{"id":3497,"date":"2026-10-09T06:37:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T22:37:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cvprimasolo.com\/blog\/?p=3497"},"modified":"2026-10-09T06:37:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T22:37:13","slug":"how-do-i-make-my-custom-labels-packaging-more-sustainable-49c4-9f0b2f","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.cvprimasolo.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/09\/how-do-i-make-my-custom-labels-packaging-more-sustainable-49c4-9f0b2f\/","title":{"rendered":"How do I make my custom labels & packaging more sustainable?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re a brand owner, small business manager, or someone who\u2019s spent hours tweaking the exact size of a label to match your product, you know how much custom labels and packaging do: they\u2019re the first thing a customer sees, they hold your product together, and they carry the information people need to make a buying decision. But if you\u2019re anything like the clients who message me at [Supplier Name] every week, you\u2019re also looking for ways to cut down on waste without making your brand look cheap, unprofessional, or like you\u2019ve skimped on quality. Custom Labels & Packaging<\/a><\/p>\n

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Let me start with a little context: I\u2019ve been working in custom labels and packaging for 12 years, back when \u201csustainable packaging\u201d was still a niche buzzword for a handful of eco-brands, not a standard question every client asks in their initial inquiry. Over those years, I\u2019ve tested materials I thought would work, seen what falls apart after three months sitting on a grocery shelf, and worked with clients to tweak every part of their label and packaging process to be better for the planet\u2014and their bottom line, too. The truth is, making your custom labels and packaging more sustainable doesn\u2019t mean sacrificing design, durability, or functionality. It means making intentional choices at every step, from the material you choose to how you print and ship your order.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the foundation: materials. This is where most people get stuck, because \u201csustainable\u201d is a broad term, and not every eco-friendly material works for every product. For example, a wine label that\u2019s going to get wet during a tasting or a brewery\u2019s taproom needs to hold up through moisture, smudging, and sun exposure\u2014so recyclable paper that\u2019s not designed for water resistance will peel off in days, which is worse for waste than sticking to a durable, vinyl label that\u2019s properly recycled later. That\u2019s why I always ask new clients to share how their product is used: does it sit in a warehouse for six months? Does it get refrigerated? Does it need to stand out on a crowded store shelf? That way I can steer them toward materials that are actually sustainable for their specific use case<\/em>, not just trendy.<\/p>\n

A common mistake I see is equating \u201crecycled\u201d with \u201csustainable\u201d for all materials. There\u2019s a huge difference between post-consumer recycled (PCR) content and post-industrial recycled content. Post-consumer recycled material is waste that\u2019s been used by a consumer (like old office paper or soda bottles) and collected, sorted, and processed into new material. Post-industrial is offcut or waste from manufacturing processes that never reached a consumer. For labels, PCR paper from old magazines or corrugated cardboard works great for non-food, non-moisture-sensitive products, but for food packaging or personal care labels, we use food-grade PCR paper that\u2019s processed to remove contaminants, so it\u2019s safe for direct contact. For flexible packaging, PCR plastic is an option, but I also often suggest mono-material flexible films, which are a huge win for sustainability because they only use one type of plastic, making them 100% recyclable in standard curbside programs. Multi-material packaging, which combines plastic, foil, and paper, is everywhere because it\u2019s durable, but it\u2019s almost impossible to recycle, so it ends up in landfills. I had a client a year ago who used a 3-material snack bar wrapper that cost a penny less per unit, but after we ran a waste audit for their brand, they switched to a mono-material wrapper that cost a half-penny more, but cut their packaging\u2019s recyclability rate from 12% to 98%\u2014and customers noticed enough that their repeat purchase rate went up 18% because they admired the change.<\/p>\n

Another material I love for products that don\u2019t need extreme durability is plant-based labels and packaging, like mushroom mycelium or seaweed labels. Seaweed, in particular, is a game-changer for small-batch brands or brands with products that use water in their packaging (like liquid soaps or sauces). It\u2019s derived from ocean-grown seaweed, no fresh water or pesticides needed to grow, and it\u2019s 100% compostable in home compost systems, not just industrial facilities. For a specialty cold brew coffee client of mine, we switched their bottle labels from waterproof vinyl to seaweed-based labels that dissolve completely in hot water when you recycle the bottle\u2014no soaking, no peeling, no leftover glue residue. The client was worried it would affect their brand\u2019s premium look, but we tested it with their regular customers, and 82% said they couldn\u2019t tell the difference in visual quality, and 91% appreciated that it was easier to recycle. The only catch with plant-based materials is that they\u2019re not right for every product: if your label is going to sit outside in 90-degree heat for months, seaweed will break down faster, so it\u2019s not a fit. But for indoor products or products with a short shelf life, it\u2019s an excellent, lower-waste option.<\/p>\n

