
DS Smith Revolutionizes E-Commerce Packaging with Sustainable “Tape Back” Solution
DS Smith, a leading global manufacturer of fiber-based packaging, has unveiled its latest innovation, the “Tape Back” solution. This groundbreaking design addresses the growing demand for eco-friendly and efficient e-commerce packaging by eliminating the use of single-use plastic tear strips. With a single glue strip capable of supporting two e-commerce shipments, the Tape Back solution significantly reduces waste while enhancing the sustainability of the return process.
Meeting the Growing Demand for Sustainable Returns
The shift toward online shopping has led to increased scrutiny of the environmental impact of e-commerce packaging, particularly when it comes to returns. Recognizing this, DS Smith developed Tape Back to provide a seamless, sustainable alternative that meets both consumer and retailer expectations. Cheryl Holliday, Director of Marketing for North America at DS Smith, emphasizes the importance of sustainability in today’s e-commerce landscape:
“Ensuring the customer experience is always at the forefront of our innovation process, Tape Back is a direct response to the demand for more environmentally friendly and efficient return processes and demonstrates our commitment to creating circular design solutions.”
Key Features of the Tape Back Solution
Tape Back is designed with the modern consumer in mind, offering several benefits that make it a standout in the packaging industry.
1. Seamless Returns
The solution integrates an easy-to-peel return strip, allowing customers to reuse the original packaging for returns without requiring additional materials. This convenience enhances the return experience while reducing packaging waste.
2. Innovative Design
By eliminating single-use plastic tear strips, Tape Back represents a significant step forward in sustainable packaging. The innovative design ensures that the solution aligns with eco-conscious consumer preferences while maintaining functionality.
3. Enhanced Sustainability
Sustainability is at the core of Tape Back’s design. It minimizes the use of non-recyclable materials and avoids mixing components, making it easier for consumers to recycle the packaging at home. This feature is particularly important as consumers increasingly prioritize products that align with their environmental values.
4. Improved Functionality
Tape Back does more with less, optimizing material usage to reduce waste while maintaining durability. This not only streamlines the return process for suppliers but also mitigates the risk of returned items being damaged in transit.
A Commitment to Circular Design
True to its mission of “Redefining Packaging for a Changing World,” DS Smith has optimized Tape Back to enhance supply chain efficiency while reducing environmental impact. The solution minimizes the use of silicon tape, hot melt, and corrugated board, doubling its circular design metric score. This achievement highlights DS Smith’s dedication to creating packaging solutions that align with circular economy principles.
DS Smith’s Broader Sustainability Strategy
Tape Back is a testament to DS Smith’s overarching commitment to sustainability, as outlined in its Now & Next strategy. The company aims to lead the transition to a circular economy by addressing critical environmental challenges, such as reducing carbon emissions, replacing problem plastics, and enhancing recycling processes.
Core Elements of DS Smith’s Sustainability Mission:
- Replacing Problem Plastics: Developing alternatives to single-use plastics to reduce waste and environmental impact.
- Carbon Reduction: Streamlining supply chains to minimize carbon emissions.
- Innovative Recycling Solutions: Enhancing the recyclability of packaging to ensure materials can be reintroduced into the production cycle.

This commitment is further reinforced by DS Smith’s box-to-box recycling model, which enables used packaging to be recycled and ready for reuse within just 14 days.
A Legacy of Innovation
Headquartered in London and a member of the FTSE 100, DS Smith operates in 34 countries and employs approximately 30,000 people. The company’s history dates back to the 1940s, when the Smith family established a box-making business. Over the decades, DS Smith has grown into a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, becoming a strategic partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
A Transformational Impact on E-Commerce
The Tape Back solution reflects DS Smith’s ability to anticipate and respond to evolving consumer and industry needs. By simplifying returns and reducing the environmental footprint of e-commerce packaging, DS Smith is empowering businesses to align with the values of their eco-conscious customers.
As sustainability continues to drive consumer behavior, innovations like Tape Back position DS Smith as a pioneer in the packaging industry. Retailers adopting this solution can offer a superior customer experience while demonstrating their commitment to environmental stewardship.
About DS Smith
DS Smith is a global leader in fiber-based packaging, supported by its recycling and papermaking operations. The company plays a pivotal role in sectors such as e-commerce, fast-moving consumer goods, and industrial packaging. Through its focus on circular design and sustainability, DS Smith is redefining packaging for a changing world.
Read more: DS Smith Introduces ‘Tape Back’ Solution for Simplified and Sustainable E-Commerce Returns