Taking measures to help our planet is crucial. The clock is ticking, and when it comes to this matter, the best time to start was indeed yesterday. Each of us can make a change. If you’re a manufacturer or a distributor, the packaging you choose for your products can have a big impact.
Even if you have a small line, the customers who buy your product will waste less. Self-care products have a shorter cycle of life, being replaced very often. On average, soap has a life cycle of about one month. The potential to waste is huge. That’s why even getting to a smaller group of people can make a difference.
And with more and more people being environmentally conscious, you might even sell better. Many customers are particularly looking for eco-friendly products and packaging. In this article, you will find out all the information you need for biodegradable soap packaging.
The environmentalist approach to biodegradable soap packaging
The biggest issue with soap packaging boxes is that many times it is of single-use. You buy the product, and then you throw the packaging away. Many times, the packaging doesn’t get recycled, so the simple buying process is generating a ton of headaches.
Fortunately, there are ways to fight it. Read below to see some eco-friendly soap packaging ideas.
Think about the entire lifecycle of your product
There are many biodegradable soap packaging solutions. However, when thinking about the process from start to end, you might find out that not all have the ideal result.
Let’s take biodegradable plastic, for example. In theory, it is compostable. The problem is that to be recycled, it needs to be processed in an industrial facility.
Many times people don’t have access to these facilities, so the packaging ends up being thrown away.
On the other side, kraft paper decomposes on its own, so it’s a way faster and easier solution for eco-friendly soap boxes.
Before choosing the material of your packaging, take into consideration the chain that your product will need to go through.
Biodegradable soap packaging options
Solid soap is by far the most eco-friendly option. It can be manufactured and packed in the greenest way. In the past years, even brands of shampoo, lotions, and detergent moved towards the solid versions of the products. Here are some options for eco friendly soap packaging:
Kraft paper
There are many biodegradable soap packaging solutions. However, when thinking about the process from start to end, you might find out that not all have the ideal result.
Kraft paper is 100% biodegradable and many times it is made out of consumer recycled material. The paper has great strength, is non-toxic, and is also cost-efficient, which makes it perfect for eco-friendly soap packaging.
Kraft paper is made out of whole wood pulp paper. The color depends on whether the paper is bleached or not. Nowadays, bleaching is done using chlorine dioxide, oxygen, and peroxide. These cause zero harm to the environment.
The most common eco-friendly soap packaging options are boxes or wrap-around paper. Kraft soap boxes can be easily customized, making it possible to add prints of any kind.
At the same time, the design of the eco-friendly soap boxes can be enhanced with techniques such as debossing or embossing. You can also opt for cut-outs in the box, to put the soap on display. This can help especially if your product is colored, it has a special texture, or it has a nice scent.
Molded pulp
Molded pulp is another great solution for biodegradable soap packaging. These eco-friendly soap boxes are created from paper fibers, either virgin or recycled.
The boxes have an even higher strength in front of tearing and high temperatures, which makes them ideal for packing food or heavy products, like home appliances.
Molded pulp boxes can come in various shapes and colors. Since they can handle bigger weights, they are a great option for sets of soaps. If you notice that your customers buy in bulk, you can sell sets of 5-10 bars in these boxes.
How to design biodegradable soap packaging
As mentioned before, eco-friendly soap packaging doesn’t have to be boring. There are many ways to customize your eco-friendly soap boxes or the wrap-around paper. You will find many choices that go well with your brand image and your marketing strategy. Check some of the most common design ideas for biodegradable soap packaging below:
1. Minimalist eco friendly soap boxes
Minimalism has been around for about 60 years, and it’s here to stay. This style fits perfectly with the idea of sustainability. Less is more applies not only to the design but also to the list of ingredients.
Many times, people look for both products with few natural ingredients and eco friendly packaging.
Here are the key aspects of minimalist biodegradable soap packaging:
Leave plenty of clear space
Minimalism is all about the absence of clutter. The design of your biodegradable soap packaging should include few relevant elements and leave room for space. The empty space will put the elements that you choose in the spotlight. Use as few elements as possible for your minimalist design to achieve its goal.
Make the most important information easy to spot
Although aiming to have few elements, it’s still important for customers to be able to find the information they need.
Whether you are printing the ingredients and the brand identity elements directly on the box or on a label, you should make sure that the essential information can be seen at a glance. Prioritize the information and place the crucial elements on the front of the biodegradable soap packaging.
Use color to draw attention to specific elements
Minimalist designs use minimal color. Color should be used to emphasize specific elements on your eco-friendly soap packaging.
If colors are relevant to your brand, you can limit the palette to a few options. You can get inspiration from Scandinavian brands. Check some popular self-care brands and even go broader with your research. You never know where the winning idea might come from.
