Finding an Alternative to Clear Poly Bags

Finding an Alternative to Clear Poly Bags

Updated October 4, 2022 • 10 minute read

This guide shares a high-level summary of a critical question many forward-thinking apparel brands that are getting rid of plastic are asking: How can I replace my clear poly bag with plastic-free solutions while still keeping my garments clean and undamaged in my internal supply chain?

Use Cases of Poly Bags

The poly bag has become a ubiquitous component of the apparel industry’s global and complicated supply chain. There are three reasons brands may use a clear poly bag in their packaging strategy.

Shipping Protection:

Some eCommerce brands use clear poly bags primarily to provide inner protection for their products from weather, dust, or tearing in transit.

Fulfillment Centers:

Many eCommerce companies work with third-party logistics companies to store and fulfill their orders. These fulfillment centers work with many companies and try to standardize.

Many require their clients to send merchandise individually packaged in clear poly bags. This ensures goods can be cleanly and efficiently received and stored and allows third-party logistics (3PL) employees to accurately identify a SKU (including size, color, etc.) when fulfilling an order.

Many 3PLs also scan bar codes, requiring these bags to be transparent.

Factory Shipments:

Many apparel manufacturers, particularly those overseas, have a standard practice of packaging each item produced in an individual clear poly bag. This allows items to be stored, packaged, crated, and shipped to final destinations safely.

If you work with manufacturing partners, you are receiving items individually packaged in clear bags.

Clear Poly Bag Alternatives For Shipping Protection

If you are using poly bags or other types of clear bags to provide interior protection to your products in transit, you may find you don't need the inner protection and can ditch it altogether. In most instances, packages are not exposed to weather, and while they are often beaten up in transit, they don't typically tear or break.
 
If you find you do need inner protection for shipping, here are some plastic-free alternatives to consider.

Tissue Paper

Wrap your item in one layer of Tissue Paper before putting them in their shipping package.

While paper won't protect goods from weather-related issues, it does protect from dust or scratches and adds sophistication to the overall package.

Glassine Bags

If you prefer a curbside recyclable paper-based, smoother, translucent solution, Glassine Bags are a great option.

These bags are made with virgin, FSC® certified paper. Therefore, if our Kraft & Seal Bags work for your business and align with your brand, we recommend these as the more ecological option.

Corrugated Pads

Corrugated Pads are a good solution if you package something rigid and flat, like art, prints, or a book.

If you protect your art with a plastic bag of some sort, switch to perfectly sized corrugated pads or chipboard pads.

Clear Poly Bag Alternatives For Shipping Protection

If you work with a fulfillment center that requires clear poly bag packaging, the first step is to start a dialogue with them.
 
Walk them through your commitment to plastic-free packaging and what kind of changes you want to make. Assess their willingness to be flexible, but also take the time to learn about their operations so you can develop a solution that fits into their existing processes; chances are, they won’t be able to overhaul their entire operation to serve your needs.
 
The key reasons a 3PL partner might require poly bags include ensuring your products are received safely and can easily be stored “fulfillment-ready”, making it easier for their employees who are picking and pulling to accurately and quickly find your SKUs on the shelf, and keeping your products clean and undamaged while they are being stored.
 
Here are a few alternative approaches to poly bags to consider, depending on your product set and the flexibility of your fulfillment partner.

Hemp Twine or Raffia Ties

Instead of using a printed paper band, you could consider tightly folding or wrapping your goods, holding them together with fiber-based ties, and then affixing a hang tag to them.

This is a more manual solution but one you could get started on immediately as you don’t necessarily need special equipment.

EcoEnclose Hemp Twine is made from 100% natural hemp, which is a strong fiber, naturally biodegradable, and compostable. It is a sustainable crop (as compared to materials like cotton and wood for paper) and a renewable resource.

Glassine Bags

Glassine Bags are paper, so they are curbside recyclable and nautrally biodegradable. But why else are these excellent poly bag alternatives?

First, they are moisture and grease-proof. It is a toothless paper so it doesn't leave paper fibers on bag contents.

Secondly, the translucent paper allows for visual inspection and, with some systems, barcode scanning. We recommend ordering samples to test scannability in your environment.

Clear Poly Bag Alternatives For Overseas Factory Shipments

Looking for clear plastic bag alternatives to bring in shipments from your manufacturing partners?
 
Transitioning this packaging component is likely the most time-intensive and may require much testing and iteration. Start with these three steps.

Talk with your manufacturing partner and ensure you see them as a true partner:

Ideally, you’ve chosen to work with a factory that upholds and supports your corporate values and have established a sense of trust and collaboration with them. If that isn’t the case, then take the time to do so.

If you are a small company with them, consider connecting with other companies so the larger collective group can work with the factory with a single voice.

Learn how your goods are manufactured, stored, and shipped:

Identify the key places where your products might be mishandled, soiled, or damaged. You'll want to make sure your poly bag alternative appropriately protects your product at this point.

Consider how your goods move from your factory to your end consumer:

Do they ship from your manufacturer directly to a third-party fulfillment center?

Do they come to your facility to be stored and fulfilled?

Are they partially manufactured elsewhere and then finished in your warehouse?

 

Depending on the unique supply chain of your goods, here are a few potential alternatives to consider.
 
Remember that this process is likely to be long and iterative. If you have made a Plastic-Free commitment, we encourage you to stick with it and take the time to find a strategy that truly aligns with your values and works for you operationally.

Glassine Bags

Paper versions of poly bags are an exciting alternative. Glassine bags are paper-based and curbside recyclable.

Kraft Bags

When you need your products to be fully and individually enclosed but don’t require translucency, we strongly recommend our Kraft Bags.

EcoEnclose packaging experts

About EcoEnclose

EcoEnclose helps forward-thinking brands deliver on their sustainability goals with innovative, research-driven packaging solutions designed for circularity.

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