When I first launched Diminish, there was no doubt in my mind that I would bring sustainable practices into every element of the business. From the materials our eco products are made of, to how our products can be disposed of without harming the Planet, right through to how to send out the products in sustainable packaging.

With the business’s environmental footprint front of mind, I spent many hours searching the net on "best recyclable boxes", "boxes made out of recycled materials", "recyclable packaging/padding" and "the most sustainable packaging tape".

4 years into this crazy (and fun) journey of running one of Adelaide’s leading online eco stores, I've continued to find innovative ways to ship out our products in packaging that's Planet friendly.

So here are 5 ways I guarantee that all Diminish orders are sent out in sustainable packaging:

1. Shipping out our Products in Repurposed Boxes

I never realised just how many different sized and shaped boxes there were out there. Nor did I realise sourcing the right sized box for the products I send out would consume so much of my time!

I started with the one size fits all approach. Yet - all of a sudden I was faced with the dilemma of often sending out one or two items in a decent sized box and then filling the open space with padding. Was this fulfilling the business’s value of sustainability? No. All that extra padding I found extremely wasteful.

I quickly ordered a few extra sized boxes made out of recycled materials, and this solved the 'too much padding' problem!

I was beyond excited! Over the next couple of weeks, locals dropped off used boxes and paper padding. I now have an astounding amount of packaging that perfectly fits my goal of sending out out parcls in the most sustainable packaging available to me.

2. Using Repurposed Paper/Padding for our Sustainable Packaging

When sourcing padding, I immediately knew that plastic wasn't an option. So the most sustainable/eco-friendly padding out there is - paper! I started with the kraft brown paper, shredded paper and any other scrap paper that I found suitable.

Luckily, most of the products we send out here at Diminish aren't overly fragile. Meaning we don't have to go too crazy with the padding. Fragility aside, we still do require some padding to protect our beautiful eco products.

And then  - I got a tonne of paper donated through my local community!

Here’s what people have donated so far. 

• Who gives a crap toilet paper wrappings
• Brown paper packaging 
• Old text books
• Tissue paper

For now, I think I have enough padding to last me a good couple of years - and will definitely be sourcing more to repurpose in the future.

Another tick for meeting Diminish's mission of sending out our products in sustainable packaging!

3. Shipping Labels Printed on Repurposed Paper

Our commitment to sustainability extends to every aspect of our packaging, including the shipping labels.

I'm lucky enough that printing out a label and sticking it on the box works well (for now). Instead of buying new paper for this, I repurpose what I can find around the hose. This often looks like my children's artwork or school work (sorry guys...).

I'm really opposed to buying new unused realms of paper. We live in a digital world - yet there is still so much paper out there. 

Now, 4 years into running this business and instead of buying 'new paper', I’ve sent out over 400 orders with a shipping label printed on reused paper. 

I feel like this is a huge win for the business and a huge win for our Planet!

4. Recyclable Kraft Paper Tape

When it comes to sealing our packages and sticking on the labels, I choose kraft paper tape exclusively. 

Kraft brown paper tape has "been sourced from an FSC certified supplier, supporting healthy forests and protecting wildlife." (Officeworks). Plus, Officeworks contribute to the Restoring Australia Initiative, where they "plant 2 trees for every 1 used, based on the weight of paper-based products that customers buy at Officeworks". (Restoring Australia)

Kraft brown paper tape is recyclable, meaning once our order has arrived, the boxes (if you're not wanting to repurpose them), can go straight in your recycling bin - so another tick for our sustainable packaging practices!

5. Carbon-Neutral Shipping through our Shipping Providers

All Diminish’s orders are shipped out via Australia Post or Sendle. I'm so thrilled to let you know that both these organisations offer carbon neutral shipping

Here's how Australia Post are committed to restoring our Planet through their Carbon Neutural shipping program.

“In partnership with the Qantas Future Planet program, we ensure parcels—where postage is paid via the Post Office, Online Shop, or MyPost Business account—are sent carbon neutral1.  For each delivery we make, Australia Post calculates how much carbon is emitted and we then purchase the equivalent number of carbon credits from the program. “ - Australia Post.

Sendle are also committed to caring for our Planet by offsetting emissions through investing in projects that "protect habitat, support local communities, and restore vital ecosystems”. - Sendle

Environmental projects Sendle support through their carbon offsets include the Tasmanian Forest project, Teak Mexico and Alto Huayabamba, Mount Sandy and Keewenaw Bay - just to name a few. 

Sustainability at Diminish is not just a buzzword!

Here at Diminish, sustainability isn't just a buzzword. I pride myself on the fact that as a business we are guided by our core values of sustainable living and sustainable practices.

Through these five sustainable packaging practices, we're re-defining what it actually means to use 'eco-friendly packaging'. We’re not just sending out your order in a recycled box with some paper padding, we’re doing as much as we can to reuse/repurpose resources that are already out there, and supporting practices that align with our dream of making Diminish a leading business when it comes to caring for our Planet.