s any business-owner will know, attention to detail is key. For those who work
A 2019 survey by YouGov found that 46% of Britons felt guilty about the quantity of plastic they use and that 82% were actively attempting to reduce the amount they threw away. Mail wrapping, like packaging, is now an object of scrutiny as a result. Confronted with different (and often confusing) recycling rules from council to council, consumers are keen to move away from plastic films altogether. In the era of a more eco-conscious consumer, the days of poly wraps, plastic-window envelopes and bubble-padded packaging are numbered, if not already over.
Do your homework. Our industry has changed dramatically over the last couple of years. Materials and postal options have evolved greatly. Get in touch, we will recognise your requirements and will gladly talk you through all options available, providing you with unbiased
and knowledgeable guidance.
get in touch
get in touch
A
materials you use. After all, choosing eco-friendly packaging might be that small detail that helps win over a potential customer. That being said, finding wrapping that ticks all the right boxes can be a challenge.
A number of companies have opted for biodegradable starch-based films, known as PLAs, which are made from starch that’s usually derived from potato or corn. Slightly more opaque than poly wraps, these films can be printed on, while remaining biodegradable and compostable (either in a compost heap or in a food waste bin). The National Trust, for example, uses Bioplast 300® Home Compostable EN13432 film to send out its magazine to members. Produced from potatoes that would otherwise have gone to waste, the Bioplast 300® wrapping takes between 180 and 360 days to compost once
it’s exposed to microorganisms, temperatures over 25°C and a high level of humidity.
So, what are the best alternative options for your future mail-outs?
with printed marketing collateral, that means you need to consider both the
material you print on as well as the direct mail/magazine/catalogue wrapping
Let’s start with naked mailing. As the name suggests, this option eliminates packaging completely. However, there are some evident downsides to sending the mail unwrapped: you can no longer include third-party advertisements – a money-maker if you’re a magazine – and the product can get damaged in transit.
Walstead works in partnership with Westcolour Ltd, a leader of subscription magazine fulfilment, across all of its sites. Andrew Bowden, Commercial Director of Westcolour, speaks in favour of paper mailing packages, which are 100% recyclable, often compostable, yet still robust. Drawing on first-hand experience, he says, ‘Our customers and their subscribers have been delighted with the environmental advantages of paper. In addition, the introduction of printed paper packs as a replacement for plastic on the newsstand has been received brilliantly with some projects achieving improved sales.’
As with all paper-based products, it’s best to choose packaging made from paper with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accreditation. The paper Westcolour uses, for example, is carbon-balanced, certified by the World Land Trust and always PEFC or FSC grade.
If you do settle on this option it’s worth noting that, if you laminate paper-based packaging, it will make it non-recyclable – thus bringing you back to square one – unless you consider recyclable cover finishes, such as those supplied by Celloglas.
Environmental benefits aside, there is also the question of cost. In that respect, PLAs are
a more costly alternative, as Bowden highlights, ‘Compostable films are more expensive than paper, especially when produced as printed film.’ He goes on to add that paper has obvious cost benefits, ‘12 months ago I would have said that swapping traditional plain LDPE polythene for plain paper wrap could be cost-neutral but, over the past year, due to a resin shortage, polythene costs have soared to the extent where paper wrapping is now more cost-effective, also providing postal tariff benefits that were not always available previously.’ Customers benefit from Royal Mail mail-mark discounts on paper wrap, which isn’t possible on poly
as the QR code can’t be scanned. ‘Being paper it allows excellent use of the latest postal barcoding services, offering huge savings on your postage bills,’ Bowden explains.
As with most things in life, first impressions count: whether you’re sending out a magazine or a catalogue, mail wrapping is going to be the reader's first experience of your product,
so it’s not a decision to be taken lightly. On the plus side, making the switch to sustainable mail packaging is a really great opportunity to build a positive brand image. You can even incorporate your packaging choices into your brand communication - in other words,
it’s a simple, yet effective way to boost your eco-credentials.
Bowden has advice for those who are considering the different mail-out packaging options:
Get in touch with Walstead to discuss the mail wrapping options best suited to your needs.
