What does packaging mean to you? This question has been posed not just by businesses looking to balance their output with input, but by customers. More buyers than ever are becoming discerning when it comes to their shopping habits, with a common trend leaning toward environmentally friendly business practices and safe packaging methods. Clamshell packaging solutions are a harmonious blend of the above, wasting fewer materials while still maintaining consistent quality for all sorts of products. What is a reusable clamshell? How does this factor into green packaging? All of these questions and more will be answered below.

Did You Know?

The world is becoming more green than ever. Studies have seen around 52% of people around the world making active purchase decisions due to packaging that shows the brand making a positive social or environmental impact. When you consider that over 30 million metric tons of plastic waste aren’t properly disposed and that most of the world’s plastic ends up in the ocean, it’s imperative for consumers and businesses alike to think about their impact.

What Is A Clamshell?

Now to get the technical out of the way. A blister package that folds in on itself to protect the contents is referred to as a ‘clamshell’, noting its unique design much like the characteristic mollusk. Clamshell packaging solutions are considered ideal for a wide variety of products, from food to medicine, and go a long way in reducing waste — food industries, pharmaceutical industries and fishing industries are just a few of the sectors that benefit. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation released a 2016 report saying that, if action is not taken and soon, the year 2050 could see more plastic than fish in the ocean.

How Is Blister Packaging Less Wasteful?

Less is more. Custom clamshell packaging gears itself specifically to the product at hand rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, causing businesses to use less material than they would otherwise. According to a study provided by West Rock Consumer Insights, nearly 30% of respondents said that the packaging of a product was very important to their satisfaction overall. Compare this to just a few years earlier, where the number was just 18%. Additional estimates even see at least $12 billion worth of plastic ending up in the ocean, making this waste of money a hazard,
to boot.

How Can I Improve My Packaging Methods?

When a 2016 West Rock Consumer Insights study has shown 45% of customers to actively buy a product because it was environmentally friendly, it’s time to change the way you look at packaging. Green packaging is more than just a trend that’ll blow over in a few years. It’s a way of improving our world from the inside out, from taking care of the ocean to providing customers with more confidence in your business. Even your box labels can be designed to be easier to read for ease of access. Consider thermoformed packaging and clamshell packaging solutions next time you wonder how your business could be doing better. Everyone stands to benefit in the end.