The theory of using eco-friendly packaging is a marvelous one. Who doesn’t want to use more environmentally friendly options? But moving from theory to practical solutions requires deeper introspection.
The Handmade Sellers Magazine featured Soak iT Up packaging:
The theory of using eco-friendly packaging is a marvelous one. Who doesn’t want to use more environmentally friendly options? But moving from theory to practical solutions requires deeper introspection. A careful look at what you have already built, your brand, and your ethos.
In this case study, we featured three businesses with solutions as unique as their craft. Carla Scholz from, Soak iT Up Clards®, Kieron Williams from BeeKiss’d, and Gina DeSantis of Gina DeSantis Ceramics all share their journey to more eco-friendly packaging.
Necessity is the mother of invention
I was a catalog art director and enjoyed coming up with fun and unique ideas for products like t-shirts and mugs. When I discovered Swedish sponge cloths, I realized it was the perfect product for my ideas. I started selling cloths printed with funny and clever sayings, on bright colors that hid stains and with minimal ink colors to reduce production waste. With the help of a friend who was a sales rep I launched a line of cloths.
Those cloths were my proving ground for my big idea: a greeting card that turns into a cleaning cloth. I learned where to source and the unique properties and I filed for a patent. I grew my cloth business while working on Clards® (greetings that clean up). With a patent pending I am slowly growing greetings into the focus of my business.
Necessity dictated a new packaging approach. Soak iT Up was accepted into The View's View Your Deal during Covid. This was a great opportunity, but I was facing potentially 5,000 orders discounted by 50%! Standard packaging would have wiped out any margin. As a designer, I love to solve problems creatively, so I designed my way out of it. The result had to be economical, functional, and on-brand. It turned out to be all three.
I designed a custom one-color, recycled paper self-mailer that folds around my products and seals shut with the mailing label. No envelope, no plastic, no extra tape. The label is the closure. It flexes to hold anywhere from one to thirteen cloths, and two packages can be attached together for larger orders. At around 20¢ each, the branding and product info are printed right on it. Potential waste paper from production wraps our wholesale orders. I work with a women-owned print company that understands my need to not waste. It solves branding, shipping, and cost all at once, and I haven't found a reason to change it.
My customers notice the packaging because it is fun. At markets, people often watch while I wrap their purchase and ask for extras to gift a friend. The self-mailer has become part of the brand story. Online customers mention it, and one shared their grandkid enjoyed coloring on it! For a product built around reducing waste, the packaging makes that promise visible before they even open it. Read more 
Watch in action:
