Benefits of Sustainable Labels

We live in a world where we want to make the right changes to help our environment by recycling, using less pollution and finding innovative ways to make a little difference to our wildlife, our forests and our environment. 

With this in mind, more and more manufacturers are looking at ways to mak

e their products and packaging more eco-friendly. It has always been a tricky subject to find a solution to fully recyclable packaging especially when it comes to the label...yes the label! Who would have thought! But due to the adhesive used to adhere a label to the packaging this has always created a bump in the recycling chain. BUT there are other solutions to adding sustainable labels and making a positive impact on our environment,  they just may not necessarily be fully recyclable after.

So, why opt for sustainable labels? What are the benefits?

Reduced environmental impacts from reduced waste and increased recycling

An obvious choice for switching to sustainable labels is to help our environment and save our forests. With an estimate 15 billion trees being cut down every year being able to recycle or use alternative resources for our labels will help to reduce these extortionate numbers. There are many recycled papers on the market as well as alternative materials being produced from bio-based products such as marble mining waste and fruit pulp, and quite often you wouldn't even know the difference!

Customer recognition with eco-conscious end users

Not only will reducing waste and reusing recycled materials help to save our environment but your customers will love you for it! It is proven that a lot of customers will recognise brands opting for eco-friendly packaging and sticking by their company values, and the company will gain more loyalty and brand recognition from their customers because of it. So if you switch to sustainable labels...shout about it! 

Increased awareness of environmentally responsible activities

If you educate your audience of your environmental impact by opting for sustainable labels, they in turn can learn and teach to others. The more people who are made aware of the benefits to your packaging, the more people you will inspire. The more people you inspire, the more companies will want to follow suit and all start to make more positive changes to our environment. 

A point of differentiation between you and your competitors

In a busy market finding ways to stand out amongst your competitors will benefit the brand and if your competitors haven't gone sustainable yet but you have, you will be one step ahead in the market. Telling a story to your audience about how your labels are eco-friendly and what impact is has to the environment will add credibility and value to your brand. For example: if you've opted for a label made from grape pulp for your wine bottles - what a great story! If you've opted for a label made from sugar cane fibres for you confectionery range - tell your story! Highlight why you're are different and make yourself stand out.

Confidence that your products have a less negative impact on the environment

Having a less negative impact on the environment is always going to be a bonus and should make your company proud and confident in your values. So what are the positives for opting for eco-friendly labels?

• Creating less pollution by recycling materials and reducing the need for new materials
• Reduced carbon footprint (CO2 emissions)
• Making use of natural resources which are not limited such as marble waste, fruit pulp or sugar cane to make wood-free materials
• Recyclable PET labels can be 100% recycled in the PET stream thus minimising waste
• Less chemicals required for biodegradable labels which decompose naturally

Helping to save our forests and habitats

Making a conscious effort to reduce paper waste and save our forests will in turn protect our habitat and help against animal extinction by keeping their homes in tact for longer. Deforestation affects animals in many ways. It causes habitat destruction, increased risk of predation, reduced food availability, and much more. As a result, some animals lose their homes, others lose food sources – and finally, many lose their lives. In fact, deforestation is one of the main causes of extinction.

So, by opting for wood-free materials or by recycling our papers we are protecting our species and our planet.

To find out more about our sustainable labels visit our home page and request a sample pack to start your journey on becoming more sustainable today.