Compression packaging is reducing Allied Home’s carbon footprint and saving nearly almost 50% on freight.

New York – Recent studies show consumers would like for packaging of the products they purchase focused on more environmentally friendly alternatives. Suppliers are answering that call with smarter sustainability innovations – from biodegradable to recyclable options, and beyond.

“We want our packaging to say ‘hello’ to our customers and provide them with sustainable solutions and innovative presentations for the selling floor,” said Allied Home’s president of sales and merchandising Jody Folino.

The utility bedding company has launched a compressed packaging program that was inspired by both internal and external factors in the marketplace, she explained.

Internally, “we were looking to be creative with our packaging,” Folino said. “We’re always trying to find innovative solutions to package our products.”

Externally, pandemic-prompted impacts to the supply chain process, including increased freight-related costs, propelled the company to “figure out how to get more in a container while reducing our carbon footprint,” Folino explained.

Compression packaging has resulted in significant savings for Allied Home. “Almost 50% more product now fits in a pallet box or container, which saves us almost 50% on freight,” she said.

Applicable to both synthetic- and natural-fill products, compression packaging is being rolled out to the company’s mattress pads, pillows, comforters and more.

In addition, Allied Home is also making reusable packaging products – “interesting tote bags and backpacks that can be used after,” she went on.

That is in sync with Sustainable Furnishings Council’s “2021 Green Home Furnishings Consumer Study,” which found “nearly universal high levels of concern” (90+%) among consumers about presented environmental issues. The top three concerns among respondents were: toxic pollutants in the waste stream, deforestation/loss of rainforests and using up natural resources.

All respondents surveyed claimed to practice some/any of the environmentally friendly habits presented by the study, which was released in March. However, women appeared to be more inclined to environmentally friendly habits, overall, concentrating on food and shopping-related activities – including packaging, about which nearly 9 in 10 said they use reusable shopping bags.

More specifically, when asked about which environmentally-friendly habits they practice (from a list of 11 options), “use reusable shopping bags” ranked third highest with 87% of respondents, comprising 90% of women and 84% of men.

Consumers also want the products they buy to be packaged more sustainably, as cited by Pitney Bowes Inc.’s latest BOXpoll. Released in April, the report cited more than one-third of consumers (38%) as more likely to buy products with sustainable features or packaging. Of these respondents: 10% said they are actively looking for these products; and 28% are more inclined to buy products based on environmentally friendly features, such as sustainable materials, sustainable packaging or a portion of proceeds going to environmental causes.

“A growing number of consumers are demanding more environmentally friendly choices from retailers,” said Gregg Zegras, EVP and President of global ecommerce at Pitney Bowes, a global technology company that provides commerce solutions in the areas of ecommerce, shipping, mailing and financial services. “This is clear not only in our latest BOXpoll survey results, but with brands also moving quickly to show progress on sustainable manufacturing and distribution.”

E-commerce represents a greater choice for consumers, he added. “As more shopping takes place online, consumers are wielding this power to support brands that care about sustainability.”

It’s not surprising then that sustainable habits like these are most prevalent among the young, the affluent, parents and urbanites, according to the report, which  found that almost half (47% to 48%) of each of these demographics are deemed sustainability-minded shoppers.

But more widely, sustainability isn’t yet a factor in purchasing decisions for most consumers – 59% on average, the report warned. They often don’t notice sustainability features, the survey found.

One potential detractor might be cost, Pitney Bowes suggested, citing 67% of consumers believe a box shipped with sustainable packaging costs more than one of traditional packaging, despite having the same contents. Dollar-wise, consumers believe that sustainable packaging is worth an average of $5.70 more than “traditional” packaging, the report finds.

EA International’s RCX 3.0 packaging contains no phthalates or chlorine.

Clarity of packaging is a key differentiator of EA International’s RCX 3.0 packaging, which the company launched more than a year ago and today sells it many home textiles companies for a range of products, “from bed-in-a-bag to soft window to sheeting – the whole nine yards,” said EVP Dale Brown.

“The material itself is extremely clear – over 91% clarity, which is great for retail,” he went on. RCX 3.0 is also cleaner than traditional packaging options, as it contains no phthalates (also known as plasticizers) or chlorine. “It’s environmentally friendly from that point of view,” Brown noted.

Plus, he continued, RCX 3.0 packaging’s manufacturing footprint is “much smaller. It doesn’t require much energy to produce, or huge machines or colanders.”

EA International came up with this option in response to demand from retailers and consumers.

“Everyone is looking for sustainable products and they want to replace PVC, which has been around a long time, and unfortunately contains chlorine,” Brown said. “We are removing away from that with new materials.”

Viscose-made bags present another example of the company’s sustainable expansion. But while this option is “very, very eco-friendly because it is biodegradable and recyclable,” viscose bags by virtue create a frosted look on the packaging.

“There is no clarity to viscose, whereas RCX 3.0 is very clear and totally recyclable –  like a bread bag,” Brown added.

Echoing the PVC sentiment is Peking Handicraft, which expects sustainable packaging to be the most enduring change from the pandemic.

“The biggest change I’ve seen is sustainable packaging. Nobody wants PVC packaging [on fashion bedding] anymore,” noted Carol Antone, VP of creative services. “The move away from that is huge. Comforter bags are the worst – that’s the most packaging for any product…Before last year, people would say they wanted more sustainable packaging, but then they didn’t really go for it. Now they really want it.”

In response to this shift, Peking Handicraft is reducing its packaging and focusing more on self-packaging that can be reused as totes, Antone continued.

“We’re using a lot of ribbons and cards – which had always been used for quilts, but now we’re doing it for comforters,” she said. “People are also asking for open-top packaging because there’s just less of it.”

Sinomax’s “MicroProtect” packaging features a patent-pending and EPA-registered antimicrobial technology that kills 99.9% of illness causing germs.

Checking off several boxes on the wellness list – both for the planet and consumers – is a new patent-pending antimicrobial packaging innovation from Sinomax via a strategic partnership.

The mattress and utility bedding company has joined forces with independent corrugated manufacturer Bennett Packaging Company, “which has been instrumental in helping us execute several packaging initiatives,” explained Jefre Ramos, marketing director.

The latest of these is “MicroProtect” – packaging featuring a patent-pending technology that utilizes an EPA-registered antimicrobial technology that kills 99.9% of illness causing germs (but does not protect against disease-causing microorganisms). The concept earned Sinomax the Business Intelligence Group’s 2021 Big Innovations Award for the consumer products category.

“We saw a need for this kind of packaging,” Ramos said. “As the world is changing, so is our approach to cleaner and safer packaging solutions. This is how we are helping to protect consumers and prevent the spread of illness-causing germs at retail. As retailers start opening up again, more germs are making their way into the stores. Our new packaging offers shoppers some peace of mind when shopping.”

The packaging is made in the USA of corrugated cardboard, which is 100% recyclable. The antibacterial application does not alter the look or feel of the packaging. “It’s virtually an invisible application with incredible test results,” Ramos continued.

The corrugated cardboard used for the packaging currently comprises up to 37.5% of recycled material, “and we’re working on bringing that rate up,” noted Alysabeth Anderson, creative director.

“We have more related developments, but they are still in the works, “ she continued. “For now, we are rolling out ‘MicroProtect’ packaging for our mattress toppers and pillows. But the applications could expand into mattress-in-a-box and go into additional avenues, like travel accessories, everything within product capabilities.”

Cecile B. Corral has spent over two decades reporting on home furnishings brands, manufacturers and retailers. She is also the founder and president of Cecile Public Relations in Miami, Fla.

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