The Role of Recycled Materials in Sustainable Corrugated Packaging

As global awareness around sustainability grows, businesses are rethinking their packaging strategies to reduce environmental impact. Corrugated packaging has always been a preferred choice due to its strength and recyclability, but the use of recycled materials in corrugated packaging is taking sustainability to the next level. Here’s how recycled materials play a crucial role in making corrugated packaging solutions eco-friendly and future-ready.

What Are Recycled Materials in Corrugated Packaging?

Recycled materials used in corrugated packaging come primarily from:

• Post-consumer recycled content: Materials recovered from used packaging collected through recycling programs.

• Post-industrial recycled content: Waste generated during manufacturing processes, such as trimmings and scraps, repulped to produce new corrugated board.

These recycled fibres are processed and blended to create liners and fluting for new corrugated sheets, reducing the need for virgin raw materials.

How Recycled Materials Contribute to Sustainable Packaging

1. Reducing Deforestation and Virgin Material Usage

Using recycled content means fewer trees are harvested to create virgin kraft paper. It preserves forests, maintains biodiversity, and reduces environmental degradation associated with logging activities.

2. Lowering Energy and Water Consumption

Producing paper from recycled materials:

• Consumes less energy and water compared to processing virgin wood pulp.

• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions and environmental footprint.

For example, studies show that recycling paper uses up to 60% less energy than manufacturing new paper from wood pulp.

3. Supporting a Circular Economy

Incorporating recycled materials in corrugated packaging:

• Keeps materials in use longer by continuously repulping and remanufacturing them into new products.

• Minimises waste sent to landfills.

• Supports circular economy goals where resources are reused, recycled, and repurposed efficiently.

4. Meeting Consumer Demand for Sustainability

Today’s consumers are eco-conscious and prefer brands that prioritise sustainability. Packaging made with high recycled content:

• Enhances brand reputation.

• Appeals to customers looking for environmentally responsible businesses.

• Helps brands meet corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ESG goals.

5. Maintaining Strength and Durability

Contrary to the misconception that recycled corrugated packaging is weak, modern production techniques blend recycled and virgin fibres optimally to maintain box strength, durability, and performance standards required for shipping and retail packaging.

Challenges in Using Recycled Materials

While the benefits are significant, using recycled materials also presents challenges:

• Fibre degradation: Each recycling cycle shortens paper fibres, eventually requiring virgin pulp reinforcement to maintain strength.

• Contamination risks: Quality control is needed to ensure recycled materials are clean and suitable for food-grade or premium packaging applications.

• Consistency in appearance: Recycled materials may have slight colour variations, but advances in manufacturing continue to improve visual consistency.

Innovations Supporting Recycled Corrugated Packaging

Industry innovations are making recycled packaging more effective, such as:

• Advanced pulping and cleaning processes to improve fibre quality.

• Improved recycling infrastructure for cleaner and more efficient material recovery.

• Hybrid solutions combining recycled and virgin fibres strategically for optimal performance and sustainability.

Conclusion

Recycled materials are at the heart of sustainable corrugated packaging. They reduce reliance on virgin resources, conserve energy and water, support circular economy goals, and align your brand with growing consumer demand for eco-friendly products. By integrating recycled materials into your packaging strategy, your business can minimise its environmental impact while enhancing brand value and operational sustainability. Ready to make your packaging eco-friendly with sustainable corrugated packaging solutions? Partner with us to reduce your environmental footprint while enhancing your brand’s value and customer trust.