Choose the right typography
Minimalist designs are famous for their bold typography. The font choice, the color, and the size can speak a lot about your brand. Visual hierarchy also plays a major role, so make sure to highlight the right content on the biodegradable soap packaging.
Go minimal with the materials of your packaging
Minimalist eco-friendly soap packaging can also mean fewer materials. It’s very common to see brands that get rid of unnecessary wrapping completely.
Of course, it all depends on the type of soap you are selling and its storage requirements, but it wouldn't be a bad idea at all to get rid of the box or the wrapping paper and only keep a kraft paper band around your bar of soap. For this to work, you need to consider where your product will be stored or put on display.
2. Natural / organic design look for eco friendly soap boxes
The natural look has always been in trend for self-care products. And it actually goes perfectly on eco-friendly soap boxes. Ingredients play an essential role in this design, many times the look of the box being built around them.
Here are the key aspects to consider for a natural eco friendly soap packaging design:
Choose colors you can find in nature
Natural-focused designs use a lot of green, blue, or earthy tones as their base. If you want to keep it simple, the color of unbleached kraft paper works perfectly for eco-friendly soap boxes.
You can add a touch of color to the printed elements on your biodegradable soap packaging. Many times, this type of design is paired with a floral theme. In this case, you can also include shades of yellow, pink, or purple that look natural.
Keep it matte
Eco friendly soap boxes with natural designs go well with a matte look. The dull aspect makes the packaging seem less processed and gives it a retro vibe. A matte box will also feel more natural to the touch. If you want to keep some gloss, you can do that by adding a laminate to your soap labels.
Include visual elements from nature
Apart from the specific colors and feeling, a natural design also includes elements from nature. One option is to play with patterns that suggest natural forms (i.e. waves, flowers, mountains) on your eco friendly soap packaging. Another way to include elements from nature is to use pictures.
If pictures are central elements in the design of your biodegradable soap packaging, you can choose to emboss them. This will literally make your eco-friendly soap boxes stand out. A big part of any brand design is the logo, so make sure to build it around the natural vibe.
3. Luxurious biodegradable soap packaging
Can biodegradable soap packaging be luxurious? Definitely! An eco-friendly approach doesn’t mean you need to compromise on the luxurious side. In general, luxurious designs are all about premium looks and exclusive feels.
Here’s how you can get that expensive look for your eco friendly soap packaging:
Choose elegant colors
Luxurious designs often use a mix of black, gold, and silver. You can emphasize the premium look of your eco-friendly soap boxes with a metalized label. Some designs also include burgundy or crimson red. These are the colors to play with if you want to get that premium and expensive aspect. Plenty of the biggest brands in the world use this palette. Think about Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Versace, or Porsche.
Go vintage or modern
Most luxurious designs have something vintage or modern to them. It might be the font or some visual elements on your biodegradable soap packaging.
You can get a vintage look for your eco-friendly soap boxes by using a more old-style font and embossing elements such as crowns or some ornamental details. You can also choose foiling. To get a modern look, choose a trendy sans serif font and play with angular or geometric elements.
A touch of minimalism
Minimalist designs seem to look sophisticated and elegant. It might be worth trying to keep your luxurious biodegradable soap packaging design on a minimalist note. Mix those metallic details with thin lines and a lot of free space and see how it looks.
For more design inspiration, check out our post with hundreds of soap packaging ideas!
Biodegradable soap packaging take-aways
To wrap up the information from above, it’s clear that switching to eco-friendly soap packaging is a winning move. Everybody wins – your brand, your customers, and the planet! A small change now will have a huge impact in the long run. And it’s always good to be one of the firsts to make a change.
With more and more customers seeking eco-friendly options, you have many chances for people to appreciate your biodegradable soap packaging and remember your brand. Moreover, they might get back to your products every time they need to buy soap.
At YourBoxSolution, we are invested in protecting our planet and encourage you to do the same. We partnered up with International Paper, a global paper recycling company that helps us minimize the impact on the environment.
Our excess paperboard from production is collected and recycled every week.
Get your biodegradable soap packaging at YourBoxSolution
We have more than 29 years of experience on the market, and we are specialized in packaging and labeling solutions. We offer a great variety of eco-friendly soap boxes. Our team can bring any box types and any custom designs to life.
- You can choose from different closing mechanisms and decorating techniques for your eco-friendly soap packaging. We can also help with labeling your products, so we got you fully covered.
- Our portfolio includes more than 3000 projects delivered to happy customers from various industries. We work with businesses of all sizes, and you can order from as little as 250 pieces.
We can send you free samples to see the materials we work with and how your eco-friendly soap boxes could look. However, don’t feel limited. If you have a particular design, print, or cut-out in mind, walk us through your ideas, and we will find a way to bring it to reality.
Get in touch!
