It’s corrugated’s world, and alternative shipping formats are just living in it. But now, FedEx and Returnity have launched a reusable shipping offering for B2B customers that they say cracks the code on working in FedEx’s logistics network just as well as, if not better than, traditional single-use fiber-based boxes.

“The entire logistics world has been built around corrugated for decades and decades,” said Mike Newman, CEO of reusable packaging manufacturer Returnity. “When everything is built for corrugated, it’s not actually that easy to integrate something other than corrugated.”

There are multiple layers to the single-use vs. reusable container cost analysis, according to Newman. First is potential savings on materials like corrugated boxes and tape. There are also labor efficiencies: Newman said pilots showed that unpacking the reusable containers saves about 30 seconds of time compared with single-use containers. “They pop open, they collapse flat, you’re not cutting with box cutters,” he said, also noting that eliminating the box cutter reduces risk for damaging the products inside. 

Returnity and FedEx claim a 30% cost savings for some customers that opt for reusables over corrugated. There’s also better cost predictability with reusables, Newman said.

Inside FedEx’s reusable shipper rollout | Packaging Dive