Packing up your home or office space before a relocation has been an age-old process that hasn’t evolved in years. The most crucial item for this process has always been cardboard boxes, and although there are ways to reuse these boxes, in nearly all cases they are discarded after one use. This waste has accumulated to a staggering 90 million cardboard boxes that are discarded each year.

With the moving industry playing a large role in this number, however, this doesn’t have to be the reality anymore. The introduction of reusable plastic moving crates is at the forefront of this green revolution, and as they spread among the industry the positive impact that they have will be clearly shown.

Not only are these plastic crates great for the environment but they are also the superior choice when selecting packing material. These crates are much stronger than the average cardboard box and can withstand much more weight. With the sturdy plastic design, these boxes can easily be stacked upon each other without the fear of the bottommost box caving in under the weight. The plastic design also offers much more protection for the items within the box and is much less susceptible to outside forces.

With cardboard boxes, water can cause the entire structure of the box to become compromised and ruin all of the contents within the box. With plastic moving crates, however, they can withstand this cardboard killer and hold up to the test if they were ever faced with moisture. These crates are also much more resilient to other outside forces that may compromise the integrity of any cardboard box.

When moving there are a variety of different factors that can affect the items that are being moved and having cardboard boxes as the last line of defense against these unforeseen events to protect your items can prove to be catastrophic. These plastic crates are also much more confidential when moving sensitive items. Nearly all of these plastic crates have the capability to be equipped with zip tie security to keep all of the documents within the crates confidential and secure, something cardboard boxes would be unequipped to handle.

From the moving aspect, these crates are much easier to move than cardboard, as nearly all of them come pre-equipped with moving wheels that are designed to fit directly onto the plastic crates. In many cases, these crates are designed to stack on top of one another easily and securely, which eliminates the chance of them sliding off of one another while moving them to and from the moving truck or van. For the customers doing the actual packing themselves, having these crates pre-assembled upon delivery eliminates the need for purchasing and assembling boxes.

Before, in order to even begin packing, an unnecessary amount of time and money was being wasted, which could have been invested in the actual packing of items. With plastic crates, however, there is no need to waste time purchasing and assembling boxes. Instead, now you can invest that time into doing what they are actually designed for—packing.

Although there are many instances where cardboard boxes are the best option for packing items, this age-old method has since become generally obsolete, and taking its place is the future of packing and moving—plastic reusable moving boxes. As this revolution continues to build and spread amongst the moving industry, the positive impact that will be seen will be tenfold. Ask your mover whether they provide this green alternative to the obsolete cardboard box.