Nowadays brands need to look for packaging solutions after assessing what their environmental impacts will be. Many people want to get packaging which will not cause more pollution and contribute to increasing global warming. Kraft boxes are popular due to their sustainable properties. Kraft paper tends to be elastic, durable, and also resistant to tear. This is why it can be used to make packaging for a range of products. The packaging is a strong one that is resistant to grease as well as oil therefore making it good for packaging food items.
The follows assesses the environmental impact that ecofriendly Kraft boxes have and also identifying opportunities present for improvements:
Recyclable opportunities
The majority of Kraft paper is made via a process known as the Kraft process. There are other processes of making Kraft paper such as the mechanic pulping process as well as the acidic sulfate process. The Kraft paper made by the Kraft process tends to be the strongest.
It is possible to recycle Kraft paper. It is made using virgin wood pulp therefore making it organic. It is possible to recycle Kraft paper up to seven times due to its durable properties.
The environmental impact of Kraft packaging will be minimal when it is recyclable. The process of recycling it is similar to how other paper items are recycled. The Kraft paper will be collected and sorted to separate impurities as well as toxins from the paper. When the papers are sorted, they will be taken to a mill. Here the recycling procedure will start.
There are certain challenges present to recycling paper Kraft. One of this includes the risk of contamination and another is market prices. Many people do not know about the recycling process. A brand can educate customers on how to do this effectively.
Contaminants during the recycling procedure encompass oil, dirt, food waste, as well as scrap steel. Many of these contaminants need chemical processes so that they can be eliminated.
If Kraft paper is to be effective, it needs to be strong. But, the chemical process needed to get rid of the contaminants when the recycling process is occurring reduces the paper’s fiber quality.
Therefore it is necessary to be cautious when it comes to the way that the packaging is used so that it can be recyclable.
Biodegradable opportunities
Kraft paper is biodegradable. Due to it being made from pulp, and from long virgin maritime pine fibers, the packaging can be organic. After a few weeks, the Kraft paper will break down into cellulose fibers.
If a product is to be biodegradable, the waste should not pollute the environment when it has been biodegraded. The paper must be biodegraded within a year as well. Kraft paper does meet these requirements.
But, for the biodegrading process of ecofriendly Kraft boxes to be swift, some points need to be present. A balance of heat, moisture, oxygen, sunlight, as well as microorganisms needs to be present. If there is an absence of one of these, it can take time for the Kraft paper to totally biodegradable.
Brands need to keep in mind that natural Kraft paper is biodegradable. The bleached Kraft paper is not biodegradable due to the chemical process that it has undergone.
If the natural Kraft paper has gotten any contamination, the biodegrading procedure can be slowed down much. It may have come into contact with stuff like oil or some other inorganic products for instance. If this is the case, it will be tough for it to biodegrade as the contaminants will repel the microorganisms as well as the bacteria which would break it down.
The Kraft paper can biodegrade quicker in industrial facilities as the essential conditions are able to be controlled here. A brand can let customers know where they can dispose of the packaging so that it can biodegrade properly. Companies should also try and design the packaging in a way that the biodegradable features of the boxes will not be compromised.
Is the packaging ecofriendly?
The process present of manufacturing Kraft paper allows it to be ecofriendly. The process tends to be much simpler. There are a few chemicals that are employed in the process. Therefore the Kraft paper is ecofriendly and so will be harmless to the environment. Therefore when the Kraft packaging is made in the right way, it may not harm the environment.
From the above it can be seen that Kraft boxes can be designed in a way that they will not harm the environment. It is important for brands that choose this packaging material to design the boxes in a way that they will not pollute the environment. The company can even let customers be informed on how to dispose the packaging in a manner that it will not harm the environment.
