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As consumers pressure more brands to go green and provide environmentally friendly products, the demand for sustainable packaging manufacturers has increased significantly. Public awareness and concerns about single-use packaging and the demand for sustainable packaging options are steadily increasing. From recycled cardboard and cornstarch peanuts to containers made from items grown in nature, such as seaweed or mushrooms, and minimal reusable mailers, there are many sustainable packaging options that will help your organization limit its carbon footprint and increase eco-friendly customer loyalty.

By 2050, experts believe that our oceans will contain more plastic than fish. Statistics such as this aren’t uncommon in many ecommerce industries, and with the harmful effects of non-eco-friendly packaging gaining more attention throughout the last few years, brands now have the opportunity to do something about it. To help your ecommerce brand meet consumer demand, I put together a list of sustainable packaging manufacturers that will help your organization meet shipping needs.

How I Selected the Best Sustainable Packaging Manufacturers

This list of the best sustainable packaging manufacturers was a bit trickier than my usual stuff. Why? Well, I usually research and source digital ecommerce tools and software. That means they have robust feature sets that I can sift through, as well as video tutorials and user reviews. 

With sustainable packaging manufacturers, I had to get a bit creative. I started by looking for sustainable packaging manufacturers that had a clean and smart online presence. No scrappy websites that look like they were designed in the 90’s. Then, I considered customer reviews, pricing schemas, offerings, and the availability of their customer support team to narrow down my top 20 picks. 

With years of experience in ecommerce, I can get a pretty good sense of how companies in this sphere operate based on that criteria. 

Selection Criteria

Here’s a short summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best sustainable packaging manufacturers for this article:

Customer Service:

The sustainable packaging organization you choose to do business with should demonstrate how they align with your green goals and how they can help you get there. After setting your sustainability goals, it’s essential to work with a vendor who can help your business get there and answer questions when issues arise. I look for sustainable packaging manufacturing organizations with a robust customer service team that is readily available to help your business and resolve any difficulties your company is experiencing.

Product Types:

The sustainable packaging manufacturer you choose to work with should provide different types of eco-friendly options. However, some may focus on one specific industry, such as fashion or food service. So, I look for organizations that offer a comprehensive product range so you can order all types of packaging from one source and manufacturers that provide packaging products that focus on specific, major industries.

Pricing:

As more and more countries impose taxes on single-use products, sourcing sustainable packaging manufacturers and getting an idea of their pricing will be crucial. The final price you pay for sustainable packaging is also beneficial when using shipping software to get the final shipping price to charge your customers. You can stay ahead of any policy, legislation, and taxation updates by researching pricing and the potential increase in sales when customers learn your business works with sustainable packaging. So, I look for sustainable packaging organizations that provide eco-friendly options and accessible pricing for all ecommerce businesses.

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Overviews Of The 10 Best Sustainable Packaging Manufacturers

Here’s a brief description of each sustainable packaging manufacturer to showcase each company’s best use case, some noteworthy features, screenshots, and pricing information.

1

A New Earth Project

Best for recyclable packaging

Doesn’t offer any free samples

From $34.25 for their padded mailers

A New Earth Project uses high-level sustainability standards to ensure all its packaging products are 100% recyclable.

Why I picked A New Earth Project: A significant focus for A New Earth Project is to make packaging materials to be as easy for you to recycle as possible. This means they work to ensure your customers can place the material in a curbside recycling bin instead of taking them to a special drop-off location when they open their package. A New Earth Project prefers to have its packaging material to be recyclable instead of compostable because recycling means the material can stay in circulation during its highest and best use.

A New Earth Project is an excellent choice for businesses that prefer to use recyclable packaging rather than compostable. Not only does the organization offer sustainable packaging options such as bags, padded mailers, and protective bumpers, but they also provide equipment to help you manage and handle your packaging efficiently. The equipment options include dispensers and tape machines.

2

Gualapack

Best for food and cosmetic product packaging

Doesn’t offer any free samples

Customized price upon request

Gualapack focuses on developing safe and hygienic packaging for food and cosmetic products that is 100% sustainable.

Why I picked Gualapack: If you sell food or cosmetic products, you can work with Gualapack to get sustainable packaging to send your products to customers. Gualapack’s sustainable food and cosmetic packaging options will offer you bio-based and compostable packaging solutions. They specialize in high-performance, flexible packaging and continuously work to optimize environmental and societal impacts with their packaging products.

Gualapack is suitable for organizations that are in the food and cosmetic industries that are searching for innovative, flexible packaging. They provide pre-made, spouted, and stand-up pouch packaging options for products such as infant nutrition, baby food, food, and non-food applications. Gualapack also offers a line of filling machines for those who need new equipment for their filling process line.

3

Paper Mart

Best for post-consumer paper-based packaging

Doesn’t provide any free sample information

From $5.72/package for their satin ribbon multipack

Paper Mart offers over 26,000 post-consumer paper-based packaging products for businesses.

