The world is changing at an accelerated pace, as we find ourselves trying to work out the ‘new normal’ in the face of a global shutdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Oil prices have fallen into negative figures for the first time in history, so is it any wonder people are signing up to go live on Mars?
Personally, I think our world is telling us that some things must change, and I believe that the message is clear. We must be less wasteful and take more responsibility for this fragile earth that we live on, and be more aware of the health of our planet.
Sustainability
With over 130 countries now implementing a plastics ban, people are looking for alternatives. The most environmentally-friendly, sustainable alternative is of course – paper. Yes, that means we cut down trees, but paper is a truly sustainable resource. Here in the US, over 4 million trees are planted EVERY DAY.
One of the biggest issues with plastic is that it is non-biodegradable and not always recyclable. Paper as a sustainable and recyclable resource makes it the natural ‘go to’ for a growing number of companies around the globe who are taking their environmental obligations seriously, and who are also responding to the changing demands of their customers and the market place in general.
Trends
Goodbye Single Use Plastic
As people become more and more aware of the impact of single use plastic, there is a clear trend towards more socially responsible packaging. We live in a society that wants everything, and we want it yesterday. This creates opportunity to supply this growing demand but to do this is a way that has less impact on the earth.
Food to Go
The global online food delivery market is set to be worth $200 billion within the next 5 years with Grubhub, Just Eat and Ele.me among some of the biggest global players. As family dynamics change and people are cooking less at home there is a need to be able to cater for this market in an environmentally-responsible way. This has increased the demand for food packaging grades such as FBB, SBS and greaseproof papers. But we are also trying to find ways to make these are more environmently friendly, replacing PE coatings with biodegradable options.
Online Retail Therapy
With online shopping increasing year on year, there is a continually increasing demand for packaging to ship these products to homes and businesses. And with plastics now being banned in so many countries, there has been a huge increase in the demand for paper packaging and particularly kraft paper and board. According to RISI, global demand for containerboard reached 173 million tonnes in 2018. With the world changing at an incredible pace, this demand looks set to continue to rise, as online purchases continue to grow, and consumers are growing ever-more conscious of the impact of their own choices, and of their purchasing power to bring about sustainable changes.
Some TLC for the world
With a more environmentally-aware audience than ever before, and a world that needs some extra TLC, the natural progression seems to be to move away from single-use plastics towards something more rounded with a better ability to biodegrade and recycle. Paper-based products are the future!
PG Paper is here to support all of our customers to source a comprehensive range of packaging grades from our mill partners around the globe.
Why not reach out today to discuss your project requirements? We love to hear about our customers’ business plans and projects, and to work alongside you to provide bespoke and innovative solutions for all of your paper and packaging needs!