The air is crisp and the colors of the season are ablaze all around. There is no denying that fall is here! As the trees turn loose their vibrant leaves, let us pause and think about preservation. Specifically, what the corrugated industry is doing to ensure the seasonal beauty can be enjoyed by generations to come.

Sustainable

Corrugated is naturally sustainable, thanks to 100% organic content and a manufacturing process that requires just pulp and starch glue. No dyes and no bleach, making this product au natural. Corrugated can also be recycled up to 25 times, so new boxes are often times just old boxes given new life. But when new materials are needed, harvesters look to fast-growing pine or wood chips, as well as otherwise unusable paper scrap.

Biodegradable

What does that mean, exactly? Basically, that if it something is exposed to nature, it will return to nature. As an entirely organic product, corrugated absolutely qualifies. Placement will impact the speed of decomposition, so boxes kept clean and dry will last for years (rest assured, your boxed up sweaters are safe!). But pieces kept out of doors in even mild humidity could be gone without a trace in as little as three months, adding nutrients to the soil and reducing solid waste.

Reduced Emissions

By now you know that corrugate is highly recyclable, which has a major impact on global emissions. Research shows that over a seven-year period, the percentage of corrugated containers recycled soared from 72% to 89.5%. Interestingly, chemical indicators like greenhouse gasses plummeted by 35% during the same period. Thank that’s impressive? Don’t forget that by simply reusing the boxes you already have, you’re creating a carbon footprint of net zero. Saving trees, indeed.