With a dedication to providing high-quality packaging products and services while following fair and ethical business practices, Imperial Paper will help you find the best way to make your packaging lighter without compromising product protection. Imperial Paper has over 50 years of experience in designing and manufacturing corrugated packaging, point of purchase displays, retail bags, and shipping supplies.
Heavy packages are no fun for anyone involved and add extra costs to shipping. Utilizing lighter packaging will reduce costs, make your parcels easier to manage, and more. Here, we share how to pack for shipping with desired product protection without inflating shipping costs.
Tips for Making Your Packaging Lighter
In shipping, every ounce counts and can increase your costs by a few cents. Over time, or when you’re shipping many packages, those few cents can add up to several hundred dollars. Therefore, finding ways to make your packaging lighter can help increase profits.
Invest in Lightweight Padding
Whether or not you are shipping fragile items, it is necessary to ensure your package is well padded for its journey. The type of padding used can add a lot of weight to the parcel. Opting for lightweight paddings, such as bubble wrap, can be a huge cost saver regardless of the package size.
Use Customized Packaging
For businesses, customized packaging is a strategy to help make a parcel lightweight. Custom packages are designed to accommodate your specific products, reducing the overall box size and shipping costs. Having a parcel unique to your business and products will help make the package lighter and leave a lasting impression on clients.
Send Out More Boxes
Since some shippers offer discounts to clients who ship several packages at once, it can be beneficial to break orders requiring a large box into multiple, smaller packages. The cumulative reduction in materials you use and the reduction in shipping costs could mark a substantial improvement to your bottom line.
Utilize Corrugated Containers
The strength and lightweight properties of corrugated boxes make them a better choice than regular cardboard packages. Corrugated containers have a three-layer design that creates air-filled pockets between the inner and outer layers, which offers better protection for your products without the added weight.
Use Foam Inserts
Foam inserts are made to fit your product’s shape and protect it in the package, making them a lightweight, yet strong packaging option.
Use Water-Activated Tape
While often overlooked, the added weight of tape to a package’s overall weight can be a factor pushing your parcel into the next cost category. Plastic pressure-sensitive tape is a popular way to seal a shipping parcel; however, multiple layers add additional weight to your package. Opting for a lightweight tape, such as water-activated tape (WAT), can create a secure, tamper-evident seal with only one strip of tape.
Benefits for Companies That Utilize Lighter Packaging
Companies that implement lighter packaging gain many benefits, including:
- Cost-Savings: A reduced weight of packaging leads to less money spent on heavy loads and improves your bottom line.
- Less Overhead Dedicated to Packaging: Updating packaging supplies and practices can reduce the overhead needed to ship your products.
- Lower Strain on Employees Doing the Packaging: Heavy parcels can be troublesome to deal with by your team members, the shipper’s employees, and customers. Utilizing lighter packaging will make a big difference over time by reducing employees’ strain.
- Environmentally Friendly to Use Less Packaging: Using recyclable packaging materials allows consumers to recycle them. Even if consumers do not recycle, the less packing materials used will reduce the volume of waste that goes in landfills.
Lighter Packaging From Imperial Paper
Companies that utilize lighter packaging can lower costs while retaining high customer satisfaction. From custom-designed boxes to lighter packaging material options, Imperial Paper offers solutions that ensure the safe shipping of your products. Our team will work with you to find the best shipping options for your unique needs. Contact our packaging experts or request a quote for a lighter packaging solution for your parcels or subscription services boxes.
