The digital age and growing use of technology has given a new face to many aspects of society. People are more connected on nearly every level. With the click of a button or the touch of a finger, people across miles are within instant reach. And it did not take long for businesses to figure out that getting in on the connections can only mean good things for profits and the overall success of the company. With this boom of online transactions, e-commerce has been a popular go-to for many providers of goods and services as well as consumers, clients and customers alike.

What e-commerce means for specialty packaging companies
Maybe now more than ever, there is a great demand for specialty packaging, as more and more people are ordering more and more goods online to be delivered by mail. Online shopping may have begun as a good solution for ordering specialty items that might be difficult to find locally, but by now it has become a popular choice for just about every type of shopper. Even if you are able to find that perfect pair of shoes or a new outfit, or the book you have been waiting to read, in a local store, sometimes it is a valuable time and sometimes money saver to simply order it online and wait for it to come to you.

This means that goods which may not have had a necessity to be packaged or shipped individually must now have the proper means of arriving at their intended destination. And that need is fulfilled with specialty packaging solutions that are often tailored specifically for that company and its products.

E-commerce packaging and subscription packaging
By this point, over 90% of all the products moving toward their final destinations throughout North America will be delivered or in some way displayed at some point in corrugated packaging. In fact across the continent, the industry of corrugated packaging is the largest sector of the packaging industry as a whole, and there are over 1,500 box factories throughout North America. With e-commerce on a steady upswing, many companies have also developed subscription services to create stronger and longer lasting ties with their customers. The goods that can be ordered online, especially repeatedly over time, need to have the right shipping methods. And there are many factors that must be considered, not only for the needs of the consumer, but in the interest of the planet.

The responsibilities of packaging companies
One of the first hurdles for a packaging company, whether it is an industrial packaging company or a small boutique service, is finding the right size box for the product in question. First of all, the customer is rarely satisfied opening up a box that is mostly empty. Even if it is exactly what they ordered, there is a sense of discontentment with that much empty space. But on a more significant level, using just the right amount of packaging helps the environment. Using excess, unnecessary material is harmful to the earth and atmosphere on many levels. Specialty packaging companies have a duty to conserve where possible in order to protect the planet we all share.

Saving the planet with every box
Some people do not yet see the urgency to make a difference in how we handle the environment. But it is crucial. We are running out of space and resources, and that’s not even to mention the numerous species our actions have an impact on. Luckily the packaging industry seems to be taking things seriously. Most packages that are made of recycled corrugated cardboard consist of about 46% recycled material, lowering significant impacts on greenhouse gases, non-renewable energy, and acidification. One ton of cardboard that gets recycled can free up over nine cubic yards of space in a landfill. And over the course of one year, 91% of the container board that was produced in the United States ended up being recycled.

We continue to develop new technologies and new, more convenient ways of life. But in this incredible process of advancement, we also need to keep in mind the responsibility we have to the planet that sustains us.
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