Plastic is so common packaging material that you are going to find it in most packaging applications. According to a few estimates, there are billions of tons of plastic in the world today. And millions of tons of plastic are produced every year.

Many companies remain adamant about using plastic for their packaging applications, but many have been working on phasing the plastic out of their packaging applications due to rising consumer demands. Many people and organizations think of plastic as a harmful material for the environment.

So, it becomes necessary to find alternatives to plastic for your packaging applications. In this article, we are going to discuss a few types of recyclable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly packaging materials that you can use as alternatives to plastic.

Bio-plastic shrink films

Companies pack countless types of products using shrink films. The availability of these films in different gauges allows packaging and manufacturing companies to use these to secure almost every kind of product.

A traditional shrink film mainly consists of plastic. With companies using too much plastic shrink film for packaging applications, it is no surprise that plastic constitutes a significant amount of mass in landfills. That is why it is being discussed as one of the problematic packaging materials.

The good news is that manufacturing companies are now producing shrink films made of bio-plastic. Bio-plastic is a plastic material made of biodegradable sources, such as rice, vegetables, and other organic, plant-based compounds.

Most bioplastics are created using bio-polymers derived through plants. These materials decompose quite faster than traditional plastics.

It may be worth mentioning that bio-plastics that end up in landfills one ones that a not properly disposed of can take a significant amount of time to decompose. Properly disposed of bio-plastic, on the other hand, doesn’t take much time in this regard. It is pertinent to note that bio-plastics are not recyclable.

Corrugated boxes

One of the most appropriate alternatives to plastic materials for packaging is corrugated cardboard. They have been around for quite a very long time, and they are quite a popular form of packaging material. The best thing about cardboard is that it is recyclable. However, many corrugated boxes are not recycled because they either get contaminated or end up in the trash.

When they end up in a landfill, they decompose and produce methane, which is a gas that produces the greenhouse effect. A proper recycling mechanism makes cardboard a pretty viable alternative to plastic.

Glass containers

Glass is one of the oldest packaging materials. It has been used for hundreds of years. It is rarely being used in modern packaging applications because it is mostly reserved as a luxury packaging option. Glass is an appropriate packaging material for a wide range of products that include foods, candies, and items related to personal care.

The best thing about glass is that it is easy to recycle, which makes it an excellent alternative to plastic. But the problem with glass is that it has a higher carbon footprint as compared to plastic. Furthermore, it is a heavy material that adds much to the weight of the product.