E-commerce retailer Amazon has introduced a packaging solution made from recycled paper to make grocery delivery more sustainable.

Manufactured regionally in the US, the kerbside-recyclable insulation packaging will be used for delivering products from Amazon Fresh grocery hubs, stores and Whole Foods Market locations.

Amazon has tested the packaging’s thermal effectiveness in its internal thermal labs, as well as in multiple external labs in North America and Europe.

The retailer also conducted ‘secret-shopper programmes’ to validate the solution’s thermal effectiveness, as well as consumer pilots in multiple cities.

Amazon Grocery vice-president Stephenie Landry said: “This new packaging is just the latest step in Amazon’s commitment to both The Climate Pledge, a bold commitment to be net-zero carbon across our business by 2040, and to building a sustainable business for our employees, customers and the planet.”

The initiative is part of Amazon’s wider sustainability efforts and its commitment to becoming carbon-neutral across its business by 2040.

It is expected to replace around 735,000lb of plastic film, 3.15 million pounds of natural cotton fibre and 15 million pounds of non-recyclable mixed plastic a year.

Amazon grocery delivery packaging team senior programme manager Joe Rake led the project to develop the packaging.

 The 15th edition of Myntra’s flagship EORS, being held from 18th to 23rd December, will be the most environmentally-friendly EORS edition to date, with a slew of environmental friendly initiatives undertaken by Myntra over a period of time. Investments in paper packaging in place of plastic packaging and solar power utilisation, are two broad areas where Myntra has made significant in-roads in its commitment towards building a greener enterprise.

Myntra operates 5 Fulfilment Centres (FCs) across India, of which the ones located at Bilaspur in Haryana and Bhiwandi near Mumbai in Maharashtra are solar powered. In addition to this, Myntra has enabled roof-mounted installation for a solar plant at one of its RPCs (returns processing centres) in Mumbai, taking the collective capacity of solar panels to 2.35MWp.

Another important area where Myntra has achieved immense headway in sustainability, is packaging. As of November 2021, Myntra has completely discontinued the use of polythene covers or plastic for outer packaging and replaced it with paper packaging. This has led to reduction in plastic consumption by over 1.4k tonnes in 2021 thus far. Myntra has also replaced plastic tapes with paper tapes, saving another ~115 tonnes of plastic this year and is using recycled carton shreds for inner packaging wherever possible.

Myntra’s sustainability journey has been marked by an orchestrated effort to create a positive environmental impact. With the goal of going 100% plastic-free packaging achieved, Myntra is set to leave a profound mark on the industry. One of the other key earlier initiatives by Myntra include, partnering with Canopy, a not-for-profit environmental organization, to ensure that the packaging used does not encourage deforestation, by scaling packaging from recycled and alternative materials. Myntra is also the first fashion e-commerce company in the country to partner with the Better Cotton Initiative, the largest cotton sustainability programme globally that aims to make cotton farming sustainable. In addition, through ‘Myntra For Earth’, a dedicated store offering conscious collection on the Myntra app, the company offers thousands of styles from over 90 brands to provide ethically and consciously made fashion, lifestyle and beauty products to customers looking for eco-friendly choices.

The six-day event, scheduled from 18th to 23rd December, is slated to cater to the fashion, beauty and lifestyle needs of over 4 million unique customers across the country, with ~25000 Kirana partners delivering their orders  in recyclable paper packaging, thus making it the greenest EORS thus far.

Sharing her excitement for the ongoing greenest EORS, Sharon Pais, Chief Business Officer, Myntra, said, “At Myntra our commitment towards sustainability is entrenched into multiple facets of the organisation, be it sourcing, manufacturing, storefront or delivery.  With     the 15th edition of our flagship EORS underway, we are excited about the fact that we will serve our customers across the country with their orders delivered in plastic-free sustainable packaging. It is also heartening to see how our partners have also joined us in this mission.” 

Yash Pakka, which is a sustainable packaging solutions provider, has introduced a high-strength paper that will be utilized to make sustainable bags for e-commerce deliveries. The high-strength paper features high-burst factor and high-tearing strength properties, which makes it an optimal option for e-commerce deliveries.

