Cardboard boxes are the backbone of shipping goods but they have some downsides – they can only be reused a couple of times before they are to damaged & need to be recycled
Plastic Containers can be reused many times after being used for their original purpose & eventually recycled.
The cardboard box below was one I was sent something else in & kept to ReShip something – its an average size for a small box. If I didn’t have it I would have had to make a trip to the shop to buy one for the job. Not a big deal but its time & money.
The plastic container was for vitamins & would end up in most peoples recycle bin. I gave it a quick clean & removed the labels & its ready to ReShip with the option to clean & ReShip many times.
I wanted to send a small plaster figurine bear which I wrapped in a small amount of bubble wrap
The bear with minimal bubble wrap fit nicely in the plastic container. The screw top means no need for tape. The bear is in a safe solid container which is strong & water proof.
This fits easily into a postal bag which has easy to use address labels
The box option is going to need extra bubble wrap, tape for the box & address labels. Its not as strong or water proof.
The weight of both options is similar but the box is more bulky to carry to the post office.
The box is great for the job which is why cardboard is a popular shipping product but its only good for 2 or 3 jobs then needs to be sent for recycling & you need to buy another one for the next job.
The plastic can be used many times so less boxes need to be manufactured. Plastic is stronger, drier & requires less extras such as tape, bubble wrap & labels. It also takes up less space in vans, trucks & planes so more goods can be transported for the same fuel use.
If you are shipping items you should consider the cost, time & climate savings of ReUsing a plastic container.