Choose Your Sustainable Packaging
EcoEnclose is the leader in sustainable packaging. We offer many different eco-friendly packaging options. So, it’s not surprising that the most common question we get is, “Which one is the most sustainable?”
Unfortunately, there is no easy response. Questions like “Plastic versus Paper” and “Recyclable versus Compostable” do not have clear answers. We suggest companies develop their unique sustainability vision to guide packaging decisions. Sustainability and Your Business offers step-by-step guidance on this process, and our Sustainable Packaging Resource Center is chock full of resources to help you learn more.
This page lists sustainable packaging characteristics and EcoEnclose products that align with each eco feature. Once you’re armed with your sustainable packaging framework, this resource helps you quickly identify packaging options that best align with your vision. Need more info on a specific packaging solution? Check out our Bill of Materials.
100% RECYCLED CONTENT
Utilizing as much recycled content as possible is core to our Sustainable Packaging Framework. Recycled content means lower carbon emissions, new resources weren't harvested, and that recycling markets are strengthened. Learn more about why recycled content is so important to us.
Recycled content can be post-consumer (material that has been used by a consumer or business) or post-industrial (scraps from the manufacturing process). We aim to use as much post-consumer waste as possible because it is more difficult to manufacture with and harder to find markets for.
MAILERS

Poly Mailers
100% recycled, 50% post-consumer waste. Thin-film recyclable, tear strip for easy opening, second adhesive strip for reuse.

Apparel Paper Mailers
100% recycled, 97% post-consumer waste. Creasing for expandability and premium presentation. Ideal for shipping textiles.

EcoX Paper Mailers
100% recycled, 70% post-consumer waste. Water, tear, and puncture-resistant paperboard. Ideal for shipping textiles.

Kraft Paper Mailers
100% recycled, 90% post-consumer waste. Lightweight and affordable paper mailers. Ideal for shipping lightweight textiles.

Padded Paper Mailers
100% recycled, 20% post-consumer waste. Upcycled newspaper between recycled Kraft paper. Ideal for shipping fragile items.

Rigid Mailers (SS)
100% recycled, 90% post-consumer waste. Thick 28pt paperboard is ideal for shipping art prints, photos, and documents.

Rigid Mailers (TL)
100% recycled, 90% post-consumer waste. Extra-thick 36 pt paperboard ensures your product does not bend in transit.

Reusable Fabric Mailers
100% recycled fabric with zipper and snap closures. Designed for multiple uses and recyclability at the end of their useful life.
SHIPPING BOXES AND INTERNAL BOXES

Custom Shipping Boxes
100% recycled, 95% post-consumer waste. Fully customize style, size, strength, and branding, ensuring your product fits perfectly.

Discount Shipping Boxes
Discounts on our most popular unbranded 100% Recycled Shipping Box styles and sizes to make it even easier for you to ship sustainably.

Retail Boxes
100% recycled, 97% post-consumer waste. A reverse tuck closure and lightweight paperboard material ensure an easy assembly.
PROTECTIVE PACKAGING & VOID FILL

Tissue Paper
100% recycled, 20% post-consumer waste. FSC certified 10# paper protects against scuffing and dust. Custom tissue paper is available.

Corrugated Bubble
100% recycled, 95% post-consumer waste. Plastic-free alternative to bubble wrap and foam peanuts. Custom sized to your specifications.

Packaging Paper
100% recycled. Provides blocking and bracing support within a shipping box and can also be wrapped around products for light protection.

Ornament Paper Shred
100% recycled, 30% post-consumer waste. Shredded indented Kraft paper scrunches up for light cushioning and presentation.

Molded Pulp
100% recycled. Designed with rounded corners and complex three-dimensional shapes to securly protect your product.
WHOLESALE AND INNER PACKAGING

Flap & Seal Poly Bags
100% recycled. Protect apparel and more from dust, dirt, moisture, and scratching. Available with and without suffocation warning.

Kraft Paper Bags
100% recycled, 60-90% post-consumer waste. Curbside recyclable alternative to a clear poly bag. Available with or without a seal.

EcoBand Product Wrap
100% recycled, 30% post-consumer waste. Curbside recyclable alternative to a clear poly bag. 80# Kraft paper keeps goods secure.
LABELS AND PACKAGING ACCESSORIES

Custom Stickers
100% post-consumer waste paper stickers are available on our unique Zero Waste liner that is 100% recycled and curbside recyclable.

Shipping Labels
100% post-consumer waste shipping labels are available on our unique Zero Waste liner that is 100% recycled and curbside recyclable.

Custom Notecards
90-100% recycled. Available in various card stock colors and weights, beautifully printed CMYK. Convey your eco-friendly messaging.

Custom Hang Tags
90-100% recycled. Available in various card stock colors and weights. Beautifully printed CMYK. Perfect for retail tags, gift bags, and more.

Custom Business Cards
100% recycled, 100% post-consumer waste. Available in two sizes. Create personalized business cards as unique as your business.

