Businesses must constantly evolve and innovate in order to keep up with the latest trends and consumer needs. With that being said, sustainability is now at the top of the list and should be a primary focus for all.
It has become more than just a buzzword, and there is an increasing expectation on businesses to deliver on their corporate social responsibility by implementing greener practices and considering the environmental impact when making business decisions.
One area of your business that can be assessed and updated to include more sustainable values is your bag usage. Whether it is for retail or promotional purposes, or for product packaging, the bags that you invest in for your company can be an opportunity to showcase your eco credentials.
They are an easy yet effective way to communicate to consumers, and the general public, that you are a business taking tangible steps towards sustainability.
Say goodbye to harmful plastic bags and embrace sustainable custom bags
One of the biggest concerns when it comes to the environment is plastic pollution, and a third of this is caused by single-use plastic bags.
When they are discarded, – which is usually after being used just once – plastic bags end up in one of three places:
- Landfills where they take hundreds of years to decompose and, as they do, they emit harmful chemicals into the environment
- Oceans where they pose a threat to marine wildlife
- Incinerators where they leak toxic chemicals into the atmosphere
However, since the introduction of the charge on carrier bags, there has been a gradual shift towards more sustainable alternatives so that shoppers and businesses can save money and protect the planet.
If you require printed bags for your checkout, promotional purposes or for product packaging, replacing harmful plastic with reusable bags made from eco-friendly materials is a great way to demonstrate that you are a business that is implementing more sustainable practices.
Create branded bags using sustainable materials
The first thing to consider when designing sustainable branded bags is the material being used to make them because plastic is not the only danger to our environment.
You should avoid any materials that have a high carbon footprint, a short lifespan or that are difficult to dispose of at the end of their useful life because these are not environmentally-friendly attributes.
Instead, you should opt for materials that are made from natural or organic fibers, are recyclable, compostable or biodegradable and are able to be reused many times as these are the most sustainable options.
All in all, the key is to stick to materials with a low carbon footprint. The greener the material you use to create your custom bags, the closer you are to actioning true sustainability in your business.
Some of the best eco-friendly materials for making reusable bags include natural jute, organic cotton, recycled cotton, rPET and CYCLO.
We can source all of these materials, and more, to make eco-friendly custom bags for businesses. You can explore the full range of sustainable materials that we offer here.
Consider the lifespan and disposal of your custom-printed bags
Another key consideration when designing sustainable printed bags is the lifespan of the product. If a bag can only be used once or twice before it needs to be discarded then it is not promoting sustainable living because reusing is a large part of that type of lifestyle.
This is why is it essential that you invest in high-quality materials that are durable and hardwearing so that they can withstand the day to day strain that a bag undergoes.
Fortunately, most eco-friendly materials are tough and long-lasting which is why they are perfect for making reusable bags.
A sustainable printed bag can last for months, even years, but even the most resilient ones will reach a point where they are no longer performing as they should because wear and tear will naturally weaken them.
When this happens, they will need to be disposed of, and this is another important factor to think about when creating a custom-printed bag.
It isn’t just the raw material used to make them or the production process that define whether a bag is sustainable or not. What happens to the bag when it is time to be thrown away matters too as this can cause just as much harm to the environment.
As a result, you should focus on creating printed bags that are recyclable, compostable or biodegradable. This means that they never become waste.
We can help you design sustainable custom bags for your business
At Bag Maverick, we uphold strict standards in regards to sustainability. In fact, it is the basis on which every decision is made as a business; from the materials that we source to the factories that we work with, we always consider the social, economic and environmental impact.
We are committed to making sustainable custom products more accessible to businesses around the world and, in order to achieve this, we are constantly conducting research to grow our range of sustainable materials. This enables us to offer the largest selection of eco-friendly materials which means you are sure to find one that works for your business needs when it comes to creating a custom-printed bag for retail, promotional or packaging purposes.
Discover all of the possibilities we provide for making a sustainable branded bag for your business.