Stick Responsibly, the Shift Toward Sustainable Packaging and Eco-Friendly Adhesives

Even when markets are volatile, consumer demand and regulatory pressures continue to prioritize sustainability. Customers want recyclable, biodegradable, and reusable packaging, and these considerations influence purchasing decisions. At the same time, state, federal, and international regulatory agencies are implementing guidelines focused on reducing waste.

Packaging is a major contributor to landfill waste, which makes it a primary focus for sustainability efforts. Eco-friendly tape plays a critical role in sustainable procurement and packaging across industries worldwide. While traditional plastic-based packing tapes are non-biodegradable and non-recyclable, eco-friendly adhesives and substrates can improve packaging sustainability without compromising performance.

Tape Jungle is a leading provider of sustainable packaging tape solutions. We have the knowledge and industry experience necessary to help you discover eco-friendly adhesive options consistent with your industry regulations and desired branding.

What Makes a Tape 'Sustainable'?

In the tape world, sustainability focuses on recyclable and renewable paper backing, as well as solvent-free adhesives with reduced volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Recyclable, biodegradable paper tape tends to perform better, requiring less tape to secure the same amount of packaging.

How Companies Use Greenwashing To Mislead You

If you are trying to establish an eco-friendly package solution, you've probably been bombarded with "eco-marketing" from numerous packaging and tape suppliers. Many companies say they are sustainable, but their practices say otherwise.

This marketing method, called greenwashing, offers misleading representations to imply that the product is more sustainable than it actually is. Greenwashing tape brands may provide misleading language and incomplete disclosures about their products' environmental impact. For example, they may falsely claim that their paper tape is biodegradable but use a synthetic non-biodegradable adhesive.

At Tape Jungle, we are committed to providing ethical, eco-friendly tape products with measurable benefits. Our paper-based and water-activated tapes are genuinely environmentally friendly, with recyclable and biodegradable options tailored to your needs. To ensure transparency, our site lists specifications and ingredients, so you know you will receive the environmentally friendly tape you are looking for.

Paper and Water-Activated Tapes: The Eco-Packaging Standard

Tape Jungle provides eco-friendly packaging solutions with practical benefits. Our Water-Activated (Gummed) Paper Tape features a starch adhesive that bonds tightly to corrugated cartons. It is both recyclable and tamper-evident, making it perfect for shipping and carton-sealing applications.

Unlike many eco-friendly products on the market, Tape Jungle doesn't sacrifice quality for sustainability. Our eco-friendly water-activated paper tapes replace plastic film with 100% curbside recyclable Natural Kraft Paper. The biodegradable, starch-based adhesive provides instant bonding for a strong two-strip seal per box that minimizes packaging material while maximizing hold.

Choose between Non-Reinforced Kraft Paper Tape (TG-RPT Series) for standard packaging and Reinforced Gummed Paper Tape (TG-RPT Series) for heavy cartons. We also offer Custom Reinforced Gummed Paper Tape to optimize your branding potential.

Recyclable & Low-VOC Adhesives

When replacing plastics, it's important to remember that tape adhesive is not always sustainable. You can best reduce your environmental impact with water-based acrylic adhesives and solvent-based rubber formulations. These products are more environmentally friendly and emit fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than more traditional solvent-based adhesives.

Adhesives that release VOCs are environmentally harmful on several levels, including the following:

• VOCs react with sunlight and nitrogen oxides to create dangerous ground-level ozone, which contributes to smog.
• Chemical reactions with VOCs release fine particulate matter that is dangerous to humans and animals when inhaled.
• Methane and other VOCs are greenhouse gases that can contribute to climate change and global warming.
• VOCs that break down in the atmosphere can contribute to acid rain.
• When released into the ecosystem, VOCs can pollute groundwater, causing harm to both humans and wildlife.

Controlling VOCs for Workplace Safety

In addition to external environmental factors, solvents with VOCs can directly affect workers exposed to these chemicals in indoor environments. Water-based acrylics and natural rubber adhesives provide an effective sealing solution that meets workplace safety and compliance standards for solvent-free options.

For instance, OSHA has established Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for specific VOCs in adhesives, including toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde. Generally, employees must avoid exposing their workers to recognized hazards, which may include chemicals in adhesives.

Tape Jungle offers Acrylic Carton Sealing Tape with environmentally-friendly water-based acrylic adhesive perfect for your packaging and sealing operations. Our moderate-to-high-strength carton sealing tape incorporates strong, biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film and water-based acrylic to encourage safe, sustainable operations without compromising performance.