Office Paper Supplies
100% post-consumer waste. FSC certified, made with 100% wind power. Office paper, blank notecards, and envelopes are available.

Paper Shopping Bags
100% recycled. Flat bottom bags are easy to fill, and twisted paper handles are easy to carry. SQF certified for food safety.
RECYCLABLE
"Recyclable" is also core to our Sustainable Packaging Framework. After "Reuse," Recycle is the next most optimal end of life scenario.
The term "recyclable" can mean Curbside Recyclable or Harder to Recycle. Curbside recyclable means that most Americans can put the item in their mixed recycling or blue bin. Harder to Recycle means that (as of today), companies and consumers must dispose of the items in a pre-sorted recycling stream. We prefer Curbside Recyclable over Harder to Recycle, because these items are far more likely to actually be recycled. We also recognize that recycled materials with a strong and consistent market are preferred over goods that are difficult for recyclers to sell.
MAILERS

Poly Mailers
100% recycled, 50% post-consumer waste. Thin-film recyclable at store dropoff locations.

Bubble Poly Mailers
50% recycled, 10% post-consumer waste. Thin-film recyclable at store dropoff locations.

Reusable Fabric Mailers
100% recycled fabric with zipper and snap closures. Send back to EcoEnclose for responsible recycling.
SHIPPING BOXES AND INTERNAL BOXES
VOID FILL AND DECORATIVE PAPER

Tissue Paper
100% recycled, 20% post-consumer waste. Curbside recyclable where accepted. Learn more.

Corrugated Bubble
100% recycled, 95% post-consumer waste. Shredded corrugate is curbside recyclable.

Flexi-Hex Air Sleeve
76% recycled. Lightweight honeycomb sleeves in Kraft paper are curbside recyclable.
WHOLESALE AND INNER PACKAGING
CARTON SEALING TAPE, SHIPPING LABELS, AND STICKERS
When it comes to tape, labels, stickers, and anything else you adhere to a package, we should avoid the blanket term "recyclable" because the recyclability of these items depends on where they are being affixed. Recyclers can't recycle the package if a shipping label is used on a non-recyclable mailer (such as a paper exterior, bubble interior mailer). If used on a corrugated shipping box, recyclers can recycle the entire package.
Our paper-based tapes, labels, and stickers all feature "recycle compatible adhesive," meaning that if they are applied to a paper-based package, recyclers can safely recycle the entire package and the adhesive.

Custom Stickers
Paper packages with these stickers are curbside recycled. Zero Waste liners are curbside recyclable.

Shipping Labels
Paper packages with these labels are curbside recycled. Zero Waste liners are curbside recyclable.

Cello Tape
Tape itself is not recyclable, but the tape does not inhibit the shipping box from being recycled.

Kraft Flatback Tape
Tape itself is not recyclable, but the tape does not inhibit the shipping box from being recycled.
PACKAGING ACCESSORIES

Custom Notecards
90-100% recycled. Cardstock paper is curbside recyclable. Must be at least 2" x 2".

Custom Hang Tags
90-100% recycled. Cardstock paper is curbside recyclable. Must be at least 2" x 2".

Custom Business Cards
100% post-consumer waste. Cardstock paper is curbside recyclable. Must be at least 2" x 2".
COMPOSTABLE, NATURALLY BIODEGRADABLE
MAILERS

Apparel Paper Mailers
100% recycled, 97% post-consumer waste. Remove the plastic tear strip and adhesive strip before composting.

EcoX Paper Mailers
100% recycled, 70% post-consumer waste. Remove the plastic tear strip and adhesive strip before composting.

Kraft Paper Mailers
100% recycled, 90% post-consumer waste. Remove the plastic tear strip and adhesive strip before composting.

Padded Paper Mailers
100% recycled, 20% post-consumer waste. Remove the plastic tear strip and adhesive strip before composting.

Rigid Mailers (SS)
100% recycled, 90% post-consumer waste. Remove the plastic tear strip and adhesive strip before composting.

Rigid Mailers (TL)
100% recycled, 90% post-consumer waste. No plastic tear strip or adhesive strip to remove before composting.
SHIPPING BOXES AND INTERNAL BOXES

Custom Shipping Boxes
100% recycled, 95% post-consumer waste. Remove adhesives and labels before composting.

Discount Shipping Boxes
100% recycled, 95% post-consumer waste. Remove adhesives and labels before composting.
WHOLESALE AND INNER PACKAGING

Kraft Paper Bags
100% recycled, 60-90% post-consumer waste. Remove adhesives and labels before composting.

EcoBand Product Wrap
100% recycled, 30% post-consumer waste. Remove adhesives and labels before composting.
PROTECTIVE PACKAGING AND VOID FILL

Corrugated Bubble
100% recycled, 95% post-consumer waste. Remove adhesives and labels before composting.

