In June 2018 Lil Packaging announced an exciting overhaul to their entire packaging line and manufacturing processes with the aim of moving towards using 100% recyclable, biodegradable packaging and removing plastics from their product range by the end of 2018.
The pledge comes after #NoPlasticJuly, the global movement encouraging people to use less plastic for the month. The Ocean Conservancy estimates that a startling 8 million tonnes of plastic is dumped into oceans and landfills every year, and there is currently 150 million tonnes of it circulating the planet right now.
Retail packaging is designed to be single-use. However, recent studies show only 9% of plastic on earth has ever been recycled - and suitable alternatives are still being developed. Because of its nature, plastic cannot truly be recycled, only downcycled to make an inferior product. Plastic waste is also ingested by marine animals, releasing hazardous chemicals into fish and seafood that humans often subsequently eat.
In line with its FSC and PEFC approval ratings, Lil Packaging will replace all their mailer bags, bubble wraps, and tape. Inks and glues will also be reformulated. These changes will be made using biodegradable alternatives including vegetable based and upcycled materials, and recycled inks.
Lil have already replaced bubble mailer bags with plastic-free alternatives that have had effective results according to Fred Lill: “Much like how our bubble mailer replacement, the Lil envelope from 2008, now outsells the leading bubble brand, ten years later our kraft paper Lil bag is now the ‘Plastic Mailbag Killer.’”
With over 68% of consumers purchasing online last year, plastic e-commerce packaging waste is a legitimate threat to marine life. Fred Lill continues: “We’re in a fortunate position of influencing retailer’s packaging and hope many more will follow our path to scalable sustainability. We are proud that what we manufacture has minimal impact on the planet.”
Lil Packaging want to set a standard for others in the packaging industry to go plastic free as soon as possible. In a recent study, Nielsen found that more than 60% of consumers are willing to pay more to socially conscious companies. As Europe’s leading providers of e-commerce packaging solutions, Lil has found that these changes are what consumers are looking for, too.
