Circular business with the R-ladder

Do you use cardboard boxes for shipping? First, check where they might be unnecessary. The best way to save resources is simply not to use them. Ask yourself if certain products can be transported safely without any outer packaging at all.

Use less cardboard. You can achieve this by switching to smaller boxes or, better yet, custom sizes made to the millimetre. Also, consider the material thickness: could you switch from double wall to single wall board? Looking for a perfect fit? Check out our Tailored boxes.

Every business receives deliveries in boxes. Instead of ripping them open and binning them, save them. Use them for your own outbound shipments. Reuse is always more sustainable than recycling. Do you receive pallets of boxes you can’t reuse yourself? Visit our purchasing page. We buy surplus stock to ensure it gets a second life.

If a box can’t be reused as a container, give it a new purpose. For example, shred old cardboard to create sustainable void fill for other shipments.

For cardboard boxes, step 6 should be the last resort. This involves recovering energy from materials that cannot be reused or recycled—for instance, incinerating waste to generate heat.

Your business relies on various raw materials, some with a heavier environmental footprint than others. Pick a specific product or material group and run it through the six steps of the ladder. Start at step one. For each step, brainstorm ways to limit the consumption of new resources.