Black Friday and Cyber Monday demand has seen production of an innovative mailing bag surpass a record 750 million units.
Packaging manufacturer and consultancy Duo hit the major milestone for its DuoOptipac mailing bag, as leading retailers and consumer brands prepare for this year’s peak sales period. DuoOptipac was launched in 2016, offering a completely new style of mailing bag, which features an integrated carry handle.
Zoe Brimelow, Brand Director at Duo, explains: “We often see demand for DuoOptipac spike around this time of year. Retailers and brands are getting ready for a burst of internet shopping throughout November, with this continuing through to Christmas and peaking again during the Boxing Day and January sales.
“DuoOptipac proves a popular choice, because its integrated handle makes it easy for delivery drivers and consumers to carry. It’s convenient and practical. The mailing bag’s design also appeals to businesses keen to reduce the size of packaging and benefit from a reduction in volumetric shipping rates, as its handle lies snug against the body of the mailing bag. It can also improve efficiencies because its compact size increases parcel throughput on a conveyor system in fulfilment sites. It helps save time and money and offers customer convenience.”
The DuoOptipac mailing bag now accounts for around 25% of Duo’s annual sales value, with the mailing bag used by retailers and consumer brands across the UK and internationally. Duo exports the mailer to more than 24 countries and expects production to top 800 million in the first quarter of 2025.
Zoe continues: “There’s a growing trend of businesses choosing packaging containing varying levels of recycled plastic. This has accelerated during the past couple of years, since the introduction of the UK Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) in April 2022. DuoOptipac can be made with between 30% - 90% recycled plastic, enabling businesses to meet and exceed the UK PPT requirement, which charges over £217 per tonne of plastic packaging not containing at least 30% recycled plastic.”
In 2020, DuoOptipac received a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in innovation, with this recognising the multiple performance benefits of its unique design.