Why I picked Paper Mart: Since 1921, Paper Mart has become one of the largest post-consumer, paper-based packaging supply organizations. They provide a broad collection of eco-friendly packaging such as corrugated boxes, shopping bags, packaging peanuts, and jewelry boxes. Paper Mart also uses water-based and algae-based inks for their printing products.

Paper Mart is an excellent choice for businesses that operate in industries such as jewelry, floral, bath and cosmetics, dispensary, and retail industries. The organization offers a custom design studio that allows you to create packaging products with your logo and company name. You can also upload your own artwork or use point-and-click tools to create brand-new imagery to add to your packaging.

4

Noissue

Best for accessible, sustainable packaging

Doesn’t offer any free samples

From $45 for their stock shipping labels

Noissue helps as many businesses as possible get access to sustainable product packaging.

Why I picked Noissue: The company has a clear purpose of providing sustainable packaging solutions that are accessible to all businesses around the world. Noissue offers a wide range of sustainable packaging products, which they break down by compostable, reusable, and recyclable products. What makes their products more accessible is their low minimum order requirements, allowing you to get started right away.

Noissue is an excellent choice for businesses that want sustainable packaging they can easily customize. Your business can also add a QR code to your packaging and create a digital experience for customers. You can use your QR code to send customers to a microsite that will enable them to get to know your brand and product.

5

Sustainable Packaging Industries

Best for molded pulp packaging

No free demo or trial

From $8/piece for their clamshell packaging

Sustainable Packaging Industries provides molded pulp packaging products for businesses’ immediate requirements.

Why I picked Sustainable Packaging Industries: This organization specializes in molded pulp packaging products for your shipping needs. Sustainable Packaging Industries designs and produces its products from a combination of fibrous materials, such as cardboard offcuts, recycled paper, or natural fibers like sugarcane, bamboo, or wheat straw. Sustainable Packaging Industries use a chemical-free pulping process to create their products and waste no water. Also, all scraps in the manufacturing process are put back into the pulp mix, making this a truly eco-friendly option.

Sustainable Packaging Industries is an excellent option for businesses that need a solution that provides excellent blocking, bracing, and cushioning protection for their products. The packaging products from Sustainable Packaging Industries aren’t affected by extreme temperatures and are water resistant. The company can also create custom packaging items to meet your product’s specifications.

6

Elevate Packaging

Best for compostable packaging

Offers a free variety pack of printed labels

From $3.33 for their compostable cellophane bags

Elevate Packaging provides high-quality compostable packaging options for environmentally friendly ecommerce brands.

Why I picked Elevate Packaging: The company is one of the best places for your brand to get entire compostable packaging and labeling products. Elevate Packaging offers the only certified compostable packaging labels in North America. All of the components that make their end products are composed of bio-resin and wood cellulose, which means the entire product is compostable.

Elevate Packaging is suitable for organizations that prefer to use compostable packaging products. They work with organizations in many various industries, such as fashion, food service, and wine and spirits. Elevate Packaging is also a one-stop solution for custom packaging that fits your brand.

7

EcoEnclose

Best naturally biodegradable alternative

Offers free samples for ecommerce businesses

From $19.75 for a ream of 480 sheets of 100% recycled tissue paper

EcoEnclose provides a wide range of eco-friendly, biodegradable packaging alternatives.

Why I picked EcoEnclose: The company provides 100% recycled and naturally biodegradable alternatives for packaging products such as shopping bags, labels, inner packaging materials, and boxes. EcoEnclose claims to have spearheaded the most significant efforts in sustainable packaging materials. Their community, known as EcoAllies, influenced many of the innovative products they provide, including paper made with ag waste and algae printing ink. Many of their innovations are now standard in the sustainable packaging industry.

EcoEnclose is for businesses that want to use circular and regenerative packaging. The company uses an in-depth decision-making process when choosing what to offer ecommerce businesses. EcoEnclose’s process for determining what sustainable packaging to provide includes whether the material is made from as much recycled content as possible and whether it can be widely recycled.

8

Ranpak

Best for packaging consulting

Doesn’t provide any free trial information

Customized price upon request

Ranpak provides sustainable packaging consultations with experts that will help tailor solutions that match business requirements.

Why I picked Ranpak: You can work with a Ranpak consultant who will provide multiple eco-friendly packaging equipment options that work with your existing processes. During your conversation with one of the organization’s experts, they will analyze your current packaging materials and compare them to the equipment the Ranpak packaging engineers designed. Their advice will also include performance testing and analysis, material cost estimates, and new box specifications. After a consultation session, you’ll have a better understanding of how Ranpak will help you cut costs and reduce returned product rates due to damage.

Ranpak is suitable for organizations that work in the automotive, ecommerce, electronics, food and beverage, industrial manufacturing, and medical supplies industries. The organization can further help you improve your environmental footprint and lower ownership costs through packaging automation equipment. Ranpak’s solutions include automated packaging manufacturing equipment that will speed up various operations in the packaging process.

9

The Better Packaging Co.

Best for using ocean-bound plastic

Doesn’t offer any free samples

From $3.50 for their poly mailers

The Better Packing Co. offers a line of packaging products made from recycled ocean-bound plastic.

