Bosnal - Sugarcane Bagasse Compostable Clamshell Boxes, 9 inch 3-Compartment, Square
0.23kg CO₂eEstimate · low confidence
Carbon footprint of a packaging box
The median packaging box in our catalogue has a carbon footprint of 0.28 kg CO₂e over its whole life, from growing or making the materials to disposal. Half of the 119 packaging boxes we have footprinted, from 10 brands, fall between 0.23 and 0.28 kg CO₂e.
0.28kg CO₂e, median whole life
0.19kg CO₂e, median cradle to gate
0.23–0.28kg CO₂e, middle half
119packaging boxes in the catalogue
Where the footprint of a packaging box comes from
In the typical split, raw materials makes up about 68% of the total, followed by end of life at about 25%. The split shows where a maker's own data changes the result most: replacing published averages for the largest stages with your own figures moves the footprint far more than refining the small ones.
The split is the median share of each stage across the catalogue's packaging boxes, rescaled to add up to 100%. Read cradle to gate versus cradle to grave for what each stage covers.
- Raw materials 68%
- Distribution 7%
- End of life 25%
What packaging boxes are made of
The main material is the biggest single choice in a packaging box's raw-material footprint. These are the main materials of the packaging boxes in our catalogue, by share of products:
What lowers it
For each product, our calculator tests common changes and reports the one with the largest saving. For packaging boxes, the changes that come out on top most often are:
Share of packaging boxes for which each change gives the largest saving.
Packaging boxes in the catalogue
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Gift Box
0.27kg CO₂eEstimate · medium confidence
Water Hyacinth Utility & Gift Box Natural
0.13kg CO₂eEstimate · low confidence
Black Mailer Box
0.28kg CO₂eEstimate · medium confidence
Women's Day Special Gift Box - Eco Friendly Sustainable Gift Hamper
0.28kg CO₂eEstimate · medium confidence
Akkad-Bakkad Plantable Rakhi Gift Box | Eco-Friendly Rakshabandhan Hamper 2026 | Handmade Sustainable Gift Set by Scrapshala
0.34kg CO₂eEstimate · medium confidence
Mosaic Coin Box
0.23kg CO₂eEstimate · low confidence
Aurora Trousseau Box
0.70kg CO₂eEstimate · medium confidence
How these figures are made
Each product's footprint is a screening estimate: we read the materials and weight from the product listing, apply emission factors from cited public sources, and follow the ISO 14067 method with every source shown. Without the maker's own energy and supplier data, these are typical values, not measurements of a particular factory.
To footprint your own packaging box, start with a free estimate from a product link, or enter your own factory data. See our methodology for the method and sources.
Questions
What is the carbon footprint of a packaging box?
Across 119 packaging boxes in our catalogue, the median footprint is 0.28 kg CO₂e per item over its whole life, and half fall between 0.23 and 0.28 kg CO₂e. These are screening estimates from product listings; your own product's figure depends on its materials, weight and factory.
Which stage of a packaging box's life has the largest footprint?
In the typical split, raw materials is the largest stage at about 68% of the total, followed by end of life at about 25%.
What is the cradle-to-gate footprint of a packaging box?
Counting only raw materials, production, inbound transport and packaging, up to the factory gate, the median is 0.19 kg CO₂e per item. Buyers often ask for this figure for their Scope 3 inventory.
How can a maker lower the footprint of a packaging box?
The change our calculator most often finds with the largest saving for packaging boxes is “lightweight the design by 10%”. The best change for your product depends on your own materials and energy.
Can I use these figures for my own packaging box?
Use them to see the size of the footprint and where it comes from. For a figure to send a buyer, footprint your own product with your materials, weight and factory energy, so the result describes what you make.
Get buyer-ready product carbon footprintsISO 14067 method, a PACT v3 data file and a PDF report with every source. Join the waitlist for launch prices in your region.
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