Plastic has long reigned as a favorite packaging material thanks to its flexibility and versatility, but it is no friend to the environment or human health. These concerns have led packaging experts to introduce fiber as a sustainable alternative. Here is everything that you should know about this innovative option!
Plastic: A Convenient Danger
Plastic is a synthetic material that has caused unthinkable damage across the world since its conception in the 1940s. Chemicals are added to plastics during manufacturing, and those chemicals make their way into the human body to cause hormone disruptions and other adverse effects. Furthermore, plastic debris all too often ends up discarded in marine and wildlife environments, injuring and poisoning animals. Even the plastic that ends up in landfills is damaging because the chemicals leach into groundwater and taint our sources of drinking water.
Sustainable Solutions: Fiber Packaging
A few packaging businesses are working to incorporate fiber packaging as a way to eliminate the need for plastic, improve human health, and save the environment. Molded paper packaging products made entirely from renewable materials actually qualify for regular recycling, so the lifecycle of packaging can continue far beyond original use.
New fiber material is now being used to package everything from personal care products and giftware to consumer electronics, housewares, and more. It is even proving to be just as versatile as plastic since it can be created in a range of colors and easily substituted for plastic without any negative consumer feedback. The fiber can even be embossed and finished with different textures.