Why I picked The Better Packaging Co.: Using sustainable packaging made from ocean-bound plastic helps clean up oceans and commission beach clean-ups where most ocean plastics come from. The Better Packaging Co. offers a range of mailing satchels, document bags, and garment bags from its POLLAST!C line. Studies show that mailers from the POLLAST!C line also have a lower carbon footprint compared to the commercial packaging that’s currently available.

The Better Packaging Co. is an excellent option for businesses that need a range of mailers, liners, labels, tape, envelopes, and other standard shipment packaging that are very environmentally friendly. The organization also offers packaging products made from bamboo. Bamboo packaging is curbside recycled with materials your customers are already recycling, such as paper and cardboard.

10

EarthPack

Best for customized packaging

No free demo or trial

Customized price upon request

EarthPack provides various ecommerce packaging solutions which businesses can customize to fit their brand.

Why I picked EarthPack: If you need an organization that continuously offers the latest in sustainable packaging, EarthPack can become a significant partner to your business. Many companies use EarthPack to take advantage of their in-house design and distribution services to customize their ecommerce packaging. They can provide high-quality packaging products to meet your needs and can offer a significant amount of input and options for your business to choose from.

EarthPack works with businesses that are a part of the sustainability movement or are looking to implement eco-friendly packaging with their products. They have been creating sustainable packaging bags and boxes for more than 30 years. EarthPack offers various options for your business, such as mailers, packing tissue paper, bags, and to-order boxes.

The Best Sustainable Packaging Manufacturers Summary

Tool Trial Info Price
1
A New Earth Project

Best for recyclable packaging

Doesn’t offer any free samples

From $34.25 for their padded mailers Website
2
Gualapack

Best for food and cosmetic product packaging

Doesn’t offer any free samples

Customized price upon request Website
3
Paper Mart

Best for post-consumer paper-based packaging

Doesn’t provide any free sample information

From $5.72/package for their satin ribbon multipack Website
4
Noissue

Best for accessible, sustainable packaging

Doesn’t offer any free samples

From $45 for their stock shipping labels Website
5
Sustainable Packaging Industries

Best for molded pulp packaging

No free demo or trial

From $8/piece for their clamshell packaging Website
6
Elevate Packaging

Best for compostable packaging

Offers a free variety pack of printed labels

From $3.33 for their compostable cellophane bags Website
7
EcoEnclose

Best naturally biodegradable alternative

Offers free samples for ecommerce businesses

From $19.75 for a ream of 480 sheets of 100% recycled tissue paper Website
8
Ranpak

Best for packaging consulting

Doesn’t provide any free trial information

Customized price upon request Website
9
The Better Packaging Co.

Best for using ocean-bound plastic

Doesn’t offer any free samples

From $3.50 for their poly mailers Website
10
EarthPack

Best for customized packaging

No free demo or trial

Customized price upon request Website

Other Sustainable Packaging Manufacturers Options

Here are a few more options that didn’t make the best sustainable packaging manufacturers list:

  1. Ernest Packaging

    Best for package design and production

  2. Rocket Industrial

    Best for water-dissolvable packing peanuts

  3. Paradise Packaging

    Best for certified mushroom packaging

  4. Air Sea Containers

    Best for air pillow packaging

  5. PakFactory

    Best for paperboard packaging products

  6. Tiny Box Company

    Best for eco-friendly gift boxes

  7. Uline

    Best selection of sustainable packaging products

  8. Sealed Air

    Best for recycled bubble wrap and content pillows

  9. Notpla

    Best for advanced packaging made from seaweed

  10. Botanical PaperWorks

    Best for eco-friendly seed paper

People Also Ask

Other Fulfillment Tool Reviews

With sustainable packaging comes myriad other tools, services, and software to build out your ecommerce "bigger picture." Here are some additional review lists that you might be interested in:

Increasing Brand Awareness with Sustainable Packaging

Customer buying behaviors and attitudes regarding sustainability are convincing ecommerce businesses to implement eco-friendly packaging in their product offerings. You can enhance brand loyalty and increase sales when you provide what customers expect in your packaging. The sustainable packing manufacturers listed above will help your organization as the constant increase in societal demand for sustainable packaging options grows, resulting in pushing your business ahead and beyond your current goals.

If you want to take a deeper dove into the innovations of sustainable packaging or other ecommerce technology and advice. The Ecomm Manager newsletter can help you learn the latest in ecommerce business tools and provide the best advice from top professionals in the field.

By Francois Marchand

Francois Marchand is The Ecomm Manager's content strategist and editor. He is passionate about helping and educating business leaders, ecommerce professionals, and digital marketers grow their skill sets to stay ahead of the competition. Francois holds a BA Specialization in Communication Studies & Journalism from Concordia University (Montreal, QC) and 20+ years of experience in ecommerce, marketing, traditional and digital media, and public relations, including The Vancouver Sun, National Post, CBC/Radio-Canada, Unbounce, and Vancouver Film School. He also hosts The Ecomm Manager Podcast, discussing ecommerce best practices, customer experience, branding, inventory management, shipping and delivery, and analytics with expert guests.