Green & Simpull

It’s a common frustration that we overlook all the time: how to open a cardboard box that’s taped closed. Trying to pick off the tape manually or bashing the box open with our fist almost always ends in failure, wasted time, and further frustration. So, we go hunt for a knife or a pair of scissors to cut the tape to get into the box. And finally, success.

A sticky issue.

However, there are problems with this. Using a knife to open the box leaves the adhesive tape attached to the cardboard. The tape then enters the cardboard recycling process, instead of being removed prior, and contaminates the recycled pulp. The tiny little bits of adhesive that end up in the final pulp are called “stickies” and reduce the quality of product that the recycled pulp can be turned into. New virgin material is then used to create products that would otherwise have been created from higher quality recycled cardboard.

Significant effort is often expended to separate and remove non-cardboard materials during the recycling process, unnecessarily adding extra energy costs and water use.

The solution is Simpull. Our patented Simpull opening system is a clever perforation formation applied to the end of a taped-up cardboard box that allows it to be opened without a knife, and with just one hand. It easily separates the tape from the cardboard in one quick move, automatically preparing the cardboard to be clean before the recycling process. As with most things, prevention has proven better than a cure. No sticky issues with a Simpull Box.

But first, reuse.

Boxes don’t grow on trees. It takes considerable energy, resources, and money to create the billions of cardboard boxes the world uses each year. Often the actual time for a box being used to contain goods is a fraction of its total lifetime, from tree to landfill. Being able to use some of these cardboard boxes at least twice could put a decent dent in this figure. Multiple times, even more.

Again, the solution is Simpull. Using the Simpull opening system, any tape applied to close the box can be completely removed without permanently altering or damaging the box. The Simpull opening system can then be returned to its original closed position and new tape (or even our multi-use Simpull Tape) can be applied to reseal the box closed. This process can be repeated many times over, significantly increasing the reusability of the box.

Furthermore, returning empty boxes to the seller for repacking can create an almost closed-loop system, subject only to basic wear and tear.

Put simply, the Simpull Box, whilst reducing our common everyday frustrations, can help reduce the packaging industry’s impact on the environment.

Are you a packaging manufacturer wanting better packaging options for your clients, or a product seller wanting a better packaging solution to make your customers happy? Order a license for our patented Simpull opening system today.