Blue Map Inc. consultants have been researching such solutions. After analyzing a recent warehouse client, CeramicSource of San Leandro, we became interested in finding the most cost efficient and sustainable method of packaging. Styrofoam peanuts are still widely used in businesses that require packaging material, but are extremely environmentally irresponsible because they are petroleum-based and never break down. For these reasons, many cities are banning Styrofoam products. So the challenge? Find alternatives that make environmental and financial sense.

The interesting debate came down to weighing the pros and cons of Puffy Stuff vs. Prairie Eco Pak. Puffy Stuff is a plant-derived packaging peanut that is not only compostable and edible, but can be used as fertilizer by simply pouring water over it. Interesting and awesome? Yes. Prairie Eco Pak is made from recycled cardboard. Smart and Sustainable? Definitely. In terms of disposal, both are compostable. Puffy Stuff claims to be safe in landfills. However, to my knowledge, compostable products that are plant-based must be decomposed aerobically, a condition which the landfill does not provide.

In weighing one against the other, we came down to comparing the origins of each product. In the end, Puffy Stuff is made from new materials from the earth. The cardboard packaging is recycled, which means we are using post-consumer material as opposed to a virgin material. When we ordered a sample from Praire Eco Pak, we were shipped a raw egg. The egg arrived intact save for a small crack, so one might want to reserve Eco Pak for products that are not extremely fragile. To their credit however, Praire has a client that ships porcelain mugs, so further conversation with the company is warranted to discuss specific packing needs.

But the deal breaker in both cases was shipping costs. Puffy Stuff is located in Tennessee and has distributors in Memphis, Nashville and Jacksonville, Florida. Praire Eco Pak is located in Des Moines, Iowa. The shipping costs to San Francisco were high, in terms of costs and greenhouse gas emissions. So, the solution for choosing the most sustainable material is finding an environmentally responsible option closest to your location.