9 Environmentally Friendly Packaging Materials to Help Your Business Go Green
Need help deciding what eco-friendly packaging material is best for your business? Here's a guide to 9 commonly used types of sustainable packaging.
By noissue — 16 April, 2025
noissue Recycled Mailer by @whereyouare.co
If you’re an e-commerce merchant who wants to be more eco-friendly, one of the biggest changes you can make is opting for sustainable packaging solutions. Plastic packaging waste continues to be a major strain on the environment. But the good news is that there are plenty of high-quality alternatives that are not only kinder to the planet but look great, too.
1. Why are environmentally friendly packaging materials important?
At noissue, we are committed to providing businesses with packaging options that offer both sustainability and customization. Every decision that your business makes reflects your brand’s identity, and that includes having the right packaging. Actively choosing eco-friendly packaging solutions, whether for food or clothing, has a positive knock-on effect and helps customers passively reduce their carbon footprint. By considering your environmental impact, you’ll lead by example and make meaningful change.
To help you prioritize sustainability, we’ve put together a handy list of environmentally friendly packaging materials.
1. Compostable packaging
Compostable refers to the ability of a material to naturally decompose back into the earth, ideally without leaving any toxic residue. Compostable packaging materials are usually made from plant-based materials (like corn, sugar cane, or bamboo) and/or bio-poly mailers.
It's important to note that for a material to be truly considered compostable, it should be able to break down in home compost within 180 days and 90 days in commercial composting conditions.
noissue’s Compostable Mailer is one example of certified compostable packaging material. It's created from a combination of PBAT, a biodegradable and compostable polymer, and PLA, which is made from plant-based resources like corn and wheat straw and is very easy to dispose of in an eco-friendly way.
2. Recycled paper and plastic packaging
Recycled options are a great choice for your packaging needs. These are items that give a second life to materials that are already in circulation.
By using recycled materials, you're able to conserve natural resources, reduce the amount of waste in landfills, and prevent pollution by limiting the need to collect raw materials.
Our custom recycled mailers contain another adhesive strip so the mailers can be reused once more.
3. Corrugated packaging
Corrugated packaging refers to box fibers made mainly from trees and old corrugated containers. Corrugated packaging is reusable and can be used 7 to 10 times to make new packaging materials. Interestingly, according to corrugated.org, "more corrugated packaging is recovered for recycling than any other packaging material."
Corrugated packaging is widely used in e-commerce and online shopping, with numerous online merchants utilizing it to package and ship their products.
Here’s an example from Everyday Wine, which uses corrugated boxes for its wine bottles.
Glassine packaging
If you need to use transparent paper packaging, then glassine — a smooth and glossy paper — could be a good option. Glassine is manufactured from wood pulp, making it recyclable and biodegradable. It's also pH-neutral and acid-free.
The Belle Candle Company uses glassine to wrap its luxury candles before sending them out to customers.
4. Cellulose packaging
Cellulose packaging is made from natural sources like hemp, wood, and cotton. The material is biodegradable and compostable, making it a sustainable alternative to plastic.
Food brands, in particular, prefer cellulose packaging because of its moisture-resistant properties.
You can see it in the wild at the Kitwe Food & Farmers Market, where vendors selling microgreens are using cellulose film to package their products.
5. Cornstarch packaging
Cornstarch packaging refers to materials made out of — you guessed it — cornstarch. It comes from renewable sources and doesn't contain harmful toxins, making it biodegradable and sustainable.
Cornstarch can also be used to make biodegradable packing peanuts, which is a great alternative to bubble wrap and styrofoam.
6. Mushroom packaging
Another popular alternative to styrofoam, mushroom packaging is made from mycelium — a fungus found in mushrooms. The result is a sturdy packaging material that can hold products and keep them in place.
The folks at Keap, a candle subscription company, use mushroom packaging when shipping products. According to their team, the material's durable and lightweight properties allow them to safely ship items while remaining sustainable.
7. Kraft paper
Kraft paper is manufactured from wood pulp. Unlike regular paper, kraft materials use all types of wood including resinous pine, which is typically left out when creating regular paper products. Almost all of the chemicals that go into making kraft paper can be reused, so the manufacturing process is more sustainable.
noissue Kraft mailers come in a range of sizes. You can even customize them with your own branding and style.
Have a look at this example from freelance illustrator and print designer Sally Payne.
8. Green Cell Foam
Green Cell Foam is a bio-based foam material made from US-grown corn. You can dispose of it by dissolving it in water or by composting the material at home or at industrial facilities.
As its name clearly indicates, Green Cell Foam functions much like foam, making it ideal for brands looking for an alternative to plastic air pillows for shipping products.
<H2> Sustainability made simple at noissue
Using sustainable materials for packaging and shipping your business’s products is one of the most impactful steps you can take. In the age of innovation, there are many environmentally friendly packaging materials to suit your needs. Whether you decide on recycled paper packaging for food, reusable mailers, or recyclable boxes for shipping, your choices matter.
Don’t feel like you need to choose between sustainability and packaging that resonates with your brand—have both. At noissue, all of our products fit into a compostable, recycled or reusable framework and are entirely customizable online. Let your business be the star of the show and feature your brand colors, logos, slogans and more.
Join many other brands around the world dedicated to reducing plastic waste, and find the best eco-friendly packaging materials for your business at noissue. Browse our collection today!