Gosselin Introduces Notabrownbox for Sustainable Moving Practices

Gosselin has introduced what it asserts is the ‘world’s most environmentally friendly moving box’ named Notabrownbox. This unbranded moving box is crafted from high-quality recycled cardboard, designed for multiple reuses. The primary goal is to encourage moving companies to adopt these unbranded boxes, promoting a more sustainable approach to the moving process. Importantly, this initiative is driven by a not-for-profit ethos.

Madeline Van der Rhee, Benelux Manager, who spearheaded the development of the Notabrownbox concept, explained, “Almost all moving boxes worldwide are printed with the logo of the moving company and used only once. By creating a logo-free box made of sturdier cardboard, we aim to motivate movers to reuse and share these universal moving boxes. The aspiration is for Notabrownbox to gain traction, leading partners to be requested by RMCs and corporate accounts, ultimately enhancing their supply chain sustainability.”

Overcoming resistance from her company’s marketing department, Madeline emphasized the importance of removing logos from boxes. “So first I had to convince the internal organization,” she stated, successfully persuading the company to take a pioneering step toward sustainability. “Once we have used our existing stocks of printed boxes, all boxes in the future will be without logos.”

Each Notabrownbox features a QR code linking to a dedicated website, offering information about the project and manufacturing specifications. This enables movers to purchase boxes from their existing suppliers.

Gosselin emphasizes that this initiative is not a commercial venture, and while partners are asked to contribute €750 annually to join the program, the funds are directed towards website development, maintenance, and providing marketing materials. Any surplus funds will be donated to Go Forest to support tree planting and offset emissions. Madeline clarified, “If we find that we have a lot of partners and have more money left, we will decrease the premium.” Gosselin’s involvement is solely as a facilitator, with no profit derived from the project.