Australian ethical online retailer Flora & Fauna have launched a new ‘Take It Back’ scheme aimed at tackling plastic pollution, specifically the waste coming from parcel packaging.
The ‘Take It Back’ scheme encourages both consumers and other eCommerce businesses to say no to plastic packaging.
What is ‘Take It Back?’
Flora & Fauna’s ‘Take It Back’ scheme aims to reduce the amount of plastic packaging that is used to send parcels.
The company has recognised the vast amount of plastic waste created from the billions of parcels sent around the world each year. With the majority of these ending up in landfill, Flora and Fauna have taken it upon themselves to be the leaders for change across the entire industry.
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Through the scheme, Flora & Fauna are promoting the use of alternative packaging that is not only plastic-free but kinder to the planet, including:
- Working with their suppliers to help them stop using unnecessary plastic packaging and focus on eco-friendly alternatives.
- Highlighting to suppliers when they’re not happy with the packaging we receive.
- Sending back unnecessary packaging where they’re just not seeing improvements.
- Celebrating other businesses who are doing the right thing.
Alongside their own changes, the Flora & Fauna Take it Back campaign aims to inspire and mobilise others to do the same. With recommendations for both consumers and businesses, the Flora and Fauna team are encouraging others to stand with them in the fight to improve packaging.
Flora & Fauna Packaging Inspiration
The Flora & Fauna approach and journey with packaging can hopefully act as an inspiration and guide for other retailers.
Since 2016, Flora and Fauna have been using plastic alternatives in packaging, saving over 30 tonnes of plastic destined for landfill. The improvements have continued over time, moving to minimal packaging in 2017 and creating a paper-free warehouse in 2019. Alongside packing orders in recycled boxes, Flora & Fauna don’t use plastic bags or bubble wrap and pack all orders minimally.
Even with all this positive work, Flora & Fauna still have some suppliers that send products to them in plastic. They recognise that even though they’ve worked with many suppliers over the years to stop this, they still have work to do and this is one of the main aims of this new campaign. Only once a majority of both consumers and businesses show their dislike for this plastic packaging, will suppliers then be forced to change.
Flora & Fauna Plastic-Free Packaging Recommendations
In their efforts to mobilise an entire industry to take action against plastic packaging, Flora and Fauna have shared their recommendations for their suppliers with more sustainable packaging options:
- Boxes – Visy Packaging, Craft Pak and Pack Queen.
- Compostable satchels – Better Packaging, No Issue, Hero Packaging and Dirt Bag Packaging.
- Packing paper – Ranpack.
- Green wrap (alternative to bubble wrap) – Gift Packaging & Accessories or Signet for larger retailers.
- Packing tape – Woodruff or Husky Tape.
Be sure to check out the full details on the Flora & Fauna ‘Take it Back’ campaign at https://www.floraandfauna.com.au/take-it-back
Further Reading: Loop Reusable Packaging: Multi-Use Grocery Packaging. Read More