Next up: printing, because even the most sustainable material is wasted if the printing process is inefficient or harmful. For years, printing for custom labels required harsh solvents and inks that released volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, and required chemical cleaning that created toxic waste. That\u2019s no longer the case, and nearly all my print processes now use water-based inks or UV-cured inks that are low-VOC, non-toxic, and safe for food contact. For brands that want to go even further, we offer soy-based inks, which are 100% renewable and break down much faster than petroleum-based inks when they\u2019re in a landfill or compost pile. I always tell clients to avoid shiny, foil-laminated labels when possible, because those laminates aren\u2019t recyclable, and the foil can leach chemicals into the environment over time. If your brand relies on a metallic look, we use metallic water-based inks that give the same shine without the laminated plastic layer\u2014many clients are surprised how indistinguishable the finish is from foil-laminated labels, and they don\u2019t have to worry about their label being rejected by curbside recycling programs.<\/p>\n

Print efficiency is another big part of sustainability that most people overlook. When you order custom labels or packaging, do you get exactly the number you need, or do you order extra because you think it\u2019s cheaper? A few years ago, I had a candle brand that ordered 5,000 labels at a time, even though they only needed 1,000 per production run. The problem was, when they didn\u2019t use all the labels, they stored them in a warehouse for two years, and a portion of them became damaged from humidity and couldn\u2019t be recycled. By switching to print-on-demand (POD) for small runs, they cut their total waste from unused labels by 75% and didn\u2019t have to pay for storage or insurance for extra stock. POD also reduces overproduction, which is one of the biggest drivers of packaging waste worldwide. The EPA estimates that 30% of all packaging waste comes from over-ordering and overproduction, so aligning your label and packaging runs with your actual sales projections, instead of ordering in bulk to save a few cents upfront, is a huge, simple sustainability win. For brands that do need larger runs, we work with them to optimize their label and packaging sizes to fit standard production sheets, so they minimize offcuts\u2014we can usually reduce offcut waste by 20-30% just by adjusting the label\u2019s dimensions by a quarter inch, which doesn\u2019t affect the design or the label\u2019s ability to fit their product.<\/p>\n

Packaging design, beyond just labels, is another area where small changes add up. I had a craft beer client last year who was using a 12-pack of cans that came in a corrugated cardboard carrier, plus a plastic shrink wrap band around the carrier to hold it together. The shrink wrap was the only part of their packaging that wasn\u2019t recyclable, and they were getting complaints from customers about it. We switched them to a paper-based interlock carrier that holds the cans together without any plastic, and added a small, printed brand mark on the carrier that replaced a separate paper insert they were using for ingredients. That change cut their total packaging waste per 12-pack by 40%, and since the carrier was sturdier than the plastic-wrapped cardboard, it reduced breakage during shipping and handling, which meant fewer product returns and less product waste. Another example: for a skincare brand, we reduced the size of their shipping boxes by 15% by using custom-sized inserts made from 100% recycled cardboard. That meant they used less cardboard per order, and the smaller boxes also reduced shipping fuel costs, since each truck could carry 10% more orders. Sustainability doesn\u2019t exist in a vacuum\u2014small design changes can benefit both the planet and your bottom line, which is why I always push clients to think about the entire lifecycle of their packaging, not just what it looks like on store shelves.<\/p>\n

