Sustainability Packaging – The Small Things That Make a Big Difference

At Saxon Packaging, we have always been committed to the environment and producing bespoke sustainable packaging solutions for our customers using responsibly sourced materials that can be easily reintroduced back to the recycling chain.

Since becoming part of the Smurfit Kappa Group in 2016, we really have been able to align with their ethos and values of their commitment to protecting the environment. And with the recent launch of their ‘Better Planet Packaging’ initiative, we really have been focusing on how we can be even more sustainable and environmentally friendly as a company, not just for ourselves but for our customers too.

Whilst singular grand gestures endeavour to better the environment, sometimes they do not yield the same return on investment as the steady daily actions and commitment to consistent change.

For that reason, we’ve decided to take a look at our everyday professional practice, and identify ways in which we can take small steps (alongside the big strides) that will make us even more environmentally friendly and sustainable.

One of our most recent projects was the update our own Saxon Packaging branded tape. Whilst we offer it as a packaging solution to our customers, as part of our customer service, we send out various samples to our customers and use the branded tape to seal the shipping boxes securely.

Our original branded tape was made from plastic materials and decided it was time to move to a paper tape that is far more environmentally friendly.

Whilst it may appear to have been a straightforward swap of tape material, we also needed to update the existing certification logos on the artwork design. This turned out to be a small challenge as some of the accreditation logos included intricate tonal work, which (due to the small dimensions of the artwork) would not have produced the desired detailing when printed using the Flexo printing process.

With permission from the certification bodies, we were able to make some slight adjustments to the certification logos and come out with a design that would look crisp and clear.

 

We’re not going to stop at branded tape. We’ve already made lots of small changes to our daily professional practice that we hope will snowball into a creating a large positive impact on the environment.

• Removal of single-use plastics from communal areas, and replaced them with reusable items such as glassware and crockery
• Invested in designated bins to separate the waste. This assists with the recycling process later on down the line
• Actively engaged in community projects that benefit the environment; see our blog on World Cleanup Day 2019
• Installation and servicing of waste extraction system linked to our main machines to collect & feed off-cuts back into the recycling chain
• Accredited with FSC chain of custody certification
• Awarded with ISO9001:2015 & ISO14001:2015 accreditations

Whilst small changes may seem of little significance, when we consider the billions of tonnes of greenhouse gases that humanity is pumping into the atmosphere. We must remember that we are all part of the ‘billions of people’ who are living unsustainably. If we all change even the tiniest of things, together we can make a huge difference.

If you would like to discuss your own requirement for branded tape or for more information about our sustainable packaging solutions, email: saxon@smurfitkappa.co.uk or call 01502513112.