Cardboard CD packaging – lighter, better and greener!

A selection of cardboard CD hair cases.

CDs are the 2nd biggest source of climte changing greenhouse gas emissions in the music industry. The good news is, using cardboard-based packaging instead of plastic reduces these emissions by 95%. Choosing cardboard over plastic is an easy step artists can take which has powerful results.

Because selling CDs is a still a major source of income for artists, UK organisation Julie’s Bicycle commissioned leading consultancy group, Arup, to do research into the potential of switching from plastic cases to cardboard packaging, and found the best approach is to change what the packaging is made of.

Discs are made from OGP (Optical Grade Polycarbonate) and can’t contain recycled content since the plastic has to be pure enough for a laser to easily penetrate. However the disc is only a small percent of the emissions anyway – wholesale nfl jerseys it’s the wholesale jerseys packaging that causes most of the pollution. Even a Digipak (card wallet with plastic tray) reduces emissions by at least 60%.

Common Types guide of Plastic CD Packaging

• Jewel Case- A traditional plastic CD case made from polystyrene, which is extremely hard to recycle, & makes about 1kg CO2 per CD.
• Polypropylene Jewel Case- Polypropylene (PP) is a Green slightly easier to recycle plastic, commonly used for DVD cases.
• PP Sleeve- Thin flexible plastic sleeve, generally used for demo CDs.

Common Types of Cardboard CD Packaging

• Digipak- A foldout cardboard wallet with a plastic tray to hold the disc.
• Gatefold Wallet- A foldout wallet similar to a digipak, but with a cheap jerseys pocket instead of a plastic tray.
• Cardboard Sleeve- The lightest and cheapest option, usually printed on a thinner stock.

Using cardboard CD packaging instead of plastic cases reduces CD pollution by 95%. On top of this, card-based packaging is cheaper to transport, and more durable, and studies show that Part most fans prefer them to plastic cases. Next time you print a CD, choose cardboard packaging.

If you want to take it a step further, use uncoated PCW (post consumer waste) recycled stock and vegetable based inks. And remember, don’t print more than you need. With modern technology you can print as few CDs as you like.