Four Ways Your Ecommerce Can Go Green Without Impacting Your Supply Chain

Julie Starr • May 10, 2022



Going green does not have to upset your entire supply chain, but it can improve it.

There are some tangible ecommerce integrations you can take to reduce the environmental effect of your eCommerce business (even if you start small) without negatively impacting your bottom line.

Use Eco-Friendly Packaging

Excessive and non-recyclable packaging contributes significantly to trash. Eco-friendly packaging is created from recycled or easily recyclable or compostable materials.

You should try to use recyclable and/or biodegradable cardboard and plastic solutions such as boxes, bags, tape, padding, and even labels.  You should also try to use branded custom packaging solutions created from environmentally acceptable materials.

Though converting to a more sustainable packaging option is more expensive, 70% of consumers polled said they would pay extra for sustainable packaging. Having said that, investing in environmental packaging is worthwhile.

Stay Away From Single-Use Plastics

Single-use plastics contribute significantly to waste, pollution, and global warming. It is critical to develop measures to decrease their consumption throughout your supply chain if you can try to eliminate them completely.

This could include doing away with the practice of packaging each individual item in the order in its own bag (or employing ships in its own container packaging) or minimizing the amount of marketing collateral included with each order.

While some types of products do need individual packaging for safety or sanitary reasons, consider using a biodegradable bag or one produced from recycled materials instead.

Offer Carbon Offsets For Shipping

As previously stated, shipping produces carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.

Ecommerce companies may compute the exact carbon footprint of every individual order and offset it by contributing the exact amount to certified carbon offsetting programs that actively reduce the quantity of carbon in the atmosphere.

Carbon offsets are an excellent tool for making your online business more sustainable. Even if your company is online, daily shipping operations generate a significant amount of carbon emissions. When attempting to offset carbon emissions, you may want to have a wide portfolio of offsetting initiatives.

Spread Your Inventory

Many clients are accustomed to receiving quick and expedited shipments at a low cost. If you ship from a warehouse in California, for example, it’s very hard to get your customer’s item to them in New York in only two days using ground shipping, which is less harmful to the environment than air shipping.

Many 3PL firms make it simple for retailers to distribute goods across various fulfillment locations. Orders are completed from the nearest fulfillment center to the order’s final destination, maximizing last-mile delivery and lowering shipping costs.

Not only do you exceed client expectations by using an inventory distribution plan, but you also maintain a more sustainable shipping option.

These are just four of the ways you can make your eCommerce store become more environmentally friendly. There are, of course, other methods to use. Do you know any? Or do you use any in your business? Please share some of them in the comments section below. 

By Julie Starr July 14, 2025
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By Julie Starr June 20, 2025
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