More and more people are interested in brands with proposals that are friendly to the environment, which involves everything from product design to final delivery. If you have ever wondered what sustainable packaging is and how to implement it in your business, in this article we are going to explain what it is and give you the tools to obtain it.
What is sustainable packaging?
Originally, packaging was used to pack, protect or transport products. Starting in the 20th century, it has become a tool that is also used to inform and convey concepts or highlight features… even to create a shopping experience!
Today, it is part of our daily lives and we come into contact with it almost every day: reading a label, choosing a product over its competition, picking up a purchase from a store or receiving a package in the mail.
That is why, in addition to its main functions, packaging is part of a strategy for both product sales and brand communication.
This means that the choice of it will be justified in explaining, showing or highlighting a feature or a product. Undoubtedly, transmitting it through packaging will distinguish the brand from its competition.
Why choose sustainable packaging?
Due to the current environmental situation, more and more users are interested in consuming responsibly. In the same way, the brands join initiatives that accompany a sustainable development and life cycle in their packaging.
This practice is applied comprehensively: it ranges from the approach and design of packaging to the final use of its products.
Sustainability starts from the conscious use of resources, avoiding the commitment of future generations and using renewable sources. The objective is that the rate of production of polluting substances is not greater than the time of recycling or absorption by the environment.
A sustainable packaging will be one that is developed within a supply chain that seeks to improve ecological production and reduce environmental impact. This goes through the design of a package, the choice of materials, its processing and life cycle.
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Choosing this does not mean an inaccessible option but finding resources that serve to accompany the ideology.
Therefore, when choosing it, these are three aspects for you to consider and take into account:
- Materials: what materials or resources are needed to obtain it?
- Environmental impact: what is the environmental impact of your production?
- Final disposal of the container: what will happen after it fulfills its function?
Where to get sustainable packaging?
Although packaging or sustainable packaging is something relatively new, with the growing interest and demand in the graphic industry, it increased its availability in more environmentally friendly materials. Thus, there are possibilities such as:
- Biodegradable or compostable materials, currently on the market there are labels, boxes and bags produced with renewable resources. You can find several options in .
- Recycled materials developed with raw material from recyclable products that were discarded for recycling. In they develop film with recycled raw material.
- Ecological inks that reduce the use of solvents and contaminants
- Responsibly managed certified resources, for example, Ledesma has natural papers from sugar cane.
- Edible materials: films and even edible papers that are used to preserve food and that are not only biodegradable but can also be eaten.
- Light materials produced with lower amounts of energy consumption.
- Plantable papers that, once their informative purpose has been fulfilled, can become plants, flowers or even trees. You can find options in .
5 tips and examples to develop sustainable packaging
Achieving sustainable packaging is a process that requires time and effort. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t get it 100% on the first try. The important thing is that you take it into account and implement the changes little by little.
Here are five tips to keep in mind when developing or choosing sustainable packaging.
- Reduced excess packaging. If it is not really necessary or does not fulfill any packaging or strategic function, it is probably expendable. Remember that packaging is part of your image, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be excessive.
- Avoid mixing different materials that are difficult to separate for later recycling.
- If you are going to use plastic packaging, make sure it is made from recycled raw material. This will make the same production chain use recycled products to create new ones and, in turn, promote recycling even more.
- Use compostable materials. There are more and more biodegradable and compostable packaging alternatives on the market!
- Choose items that can actually be reused. If they are canvas or cloth bags, make sure they are the right size to be used again. If not, evaluate other alternatives that do not have as much energy expenditure.
Now let’s move on to these five examples of brands using sustainable packaging and how they applied it.
offers cosmetic products with reusable packaging.
uses biodegradable packaging for its shipments.
designed its packaging and offers all its products with the possibility of refilling.
uses plantable labels for its products.
along with your shipments, deliver a super resistant tote bag to reuse.
Finally, if you made the decision to have sustainable packaging, do not forget to communicate it and connect with your customers to explain the decisions you made regarding this and what they can do with the packaging they receive.
Reuse, recycle or compost it: the more values you can transmit and the more informed you are on this subject, the more acceptance, awareness and learning will be generated in your community.
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