I suppose the packaging problem is one we have created by buying things at a distance. Back in the old days, when we only bought things locally, packaging would be minimal.
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I think to criticise what people wrap their things is tbh downright rude and preachy. If someone did that to me I am afraid I would block from selling to them in the future.
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I mail in plastic envelopes because my products are textiles and, oh looky, paper envelopes arent waterproof!
There isnt a âone solution fits allâ scenario here. Joy with her glass has very different issues to handle than i do.
Paper tape peels off. Paper packaging gets wet. Customers dont want wet products delivered. So i use plastic packaging and plastic tape.
Lets not berate other sellers for the various solutions theyve found to their individual conundrums. Itâs not necessary.
I look at the volume of plastic used to package my food shop and have to wonder why small businesses are having fingers wagged at themâŚ
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I quite agree Caroline.If all the plastics bags etc. we already have were put straight in to land-fill who does that help? I use and re-use what I have already paid for. As plastic is made from oil Iâm hoping someone can invent a process for returning it to some type of fuel that we can use and did see something about a chap in Australia working on just that ! Jan
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I bought two frames from Ikea yesterday to mount two prints purchased on Folksy. Loads of soft plastic to peel off, I was horrified, but I have cut it all up to cover my postage labels ( printed on scrap paper) so that I can just tape around the edges.
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I agree my textile items have to go in plastic or would be ruined before they got delivered.
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We all have to compromise somewhere. I suspect many sellers here think about their packaging really carefully already, revycling when they can and accepting that we have to accept that perfection is unattainable.
My wise old Dad used to say that perfection is the enemy of good enough.
Good enough is good enough, in many cases. So my mail bag is plastic? My bags are made from fabrics destined for landfill. Does one offset the other?
Its good enough for me.
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Iâve been mindful to try and be more environmentally conscious these days and have been using paper tape and compostable bubble wrap for the last few years but some people are not happy that I am still using the compostable bubble wrap! Apparently it can still leave remnants of micro plastics.
Iâve tried scrumpled and shredded paper but itâs not always the safest option for ceramics.
I think most people do re-use the packaging materials they have and if I get sent something wrapped in bubble wrap, I try to re-use it or pass it on to someone that can make use of it.
I donât think it would stop me ordering from someone though.
It can be all too easy to get very picky but even the most environmentally conscious of sellers still usually have a glossy printed business card - are they plant based dyes, were they chemically made, what kind of pollution did that create etcâŚthe list could go on.
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Would you rather an item got damaged? I use bubble wrap all the time and I re-cycle it all the time too. I collect it from supermarkets, shops and save it to use from items Iâve purchased. Itâs light, saves on postage (eco friendly paper packaging weighs a lot more) and ensures my items donât break. And Iâm not going to be shamed into not using it either. Thatâs my choice. And quite frankly, if someone takes umbrage to that and wonât buy from me thatâs their loss. The state of the world is not going be affected by crafters using bubble wrap.
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I recycle all boxes. My workshop is full of empty boxes waiting to be used by me. My friends collect bubble wrap for me and boxes. For lighter pieces Iâm happy to use paper packaging but for heavier pieces I need bubble wrap and plenty of it. There seems to be trend at the moment for people to demand that others do this or that or else âI wonât buy from you!â, Iâm seeing it all over certain groups and forums. Thatâs fine, do as you will but donât trumpet it publicly and try to shame another seller, because that can seriously backfire on the complainer who may find others wonât buy from them.
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I think most people are aware of environmental concerns and most people try to do something to help the cause.
For many of us it is important to use up existing supplies of packing material first before buying alternatives that are better for the environment but itâs good to bear in mind those green alternatives when the time comes to restock packaging and chose them if they are a viable option.
My favorite tip is to re-use packing and packaging if itâs in good condition.
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I would love to move away from plasic packaging but i canât be putting my items in cardboard then them being left out in the rain as my postie/couriers do when i order something and im out at work.
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I agree with the others that itâs very unfair to make such a big deal out of the packaging used - my items are supplied in gift boxes and I use a lot of bubble wrap to protect them which can then be reused. As a seller I want my items to arrive in perfect condition and I will be using the household cellotape to secure it. I donât see any issue with this at all.
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As others have said, I also re-use all packaging I receive to pack orders I ship out, where I can, but sometimes have to use ânewâ packaging I already have in stock that is maybe not eco friendly. Some eco friendly packaging is affordable, such as certain brands of jiffy bags, which are wholly recyclable these days, but much of the eco packaging available is not yet affordable and also it is impractical for some items which need to be well padded in case packages are dropped by posties/couriers. Paper filler packaging is expensive and, as someone else said, weighs a lot more than bubblewrap. Postage costs keep going up and this can make it challenging to ship items at an affordable postage price, whether the postage is charged to the customer or an item is âfree shippingâ - itâs not free to the seller so the more something weighs, potentially the more itâs going to cost to ship it, which can then become disproportionate to the price of the item. Ensuring items wonât be ruined if they get wet is also crucial, so paper really doesnât cut it, especially at this time of year. To post the photo of the packaging ⌠cruel. The seller will no doubt see your post and recognise their packaging immediately, especially as youâve said it was a paper item you purchased.
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Itâs a very interesting post, never considered it before. I use recycled packaging as it keeps costs down. My products are wood based and unlikely to be damaged by poor delivery practices but I still use bubble wrap where needed and parcel tape. An answer is to add the option to your site for eco packaging with a price increase to suit?
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While that sounds like a great idea, that would mean that, as a seller, I have to buy two types of packing at twice the price just because someone wants to buy an eco option. So not really viable for me.
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The plastic in my packaging has only ever been mentioned once, in a review on here. Most reviews are very complimentary about my safe packaging so thatâs a No from me 
I use what I have which best suits the package .
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I suspect if someone really wants an eco option, theyâll buy from local people at markets where they can collect in person. Any distance selling involves packaging. Sometimes the best packaging for the item isnt the best for the environment. Rather than scold other sellers, it may be more productive to ask packaging suppliers to develop alternatives that protevt both our products and the environment, without costing the earth (literally and figuratively)?
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Just thought I would give you an example of what my lovely customers think of my packaging.
"They have arrived safely, Iâm sure my wife will love them.
Also, really impressed with the way they were packaged"
There you go. Packaged with big bubble and even bigger bubble⌠from my last sheet glass delivery and cardboard from the box i cut up as too big for my needs⌠in a recycled box collected from my local post office âŚoh and wide brown sellotape all round it to make sure it bounced if dropped.
Sadly not a Folksy order so you wonât see that in my reviews here 
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Alternatively you could look on the extra packaging as more packaging that you can reuse. I think weâd all like to use as little packaging as possible but the way things are thrown around on their journey means a little extra is usually called for so items donât get broken and you need to resend therefore doubling the amount of packaging used in the long run?
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