Once your labels and packaging are produced, the next step is end-of-life, and that\u2019s where education plays a big role. Even the most sustainable packaging is useless if customers don\u2019t know how to dispose of it correctly. I work with every client to add simple, clear recycling or composting instructions to their labels or packaging, because studies show that 60% of consumers will recycle a product correctly if the instructions are easy to find. For example, if you use a mono-material flexible wrapper, adding a line like \u201cThis wrapper is 100% recyclable in most curbside programs\u201d is much more helpful than just a generic recycling symbol that most people can\u2019t identify. For compostable products, we add \u201cCompost in home or industrial compost\u201d so customers know whether they can toss it in their backyard bin or need to find a local facility. I also recommend that clients avoid adding too much text or graphic design that isn\u2019t necessary, because extra ink and paper add unnecessary waste to the packaging, and can also make it harder to recycle if it\u2019s printed with multiple layers of ink that aren\u2019t water-based.<\/p>\n

One of the most common questions I get from new clients is: \u201cIs sustainable packaging more expensive?\u201d The short answer is, it doesn\u2019t have to be. When I first started making these changes for clients, I thought I\u2019d have to pass along cost increases, but after years of optimizing processes and working with sustainable material suppliers, I\u2019ve found that many of these changes either cost the same or save money over time. Reducing overproduction means less money tied up in excess inventory that gets damaged or thrown away. Using print-on-demand means you don\u2019t have to pay for storage or insurance for extra stock. Switching to mono-material packaging means you might even qualify for reduced waste disposal fees, since your packaging is easier to recycle and less likely to end up in a landfill where you have to pay tipping fees. For example, the snack bar client I mentioned earlier saw a 5% increase in their annual packaging budget when they switched to mono-material wrappers, but they saved 10% in waste disposal fees because their packaging was accepted by their local recycling program, so the net cost difference was negative\u2014they ended up spending less total on packaging.<\/p>\n

Of course, there are times when sustainable packaging will cost a little more upfront, especially if you\u2019re using specialty materials like seaweed labels. But the return on investment often comes from customer loyalty. A 2023 NielsenIQ study found that 73% of global consumers say they would change their purchasing habits to reduce their environmental impact, and 60% are willing to pay more for products with sustainable packaging. That means switching to sustainable labels and packaging isn\u2019t just good for the planet\u2014it\u2019s a marketing tool that helps you attract and retain customers who care about the same issues you do. I had a small-batch jam client a few years ago who switched from standard glass jar labels to a combination of recycled paper labels and a 100% recycled cardboard jar sleeve. They didn\u2019t raise their price, but their sales increased 30% in six months, and they attributed most of that growth to their new packaging, which stood out on crowded grocery store shelves and got positive reviews from eco-focused food bloggers.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, making your custom labels and packaging more sustainable is about progress, not perfection. You don\u2019t have to overhaul every part of your packaging overnight\u2014start with one change: switch your labels to PCR paper, or replace your plastic shrink wrap with paper interlocks, or add clear recycling instructions to your packaging. Test the change, get feedback from your customers, and adjust as you go. For me, the most rewarding part of my job is watching small businesses make these changes, not just because it helps the planet, but because it aligns their brand values with their actions. I\u2019ve seen a craft brewery switch all their labels to seaweed and see their online reviews improve, a skincare brand reduce their packaging waste by 50% and grow their customer base, and a candle brand cut their overproduction waste by 75% while saving thousands of dollars a year. If you\u2019re ready to make your custom labels and packaging more sustainable, I\u2019m here to help you navigate every step\u2014from choosing the right materials for your product to optimizing your print runs to make the most of every sheet. We can work together to build a solution that fits your brand, your budget, and your environmental goals, no matter what stage your business is at.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re ready to start planning your next sustainable label and packaging project, feel free to reach out to discuss your specific needs and goals.<\/p>\n

Foil Lidding<\/a> References:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2022). Packaging and Container Waste Generation and Management in the U.S.<\/em><\/li>\n
  2. NielsenIQ. (2023). Global Sustainability and Consumer Purchasing Trends Report<\/em><\/li>\n
  3. Sustainable Packaging Coalition. (2021). Guide to Eco-Labeling for Packaging Materials<\/em><\/li>\n
  4. European Environment Agency. (2022). Mono-Material vs. Multi-Material Packaging: Recyclability Impacts<\/em><\/li>\n
  5. Ocean Conservancy. (2023). Seaweed-Based Packaging: A Feasibility Study for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    TML Packaging Co., Ltd.<\/a><\/p>\n

    Address: Room 423, Building 5, Xixi First Building, Xihu District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province
    E-mail: sales@T-M-L.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.t-m-l.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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