Considering the growing focus on environmental protection, several e-commerce giants are making the switch from single-use plastics to paper for their packaging needs. However, the paper does not have the strength required to safely ship items. 

“While e-commerce companies have displayed a propensity towards sustainable packaging, they do not have alternatives other than paper, which can be easily damaged during the transit. This is where our innovation comes into the picture,” Jagdeep Hira, Business Head at Yash Pakka, said. 

The bags are created using bagasse sourced from sugar mills along with softwood imported from Sweden, Canada, and Finland. With one-side glazed, the high-quality paper makes for attractive printability for branding purposes. 

"High-strength paper can be used to create high-quality safe bags that can cover long distances without damage to the bag or the product. We believe this will revolutionize packaging in the e-commerce space,” Hira added. 

The company is currently producing 3400 MT/month to cater to the needs of its current market base comprising e-commerce bag manufacturing units in North India (Delhi-NCR). Going forward, the brand aims to expand its footprint for the high-strength paper to Maharashtra and Gujarat in the next 2-3 months while also foraying to the export market. 

Yash Pakka Limited was founded in 1981 by KK Jhunjhunwala as Yash Papers Limited. Over the years, the company has transformed from a paper manufacturer to a sustainable packaging solutions provider. It works towards building a plastic-free future through its holistic approach. It has a strong business presence across 43 countries and aims to double its production capacity by 2023. 

 Jabil Packaging Solutions (JPS), a division of manufacturing solutions provider Jabil Inc. (NYSE: JBL), today announced its reinvention of the wipes container. FusePack wipes packaging combine the most powerful features of multiple different packaging substrates, leveraging the best elements of rigid and flexible components. This lightweight but strong package is more sustainable and eCommerce-friendly than the legacy alternatives.

“Cleaning and sanitizing wipes have been steadily rising in popularity and since 2020, they’ve truly become a household staple,” said Vice President of Technology Ayana Johnson, Jabil Packaging Solutions. “While wipes have become an essential part of our lives, traditional wipes canisters are incredibly bulky, using an excessive amount of plastic while tending to lose moisture, causing decreased shelf life. As home delivery has taken off, we’ve seen traditional canisters struggle with the bumps, shocks and vibrations of shipping directly to consumers. These factors drove us to reinvent the wipes container with FusePack packaging.”

The FusePack wipes container meets pressing market challenges head-on, including:

• Wasteful packaging – FusePack wipes container is 30% smaller than comparable rigid plastic alternatives but holds the same amount of wipes; its strength also reduces the need for excessive secondary packaging
• Shipping and shelf space inefficiencies – FusePack wipes containers nested structure, 68% weight reduction over comparable rigid packs and reduced package footprint means efficient transit and more units per shelf
• Cracking/opening in the harsh transit conditions of ecommerce – the flexible yet strong pack can withstand the shocks, vibrations and temperature changes of ecommerce fulfillment
• Wipes that dry out – FusePack is hermetically sealed, extending shelf life and eliminating leaking

We’re all about innovation, particularly if it means good news for the planet. That’s why we’re proud to be the first UK manufacturer to produce mailing bags using Green PE: a thermoplastic sustainable resin, made from sugar cane. Renewable. Recyclable. And ultimate product performance.

Why Green PE?

Unlike other ‘green’ products, our Green PE is totally sustainable, from source to production. The raw ingredient, sugarcane, is a water efficient crop that also captures carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Planted and grown to ethical guidelines, more CO2 is sequestered from the atmosphere by the ethanol used to make GreenPE. In a nutshell, for each kilogram of green plastic produced using this method, we save 2.85kg of CO2, compared to using conventional oil-based polythene.

GreenPE Benefits, compared to a conventional oil based polythene

Renewable

Produced from a completely renewable source (sugarcane), this is the ultimate in green packaging.

Less Greenhouse Gas

Because of its natural source, our GreenPE automatically reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Recyclable

Our GreenPE is recyclable in a closed loop recycling system.

Performance

GreenPE has the same technical properties, appearance and versatility of applications of polyethylene from fossil source.