Reducing Plastic Use in Packaging Operations

When shifting your operations to sustainable packaging, reducing plastic is a crucial consideration. Changing from PVC or polypropylene tape to paper diminishes your overall plastic footprint. Biodegradable and recyclable paper tape securely seals your packages without adding to plastic contamination in recycling operations and landfills.

Switching to paper tape directly impacts your plastic footprint by reducing landfill waste. It also helps indirectly by reducing contamination of recyclable materials. Too often, people dispose of cardboard boxes and packaging materials with plastic tape still attached. This tape gets into recycling operations, compromising their integrity and reducing the quality of recycled paper products.

What You Can Do

Whether you are a small e-commerce business or a large-scale warehousing operation, you can reduce your plastic footprint and support recycling programs with thoughtful packaging decisions.

Even small changes, like switching to paper tape, can have major effects on your operation's sustainability. Begin by evaluating your current packaging lines. How do you use plastic tape in exterior and interior packaging? How much waste occurs due to inadequate sealing?

Tape Jungle's Reinforced Paper Tape offers ideal adhesion and reliability as a replacement for traditional plastic-based sealing tape. Reach out to our team to secure samples of standard, reinforced, and custom printed tape for your boxing and sealing needs.

Custom Printing for Sustainable Brands

It's a common misconception that branding suffers when companies incorporate eco-friendly materials. On the contrary, environmentally friendly packaging can outperform traditional plastic tapes by boosting your branding and enhancing the unboxing experience.

Tape Jungle's Custom Printed Paper Tape offers an eco-friendly, recyclable alternative to plastic printed tapes. With our customized design options, you can easily add your own message or imaging to our recyclable eco-friendly paper tape and communicate your brand's sustainability through packaging. Consider enhancing your eco-friendly message with recycling instructions, stories about your brand, or information about your supply chain sustainability.

Operationalizing Sustainability - Testing and Transition

Changing your packaging operation is no small task. Rather than trying to roll out a new taping operation sight-unseen, take a measured pilot approach.

Begin by incorporating tape samples into different parts of your operation to see how they work in various conditions. For example, test rolls in your refrigerated vs. room temperature operations to see if one type of adhesive, backing, or reinforcement is better than others.

As you test your tape samples, document the results thoroughly. Pay close attention to:

• Seal strength
• Application speed
• Recyclability
• Employee and customer feedback

Tape Jungle offers sample rolls, technical specifications, and performance support to help you weather the transition to more eco-friendly packaging. We can assess your operation's needs and help identify the best sustainable tape options to meet all your needs.

Balancing Performance and Responsibility

When eco-friendly materials were first introduced on the market, they were often associated with poor performance, weaker materials, and higher costs. Since brands have become more focused on sustainable practices, the products available have evolved significantly. The term "eco" is no longer synonymous with lower quality and higher prices.

In fact, eco-friendly solutions translate into more sustainable operations, resulting in a higher long-term return on investment. Practical advantages of eco-friendly practices and materials include:

• Less product and packaging waste with biodegradable and recyclable paper tape.
• Reduced tape usage due to paper tape's exceptional adhesion and superior strength.
• Fewer roll changes with less tape per package than with traditional plastic packing tape.
• Stronger seals, which result in reduced package damage and less associated product loss.
• Better brand reputation due to sustainable packaging practices, custom tape branding, and fewer packaging problems.

Tape Jungle's product experts are available to help you evaluate the full cost of switching to sustainable tape, not just the price per roll. We know that changing to a sustainable tape application can be a big initial investment, which is why we encourage you to take your time and consult with our specialists throughout the transition.

Start Your Sustainable Packaging Journey With Eco-Friendly Tape From Tape Jungle

In today's environmentally-aware world, sustainable tape isn't just a nod to eco-friendly clients; it's an operational improvement. Paper tape is strong and efficient, with customization that can boost your brand and enhance your customers' experience.

There's no need to rush - you can begin the transition to sustainability one step at a time. Start by replacing just one plastic tape with a paper-based alternative and document the results. Once you have a solution that works for one part of your operation, move to the next. Even minor shifts in your packaging processes can significantly reduce your plastic footprint.

Upgrade your operation today. Explore Tape Jungle's eco-friendly and recyclable tape collections, or request a sustainability sample pack to test in your facility.