Plastic. The sustainable choice.
At Voges, we design and produce specialized plastic packaging that enables our clients to distribute their plants, for example by mail order. It is with good reason that we use this material for our packaging, because the plastic we use – and how use it – has the lowest environmental impact compared with alternatives.
Outperforming cardboard
In the eye of consumers, cardboard packaging is more sustainable than plastic. But does this hold true when we look at the distribution of plants? According to extensive research by TNO, plastic is the better option when it comes to packaging plants. When you take the entire lifecycle into account, plastic outperforms cardboard by a long way. The environmental impact of rPET packaging ranges from 20 to 30 percent of that of cardboard.
The biggest differences relate to the following three areas:
Energy consumption
Transportation and logistics
rPET packaging consuming up to seven times less space. One truckload instead of seven.
Waste treatment
rPET packaging produces significantly less emissions into water and air.
To illustrate
rPET packaging vs Cardboard packaging
Plastic is ultra-thin and lightweight.
The lighter weight enables lower transport costs and reduces the burden on the environment. Using ingenious designs, we produce ultra-thin packaging that retains its protective qualities. Less plastic is always good.
Cardboard is heavier.
Cardboard requires more than three times the weight of base materials, which has a negative impact throughout the production and logistics chain.
Cardboard needs more space.Cardboard is bulky and therefore requires up to seven times more space than plastic. Imagine what this means for the storage and transport of packaging or packaged goods.
Reduce & Recycle
The numbers from the TNO report paint a clear picture. Yet we must never turn a blind eye to the very obvious problems associated with plastic. At Voges, we are committed to creating perfect packaging based on two design principles: Reduce and Recycle.
We reduce by
- Maximizing plant life by using strong moisture-resistant packaging that allows light to permeate;
- Minimizing energy consumption throughout the production lifecycle and continually investing in state-of-the-art technology;
- Designing lightweight packaging (the less plastic, the better); The lighter weight enables lower transport costs and reduces the burden on the environment;
- Optimizing logistics through compact boxing and the efficient distribution of packaging;
- Generating all the energy we use using solar panels.
We recycle by
- Committing to rPET made of mono-plastic as this is most suitable for recycling purposes;
- Aiming for Zero waste. If you work with plastic there will be plastic waste. Everything that is left - each and every bit of it - is collected by us and offered to our recycled PET plastic producer for reuse;
- Encouraging buyers to recycle and separate their plastic waste. Old packaging is simply used to make new packaging.
For plant packaging, 100% recycled PET plastic makes perfect sense. Its properties make it perfect for packaging and minimizing the environmental impact. Are you looking for the most sustainable packaging to distribute plants? Plastic may be part of a growing problem but if used well, it’s also part of the solution.
Recycling last longest
Voges produces packaging made from recycled PET plastic. To do this we closely collaborate with our supplier 4PET Recycling, which processes 150 tons of Post Consumer Waste a day.
How does it work? Watch the video.
Are bioplastics a solution?
We manufactured a complete range on the basis of Ingeo™ biopolymers as early as 2003. This so-called performance plastic uses corn as a renewable raw material. This type of packaging is 100% degradable.
Today, however, it is more of a fine promise than an effective solution.
On the one hand this is because the packaging nearly always ends up with other plastic waste to be either processed or burnt, and on the other hand because there is insufficient availability in the market to meet the current demand.
TNO research
Comparative environmental life-cycle analysis of two packagings for potted plants. Reportnumber 8610/U93.
Download report
Any ideas on how we could improve on this?