Packaging has been one of the biggest surprises since going into business. There's so much that goes into it! How can I make sure my products arrive intact, with minimal waste, and provide a pleasant experience for my customer?
Once I started offering my iridescent (delightful) quilting rulers, packaging became a big consideration. I sent quite a few orders out in rigid "unbendable" photo mailers, but shockingly, they bent! And broke rulers. I have no problem sending a replacement for anything broken in transit, but what a disappointment for my customer, looking forward to mail day, only to find a broken ruler! I've since switched to boxes that fold into shape, which is a good solution for now. Every time I release a new ruler size, I look into the correct size box. I want to balance the amount of cardboard and waste so that I use the smallest amount of packaging possible, yet still have the product arrive safely.
Another consideration has been the use of plastic in my packaging. I don't want to be adding to the amount of plastic waste out there, but I do need to protect my products from being scratched, and still let them be visible, especially when I'm sending them to a stockist. Enter: biodegradable shrink wrap!
I first learned of compostable shrink wrap while researching a better shrink wrapping system. Called Biolefin, it's a form of shrink wrap that has an additive to break down the polymers. This means that the wrap can be digested by bacteria, fungi, and plankton - so it's compostable! It won't stick around for a hundred years after the product has been unwrapped. Granted, it is still made from petroleum products, but we're going baby steps here. And my rulers ARE made from plastic themselves (a glass ruler doesn't seem too practical just yet, but never say never). Biolefin is shelf stable for 1-2 years, but starts breaking down quickly when composted.
Check out this video about my shrink wrapping process:
What do you think? Is packaging something you consider when making a purchase? It's certainly something this business considers!
Quilt on,
Caitlin