Eco-Friendly Sealing Tape

Shipping tape, also called packing tape and carton-sealing tape, is designed to seal a package for transportation. Most often used to secure shipping boxes, carton sealing tape is available in two categories - water-activated and pressure-sensitive. Find these tapes available in paper or plastic.

There are two main categories of packaging tape.

Water-activated tape (WAT), also known as gummed tape, is a form of paper tape with a water-based chemical adhesive that is reactivated by water. Water-activated tape can be found in plain Kraft paper or with several layers of paper and fiberglass reinforcement. A capillary action bonds the tape to the carton when the water-activated adhesive is applied to a carton.

Pressure-sensitive tape (PST) consists of film and a tacky substance that adheres to a given surface when light pressure is applied. Most tapes you use at home - masking tape, duct tape, Scotch tape – are all PST.

Here we show the pros and cons of each type of tape.

Bottom line: WAT is stronger, tamper-evident, and performs well under all weather conditions. For this reason, EcoEnclose uses WAT for its outgoing shipments because we typically ship out heavy boxes. However, for most small businesses that ship fairly lightweight items, PST is typically sufficient and allows for simpler operations.

Both of these are pressure-sensitive tapes. Our cello tape is made from tree-derived cellulose, while our kraft flatback tape is paper-based and also derived from trees. Cello tape is a great choice when you need clear tape; however, it is a little trickier to use. Our kraft flatback tape has a very strong adhesive and is very easy to rip, making it seamless to use without a dispenser.

Reinforced water-activated tape features fiberglass woven into the paper tape itself. Non-reinforced water-activated tape is paper only with no fiberglass. Without the reinforcement, the tape is weaker and should be used for lighter-weight boxes. EcoEnclose carries a range of different strength options for water-activated tape.

• Non-reinforced: Use for shipping boxes up to 10lbs
• Reinforced: Use for shipping boxes up to 25lbs
• Heavy duty: Use for shipping boxes up to 60lbs, special order only

As with all questions about sustainable packaging, there is no one answer. We offer all our tape options to ensure our selection meets your functional needs and aligns with your sustainability values.

For example, we offer reinforced and non-reinforced tape. Our reinforced tape is not naturally biodegradable, while our non-reinforced tape is naturally biodegradable. Although non-reinforced tape is “more sustainable,” brands that ship heavy packages have to use reinforced tape to protect their shipments fully. A damaged product is worse for the environment than a slightly inferior packaging solution.

Read on for more sustainability and end-of-life information on our tape options to help you find the right one(s) for your business.

Non-reinforced Water-Activated Tape: This tape has a kraft paper facestock. The facestock gets recycled along with the corrugated material it is placed on - assuming it is being used on a shipping material. The starch-based adhesive easily dissolves and separates in the repulping process. Water-activated tape tends to be more effective than pressure-sensitive tape, meaning brands can typically use less material and achieve the same results - which is good for the planet and your budget. However, the non-reinforced tape is not strong enough for heavy, large shipping boxes. Additionally, it is difficult to use without a dispenser.	Reinforced Water-Activated Tape: This tape has many of the same ecological benefits as its non-reinforced counterpart. However, it has two important drawbacks - (1) it is all virgin paper, and (2) it is reinforced with fiberglass for strength. Fiberglass is an added (non-renewable) contaminant to the recycling stream. Therefore, this fiberglass is screened out during recycling and remanufacturing, and the screened-out components are landfilled. Our standard reinforced water-activated tape works well for most heavy shipments. However, if your packages are 30+ pounds, contact us to learn more about our medium and heavy-weight reinforced tape options. Generally, we have found that reinforced water-activated tape is an excellent choice for brands that ship mid-weight to heavy packages. It is what EcoEnclose uses in our warehouses.
Kraft Flatback Tape: This tape has a virgin paper-based facestock. The adhesive does not separate from the facestock or the corrugated box as easily as water-activated tape during the repulping process. Because of this, the facestock and the adhesive will likely be separated and screened out during the repulping process and then landfilled. Kraft flatback tape is strong and can be easily torn by hand.	Cello Tape: This tape has a cello-based facestock, a cellulose material made from trees. While cello tape on its own has some standout qualities - cello is renewable, biodegradable - it is not as sustainable an end-of-life choice as the three options listed above when used to tape up corrugated boxes. The facestock and adhesive are non-paper and would be screened out in the repulping process and then landfilled. We recommend cello tape when transparency is essential, or the package is specifically designed for compostability rather than recyclability. In this case, non-reinforced water-activated tape is not an option.

You can use almost any packaging tape on shipping boxes without making the boxes unrecyclable. Repulping facilities are good at removing contaminants when pulping post-consumer corrugate and paper.

The screening, cleaning, and de-inking process remove the components of tape that cannot be recycled with paper. These non-recyclable components include non-paper facestock, adhesives, fiberglass reinforcement, ink, and so forth. Here’s a quick snapshot of the repulping process to give you a sense of how these things are cleaned and screened out.

While no tape will render a box unrecyclable, we recommend shipping tape whose face stock matches your packaging material and whose adhesive separates as cleanly and easily as possible from your packaging substrate in the recycling process.

In order of recycling compatibility, we recommend:

1. Non-reinforced water-activated tape (if it is strong enough for your package)
2. Reinforced water-activated tape
3. Kraft flatback tape
4. Cello tape

The recycling stream is forgiving of contaminants, as its repulping process is designed for cleaning and screening. Unlike the recycling stream, the composting stream can have absolutely no contaminants. This is a big reason why EcoEnclose does not recommend designing any eCommerce packaging for composting.

If you have a unique situation requiring compostable packaging and packing tape, we recommend using non-reinforced water-activated tape. If a pressure-sensitive tape is required, use cello tape.

You often end up with a few long, loose pieces of tape when sealing a package. We recommend landfilling all loose tape except non-reinforced water-activated tape, which can be recycled with mixed paper.

All EcoEnclose Packing Tape is available for custom branding with water-based ink, so you can set your shipping boxes apart from the crowd while staying true to your eco-conscious values. Shop custom packaging tape.

Custom Branded Tape Minimum Order Quantities:

• Water-activated tape - 60 units
• Kraft flatback tape - 80 units
• Cello tape - 60 units

Kraft Flatback Tape does not require a dispenser and tears easily by hand. Therefore, this is our top recommendation for brands looking for a highly functional tape that does not require a dispenser.

Cello tape can also be used without a dispenser, though brands often find that the small $20 investment in a handheld dispenser for this tape makes it much more efficient to use.

You can apply Water-Activated Tape in three ways:

• Manually, without a dispenser: Cutting strips and using a sponge to wet the back of the tape to activate the adhesive. While this is not an efficient approach, it is a popular method, especially for brands just getting started who are not able to or are not interested in investing in a dispenser.
  
  
• With a manual dispenser: We offer several different types of manual dispensers to meet different budgets and requirements. Most brands we work with start their WAT journey by investing in our entry-level dispenser - the Pull & Tear - and then slowly moving to more automated options.
  
  
• With an electric dispenser: We offer two different electric dispensers for over $1,000 each - a significant investment for most brands. However, operations that go through a lot of shipping tape find that this investment pays off quickly because of how much efficiency and satisfaction is gained in the warehouse.

Learn more about our water-activated tape dispensers here.

As with all packaging, there are plenty of opportunities to improve the sustainability of packaging tape options, including the ones offered by EcoEnclose. Regarding our carton sealing tape, the most impactful step we can take is to add recycled (ideally post-consumer) content to paper face stock tape. We also believe continued eco improvements can be made to pressure-sensitive adhesives, making them as friendly to recycling as possible.