Moving Table Lamps

Moving table lamps isn't difficult, but it requires quite a few steps.

To pack a lamp, first remove the lightbulb and shade from the lamp. Wrap the cord around the lamps base and tuck the plugged end into the wrapped cord to secure it.

Put the shade to the side, taking care to handle it by the metal rims, not the sides. Lamp shades are as delicate as lamps, and can easily rip, bend, or get stained.

Roll the entire lamp in a piece of bubble wrap about five to 10 inches longer than the lamp itself and secure the wrap with packing tape. You can use more than one piece of bubble wrap and overlap them, if necessary. The entire lamp should be protected, even on the top and bottom.

Pack the lamp, standing up, in an extra tall box. You can purchase these boxes from any store that sells moving supplies. Reinforce the bottom of the box with packing tape.

Feel free to pack more than one lamp in a box. Just be sure to place extra padding, in the form of packing peanuts, newspaper, bubble wrap, or cloths between the lamps. Lamps shouldn't have space to shift during the move.

Seal the box tightly, label it "Fragile" and "This side up," and list the contents, including the room where you'll put the lamps in your new home. The shade should be packed separately.

Moving Lampshades

After you've removed the shades from the lamps and packed the lamps, it's time to pack the shades. Stack shades inside each other, from smallest to largest, placing a piece of tissue paper or plain newsprint, which can be purchased at a store that sells moving supplies, between each shade. Do not use actual newspapers, as the ink can transfer to your lampshades and stain them.

Place the stacked shades in a box, bottoms down. Use packing materials to secure the shades in the box, seal it up, and label it as "Fragile Lamp Shades." In the moving van, don't pack anything on top of the lampshades or else you run the risk of them getting damaged.

Moving Lightbulbs

Pack all lightbulbs together in a large box. You may use a Christmas ornament box, which will hold all the bulbs in separate compartments, or a regular moving box.

Wrap each lightbulb completely with bubble wrap and secure the bubble wrap with packing tape. Label the box, mark it fragile, and specify "This Side Up" on the box.

If you only have a few bulbs making the trip, you can pack them with other small, fragile items. Just be sure to label the box, or take a photo of the contents and tape it to the outside of the box so you know where to find the bulbs.

Moving Floor Lamps

Many floor lamps can be broken down into smaller pieces, making it easy to pack the lamp in a box. Wrap each piece in bubble wrap or cloth to prevent scratching, seal the box, label it, and mark it "fragile." Make sure to remove the lightbulbs and pack them separately.

You may prefer to move your floor lamps in one piece. If so, remove the lightbulbs and pack them separately. Wrap the lamp in a moving blanket and secure the blanket with packing tape. Lie the lamp on the floor of the moving van near a wall, where it won't get stepped on or have other items placed on top of it, or stand it up between two heavy pieces of furniture so it can't move during transit.

Moving a Chandelier

Moving a chandelier safely requires the following items:

- heavy corrugated cardboard box, reinforced on the bottom with packing tape, large enough to hold the chandelier plus two inches of foam on the top and bottom
- two additional boxes (for lightbulbs and the pieces of your chandelier)
- bubble wrap
- packing foam
- packing tape
- packing peanuts
- twist ties
- screwdriver
- someone else to help you

After you've removed the chandelier from the ceiling, detach prisms, chains, candle cups, and arms. Wrap the pieces separately in bubble wrap and place them in a moving box. Label the box with the words "fragile" and "chandelier pieces." If you have more than one chandelier, put a number on the box, as well so can keep everything organized.

Wrap the chandelier's cords and wires, securing them with twist ties. Place one piece of foam in the bottom of the reinforced box and place the chandelier on top. As you hold the chandelier upright, your helper should load packing peanuts into the box, completely surrounding the chandelier. You should be able to let go of the chandelier now and it should still stand upright. Place the second piece of foam on the chandelier, close the box, seal it and label it, marking it with the words "fragile," and "this side up."

Pack the lightbulbs in their own box, wrapping each carefully in bubble wrap, labeling the box and marking it fragile.

Do not stack heavy boxes on your chandelier or its components in the moving van.