Ornament Paper Shred
100% recycled, 30% post-consumer waste. Remove adhesives and labels before composting.

GreenWrap
Certified, virgin, die-cut honeycomb paper. Remove adhesives and labels before composting.
CARTON SEALING TAPE, STICKERS, AND SHIPPING LABELS

Custom Stickers
Paper facestock and acrylic emulsion adhesive means specific stickers can be composted when affixed to a compostable package.

Shipping Labels
Paper facestock and acrylic emulsion adhesive means specific labels can be composted when affixed to a compostable package.

Water-Activated Tape
Paper facestock and startch-based adhesive means this non-reinforced water-activated tape can be composted when affixed to a compostable package.
PACKAGING ACCESSORIES

Custom Business Cards
100% post-consumer waste. Cardstock paper is naturally biodegradable and compostable.

Office Paper Supplies
100% post-consumer waste. Standard paper is naturally biodegradable and compostable.
MADE WITH RENEWABLE MATERIALS, PLASTIC-FREE
We know so many companies are searching for plastic-free packaging alternatives. This section includes our packaging options that are made with renewable materials - the majority of which are made with paper.
It is important to note that most of these are not "polymer-free." Their adhesives include polymers and many of the mailers have adhesive strip release liners with silicone coating. We are often asked if we carry a bio-based poly mailer. Currently, we do not as we have been unable to yet find or develop a poly mailer made with 100% renewable materials (compostable poly mailers available today include PBAT, a petroleum-based binding agent).
MAILERS
SHIPPING BOXES AND INTERNAL BOXES
WHOLESALE AND INNER PACKAGING
Protective Packaging and Void Fill

Packaging Paper
100% recycled. Kraft, Newsprint, and Wheat options are all made with paper or natural fiber.

Molded Pulp
100% recycled. Fibrous pulp material is made with paper, cardboard, or other natural fibers.
CARTON SEALING TAPE, STICKERS, AND SHIPPING LABELS
PACKAGING ACCESSORIES
PRINTING INKS
Though inks make up a tiny percentage of the weight of a package, printing inks have, historically, had a major negative impact on the environment. EcoEnclose works with eco-friendly inks, and is thrilled to offer Black Algae Ink - the world's most sustainable ink - as a printing option for all of our paper-based packaging.
Black Algae Ink: The pigment in this ink is made with algae cells! EcoEnclose's paper mailers feature branding and sustainability information on the bottom foldover, printed with black algae ink. And, when you custom brand your shipping boxes, paper mailers, notecards and more, you can choose to print with black algae ink. Learn more and start making algae part of your sustainable packaging strategy!
Water-Based Inks: For most printing inks, 80% of the volume is the "carrier." This is the part that carries pigments onto the substrate and then evaporates, leaving the colorant behind. Water-based inks means that the carrier is water, so most of what is evaporating into the air is harmless (and emits low or no VOCs). EcoEnclose utilizes water-based inks in all of its post-production and most of its inline printing.
Soy-Based Inks: These inks utilize a carrier made with soy. We use soy-based inks for any post-production and inline production that uses offset printing technology.
MANUFACTURED IN NORTH AMERICA
The vast majority of our packaging is manufactured in North America.
We have deliberately sought domestic manufacturing partners for several reasons. It has allowed us to visit and audit our sites, and ensure that working and environmental conditions align with our values. This proximity has made it easier to iterate and improve the functionality and sustainability of our products. Additionally, because many of our products are bulky to ship, working with US and Canada-based suppliers cuts down on the carbon footprint of transportation. Learn more about why we prioritize domestic manufacturing on our blog.
- Glassine Bags: Manufactured in China
- Cello Tape: Manufactured in Spain
- Hemp Twine: Manufactured in Hungary
- Flexi-Hex Air Sleeves: Manufactured in China
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
We know that many companies aim to minimize their carbon footprint as their primary sustainability goal. This is an excellent approach to a sustainability vision as it is quantifiable and concrete.
- Calculate your carbon savings when switching to recycled content
- Plastic versus Paper versus Bioplastic: Which has a higher carbon footprint
Sustainable Packaging: Product Summary
Product | Recycled Content | Recyclable | Compostable | Renewable | Made in N. America |
100% |
Thin Film |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
100% 100% |
Curbside Curbside |
Yes Yes |
Yes Yes |
Yes Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
50.27% |
Thin Film |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% |
Thin Film |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
0% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
50% non reinforced; 0% reinforced |
Compatible |
Yes* (non reinforced only) |
Yes* (fiberglass in reinforced) |
Yes |
|
0% |
No |
Yes (but not certified) |
Yes |
No |
|
0% |
Compatible |
Yes (but not certified) |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
0% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside* (see local guidance) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% in facestock* (direct thermal 0% in facestock), 100% in liner |
Compatible |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% in facestock, 100% in liner |
Compatible |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
100% |
Curbside |
Yes* (check local guidance for industrial composting) |
Yes |
No |