World environmental protection trend
According to the prediction of the world bank, the annual waste production will increase by 70% by 2050. The total will reach 3.4 billion tons. A large part of this waste can be attributed to the manufacture and use of packaging. It will also lead to environmental problems and damage our health.
Consumer tendency
People are aware of the serious harm of pollution to the earth. Thus, more and more consumers take the initiative to adjust their shopping habits. They prefer eco-friendly and recyclable packaging.
How to judge the recyclability of packaging
1. Mark the packaging with a recyclable mark. Conspicuous signs can let consumers know at a glance.
2. Add recyclable elements in packaging design. Such as recyclable text and flow charts. This information can guide consumers to classify different materials. And then throw them into the trash can. Recycling agencies collect and transport them to recycling facilities. It also needs to undergo high-temperature melting, cooling, plasticization, heat treatment, etc.
3. Find out if the brand is registered with the local recycling agency.
4. You can look through articles or videos published on social media. Check whether there is any precedent for recycling the packaging of this brand.
Existing recyclable packaging
Degradable packaging has two different degradation environments:
1. Compostable and degradable. This packaging advertised by packaging manufacturers is that compost can be completely degraded.
2. Biodegradable.
Biodegradable coffee bags are bioplastics made of a plant polymer extracted from plants. We call it PLA. It has a certain barrier and tensile properties. Because it is extracted from nature, it can also be back into the soil. It is through composting and forming a fertilizer. In a suitable environment, PLA can decompose in only 90 days. While petroleum-based plastics need more than 1000 years.
For the strict requirements of the coffee packaging industry, the disadvantages of PLA are also obvious.
1. The current thickness of the plaicron can only be thickened by 40m. It’s as thick as the grocery plastic handbag you provide in the supermarket. It can not meet the quality requirements of consumers for coffee packaging in the market.
2. Its product life is only 6-8 months at present.
3. Its barrier and water-resistance are very poor.
4. Its tensile and puncture resistance is weak. So it fails to protect the packaging and transportation of coffee.
We have been looking for new materials to reduce the impact of packaging on the environment.
Untreated kraft paper packaging is 100% biodegradable and compostable.
The dilemma of kraft paper
Kraft paper is a sustainable packaging option. It can be a printing layer. Even though it is eco-friendliness, its weakness is obvious. It can not achieve full-color printing and is waterproof. So a little water will soak it.
People must choose kraft paper because it is eco-friendliness and sustainable. But kraft paper has poor packaging performance. There are also the problems of the waterproof packaging and full-color printing.
But we can take it as the middle of the material structure and compound a layer of printing film on kraft paper. In this way, you can break through all the problems you encounter about kraft paper bags. Of course, we can compound a layer of aluminum coating on kraft paper. It can enhance the performance of packaging.
Yes, it can make up for the shortage of kraft paper. But to some extent, it increases the recycling burden.
Is the so-called environmentally friendly packaging environmentally friendly?
Coffee companies design coffee bags to make sure their coffee stays fresh. Recycling is bad for something that can prevent deterioration. The problem is not that the bag contains harmful substances. The is that the manufacturer uses mixed coffee packaging. For example, paper bags and aluminized films cannot enter paper or aluminum boxes. Even packaging made of paper may not be safe to recycle. Many paper bags contain plastic or wax coatings. These help to give them structure and improve their performance. You can’t throw this type of packaging in recycling bins. It is difficult to deal with.
Some coffee roasters spend time developing fully recyclable coffee bags. Most of these bags use low-density polyethylene, known as LDPE.
For example, PE, the constituent structural material, can be summarized into the No.4 LDPE recycling project. From a professional point of view, it is unlikely to be realized. Because of the packaging molding process, we have to add heat-resistant materials to the material structure. Such as nylon or other materials. Do this to better seal the bag.
So this makes recycling more difficult.
Replace recycling with creativity
Recycling is a headache for many people. You can use your ideas to transform the coffee bag. Such as making shopping bags or flower utensils. The remaining coffee grounds are useful to be fertilizer. You can mix them into the soil.
The prospect of recyclable packaging
Although we have launched a lot of eco-friendliness packaging, it is still not enough. There is still a long way to go to make full-recyclable coffee bags. I believe that easy recycling packaging can come on shortly. You don’t have to wander around the colorful trash cans anymore.
What you want is in xiaoyupack
In response to environmental protection policies, we continue to launch new recyclable coffee bags. While providing you with coffee enjoyment, it does not interfere with the vitality of the environment. If your brand followers also love environmental protection, xiaoyupack is your choice. Please contact us and we will provide you with the best ordering scheme.
