Innovative Paper Packaging Powers E-Commerce Success Packaging solutions are providing online sellers with new ways to boost their brands and achieve sustainability goals.

In an online shopping market overflowing with millions of digital storefronts, it's increasingly challenging for brands to rise above the competition. And with 8 trillion online retail sales projected by 2027¹, it's only getting harder. To stand out from the crowd — and appeal to shoppers who prioritize sustainability — brands are moving away from plastic and embracing innovative paper packaging.

By increasing recyclability and reducing waste, paper-based shipping and packaging innovations allow brands to meet their sustainability and branding goals. They offer the ideal surface for printing bespoke branding and graphics inside and out and creating memorable unboxing experiences for consumers. Additionally, customized boxes can be designed to fit products perfectly while being lightweight, yet strong and durable enough to withstand transport.

Sustainable paper packaging solutions are evolving beyond the typical cardboard box to meet a growing range of needs. Beyond standard sizes, shipping boxes can be fit-for-purpose in a variety of shapes and sizes, given the flexibility that corrugated cardboard boxes provide, such as rolled corrugated boxes, which are designed to deliver wrinkle-free apparel. Inside the box, paper-based packing material such as packing peanut-replacing paper fillers made from recyclable materials and molded pulp provide a sustainable way to cushion products during shipping.

Paper is sought after by shoppers

Thanks to these solutions, shoppers can feel better knowing their online purchases are delivered to their doorstep in paper packaging and boxes made from tree fiber — a renewable resource that is regenerated naturally and through replanting and can be recycled up to seven times.

A recent Brookmark study for the Paper and Packaging Board indicated that 77%² of consumers prefer paper-based shipping materials. And, with 69%³ of consumers polled in another survey reporting that sustainable shipping practices influence their purchasing decisions, the smart move for brands that are looking to boost brand loyalty and consumer perception is to switch single-use plastic packaging materials for paper.

A paper shipping bag that's stylish and aims to make a big impact

Billions of pieces of clothing are produced every year and many of them are packed and shipped in single-use plastic bags that are rarely recycled. Non-recycled poly bags are burned, litter landfills, or end up in the ocean.

Enter Vela™ paper-based transport and packaging bags, a sustainable product packaging alternative that can replace polybags and curb single-use plastic pollution. Seaman Paper launched Vela bags in 2016 to help brands make a meaningful environmental impact.

"We're strong advocates for paper because of its high recycling rates and its status as a renewable resource," says Chris Jones, Seaman Paper's Global Product Manager. "As an ocean lover who's spent a lot of time on coastlines, I've seen firsthand the overwhelming presence of plastic debris around the world, which Vela bags are designed to mitigate."

Renewable packaging innovations such as Vela paper bags deliver sustainability benefits beyond the material they're constructed from. Smaller, lighter weight packing materials such as these save space and cut down on the number of truckloads on the road. Removing excess packaging leads to 24 million fewer truckloads annually in the U.S.⁴

Unique, sustainable paper packaging can also enhance the unboxing experience, leave a lasting impression of brand values, and even encourage repeat business.

"Vela bags allow retailers to blend sustainability with creativity," Jones says. "They're not just to protect products — they're a way for brands to communicate their environmental efforts while using the bags as a customizable marketing tool that strengthens brand recognition. Brands can use them to create a positive customer touchpoint."

Click here to learn more about how innovative paper packaging solutions can transform your e-commerce business.