New padded envelope from Amazon | amazon
infoRETAIL.- Amazon is advancing innovation within its packaging by launching a new padded envelope with a 100% corrugated paper lining that cushions shocks to keep products safe during their journey to the customer’s home.
Thanks to its lightweight lining, the package is much lighter than equivalent-sized cardboard boxes, saving on average about 44 grams of packaging per shipment. In addition, they are easy to use without wasting space thanks to their greater flexibility, and do not require additional filler materials, such as recyclable protective paper.
“Our challenge was to develop lightweight, flexible and fully recyclable paper packaging that offered the same protection as traditional bubble wrap envelopes, which Amazon stopped using in Europe several years ago when we phased out plastic packaging from single use for deliveries,” says Amazon’s head of Sustainable Packaging in Europe, Thais Blumer.
He also adds that “achieving low weight and maximum protection with a 100% recyclable paper envelope was not an easy task, but by collaborating with Mondi, an expert in the packaging industry, we found a solution that is a triple win: first , we have created easy-to-package envelopes; second, it is easy for customers to recycle them at home; and last but not least, these envelopes allow for damage-free deliveries.”
Amazon’s new 100% recycled padded paper envelopes are available in three sizes and can be used to protect one or multiple items
The new padded paper envelope gets its strength from the lightweight paper used for the outer packaging, combined with a corrugated cardboard inner lining that provides protection and durability despite being only a few millimeters thick. The flexible design of this liner also features multiple ridges that allow the packaging to fold around its contents easily and quickly. By preventing products from shifting within the package, the envelope protects items in transit until they safely arrive at customers’ homes.
“We spent several months testing our designs, evaluating various quilting options, such as honeycomb paper and embossed paper. In the end, simple channel padding – a flat sheet of paper attached to a sheet of fluted paper – turned out to be the best solution. Creating a plastic-free padded envelope for e-commerce packaging has been an exciting collaborative journey towards a more sustainable future. “We are proud to offer this solution to Amazon customers,” explains Mondi packaging engineer Pedro Cuesta.
The new padded paper envelopes are available in three sizes and can be used to protect one or multiple items. These include everyday purchases, from skin care products and health supplements to home and office items and toys.
Commitment to sustainability
More than 50% of Amazon shipments in Europe are already made in reduced and recyclable packaging, such as paper bags or cardboard envelopes or, in the case of 700 million shipments since 2019, without any added packaging thanks to the ‘No additional packaging’. Since 2015, Amazon has reduced packaging weight per shipment by 43%, which is equivalent to avoiding the use of more than three million metric tons of packaging materials.
In addition, reducing packaging allows more packages to be loaded into each van, which translates into fewer trips and brings Amazon closer to the goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions across all of its operations by 2040.
