Thinking sustainably is never a waste.

June 08, 2021

Zero-Waste-Packaging-Blog

CARDBOARD THAT’S GREEN BY NATURE

Even though people weren’t talking about it back in 1946, we were actually pioneers in reusable materials. As Ernest Paper Company, our boxes have always been made with the byproducts from milling lumber. So for 75 years, we’ve been doing the upcycling thing long before there was even a term for it. But there is much, much more that can be done to have less of an impact on Mother Earth. By reducing and reusing materials, and by creating zero-waste products, we’re always keeping an eye on staying green while keeping our customers in the black.

THE BIG SOLVE? DISSOLVABLE PACKAGING.

Yes, you read it right. And it might even remind you of those rice paper candies that you can eat whole, wrapper and all. Although you probably don’t want a mouthful of body wash, a similar sort of theory was put into practice by skincare company Starface. Their product comes in a dehydrated square in a small bag made out of wood pulp (hey, that was our idea, above!). You simply add water to make it foam up, do your cleansing routine, then drop the bag to dissolve down the drain. Plus with no water weight and the absence of plastic, the product is much more economical to ship around the country or across the globe. To learn more about the Starface approach to packaging, read the Fast Company article here.

FEWER MILES, GREATER STRIDES

Speaking of eco-friendly shipping policies, that’s another key way we keep our impact to a minimum at Ernest. With 13 locations nationwide, spanning from Portland, OR, to Raleigh, NC, we work predominately with companies within a 100 mile radius of our respective divisions. This means our clients don’t have to hire a freight company to haul their products halfway across the U.S. Our shipping approach translates into major savings on diesel, daylight and of course, dollars.

FROM SINKS TO APPAREL, LESS EQUALS “YES.”

We highlighted a couple of our more sustainable-minded clients a few months back, but thought it was worth a reshare since it really does impact our world. The first is Native Trails, founded by Naomi Neilson in 1996. The company’s hand-hammered copper sinks are constructed using sustainable practices, but they needed to find a packaging solution that followed suit. Ernest was more than happy to lend a hand. Naomi had this to say about going greener with Ernest: “I’m proud to partner with Ernest. With their innovative team in our corner, the way we pack and ship now stays true to our mission of being a leader in sustainability for the kitchen and bath industry.” The next is Patagonia, who you probably know are HUGE nature lovers (that’s where you use their products, after all). We delivered them a solution to transition from plastic to paper-only packaging, to the delight of their customers who always put Earth first. Check out how we helped both companies reduce waste and make strides in sustainability here.

LET’S DO MORE WITH LESS, TOGETHER.

If your company is trying to figure out ways to become more sustainable, we’d love to figure it out with you. Whether it’s lighter-weight cold chain packaging, more eco-friendly materials or figuring out how to get it to your customer’s doorstep more efficiently, we’re in. Simply contact us at ernestpackaging.com/contact to speak with an Ernest Packaging representative and for a free consultation. Until then, we’re going to keep zeroing in on how to get to zero-waste for a greener tomorrow.