The Bedford Blog

Bedford's 6 Sustainable Packaging Solutions

Belinda Heidebrink, Engineering Group Manager & Sustainability Committee Member | April 22, 2025

Colorful graphic with heading "Sustainable Packaging Solutions" with 3 examples: a black twist tie on bread, a green hang tag on a tea bottle, and brown paper twist tie on a bag of cups.

At Bedford, we’re always seeking new ways to help our customers close their packaging, label & market their products, and meet retailer requirements in the most eco-friendly way.

Sustainable packaging takes time to get right, and we’ve made a lot of progress toward offering several options across our various product categories.

Below is a quick guide to our sustainable packaging & labeling solutions.

Sustainable Bag Closures

1. EcoTwist 

This twist tie is made from 100% recycled paper (up to 40% post-consumer recycled). Its appearance that resembles Kraft brown paper clearly signals to consumers it is a more eco-friendly twist tie. It is available in pre-cut ties or spooled to run in existing application equipment.

EcoTwist is a closure used in the baking & snack industries.

2. Recycle Ready® PolyTwist

A metal-free twist tie that is recyclable when reattached or inserted into bread bags qualified for in-store drop off. It is available in 8 inch, 10 inch, and Precision Wound® spools for machine application with existing equipment with adapter.

3. PE Coffee Closure

Bendable and wire-free, this recyclable coffee tie is made from a proprietary blend of polymers. To recycle, consumers simply reattach it to their PE coffee bag before dropping the bag in a qualifying drop-box.

Sustainable Hang Tags

4. Crafted Paper Tag

A hang tag made of paper substrate that is recyclable when added to curbside bins or mixed paper recycling.

5. Crafted Recyclable HDPE

A curbside recyclable hang tag made of HDPE that is recycled when consumers reattach or insert into an HDPE bottle before adding it to a recycling bin. Third party tested and How2Recycle members may be eligible to use the logo.

Medical Wire

6. BioForm

Wire-free, flexible nose piece for masks or other medical fabrics made of a proprietary blend of biobased polymers. It effortlessly forms around the shape it bends around and is safe and effective for use in MRI machines and other medical procedures that require nonmetallic materials.

TagBack

Beyond these sustainable solutions, all our twist ties – including bread ties, produce ties, and coffee bag ties – bag closures, and ElastiTag hang tags can be returned and upcycled with our TagBack program. Participating brands help educate consumers about the program by printing the logo on their tags. A new logo and QR code is available to bakeries to print directly on their bread bags.

To date, we’ve collected more than 226,000 pounds of these products from consumers who either mail returns to us directly or drop them in one of 250+ drop boxes across the U.S. Returns are sorted, separated, and the reusable portions are turned into PolyScape plastic lumber, which is a sustainable alternative to wood and steel. Reclaimed materials that we cannot use in PolyScape may be sold to other qualified recyclers.

Two TagBack collection boxes, one mini on a table, and one standard taller one on the floor.
Red outdoor dining set with made of recycled plastic lumber with a gray tabletop and six chairs on a wooden deck near a body of water.

Transition to sustainable

Interested in learning how to switch your current packaging to one of our sustainable solutions? Contact us to speak with product experts for a smooth transition.