Your company is under pressure to be more sustainable.
Sustainability is a lofty goal, but too many companies use the moniker as a mere buzzword (ahem, greenwashing), rather than truly committing to what it means to be sustainable.
You don’t want to be one of those companies. You want your packaging to make a difference.
So, how do you begin?
Today we’re going to talk about sustainable packaging design myths and the facts that dispel them.
Let’s get into it.
It’s no secret there’s been growing consumer demand for sustainable packaging design solutions.
In fact, according to McKinsey’s presentation, Sustainability in packaging – what are consumers & customers asking for and how can innovation help, from April 2024, consumers are “willing to pay up to [a] 40% premium for certain [sustainable] features.”
This is seen particularly in younger shoppers, as 90% of consumers below the age of 45 will pay more for products packaged sustainably, according to McKinsey.
Clearly, the demand isn’t just growing, it’s putting more and more pressure on companies to create better and more sustainable packaging designs.
To do that, we must debunk common myths around this type of packaging.
There’s a common conception among companies that producing more sustainable packaging comes with an unnecessarily exorbitant cost.
This might be true if you only look at up-front costs. However, being more sustainable comes with long-term financial benefits that outweigh these initial costs.
For example, how often have you received a big box from Amazon that contained one small product? The rest of the space is filled with various types of box fillers, such as plastic or bubble wrap.
Does this strike you as particularly wasteful? It is.
This type of packaging may also incur additional costs to cover fines or lost revenue due to not being able to be sold in certain regions.
Rather than adding bubble wrap to an oversized box, which goes in the trash bin, try replacing this common protective filling with a biodegradable paper in a smaller box.
This will save you costs in the long run.
Digitally printed packaging also helps reduce the carbon footprint of packaging. Not only is it better for the environment, it’s less expensive too.
Overall, sustainable packaging design materials typically require less material to be used, making the package lighter, slimmer, and easier to transport.
Additionally, environmentally friendly packaging may qualify for tax incentives and subsidies from governments, highlighting the benefits of sustainable packaging design processes.
Not a bad deal!
Now that you’ve decided you want to use more sustainable packaging design materials, you’re being told there are not a lot of options.
This is a myth. These materials are not as scarce as you may think, and more are becoming available every day.
In fact, there are numerous innovative materials such as bioplastics, bamboo paper, and stone paper.
For example, new varieties of pouches and cartons with reusable seals and tear trips are taking sustainability to the next level.
According to McKinsey’s presentation, companies are moving to the new ideology of “paper where possible, plastic only when useful.” Other companies are piloting fiber-based solutions, including paper bottles with bio-barriers, high-speed, flow-wrapped confectionery paper, paper packaging with barrier properties, new bio-based LPB barriers, and more. Additional innovations include “polylactic acid (PLA), bagasse, recycled paper, and post-consumer polystyrene that can be used to manufacture coffee cups, plates, cutlery, and boxes” (GlobalVision).
We’ll be the first to say that how packaging looks makes a difference to consumers. They’re sensitive to aesthetics and are visually drawn in by packaging designs.
But who says an environmentally friendly package can’t also be beautiful? Where did the notion that sustainable packaging lacks aesthetic appeal come from?
Who knows, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But we can say this: technological advancements are playing a big role in making eco-friendly packaging designs attractive.
For example, you can create designs consumers know and love by switching to an environmentally friendly ink.
Older ink varieties often contain petrochemicals that are not only harder to recycle but also harmful to consumers and the planet. Their production also produces a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions.
Today’s newer, environmentally friendly inks are made from “soy-based, vegetable-based, and water-based” sources.
One of the biggest reasons companies avoid sustainable packaging is because they don’t think the benefits to the environment outweigh the costs if it isn’t 100% sustainable.
Even with better materials, companies are concerned that sustainable packaging might still contribute to environmental waste.
Yes, that can be true if companies aren’t doing their due diligence.
Sustainability goes beyond the physical packaging itself to include packaging processes as well.
For example, energy-efficient manufacturing processes reduce overall waste, energy usage, and CO2 emissions.
Employing sustainable manufacturing processes and designing with sustainable packaging materials ensures a positive net return to the environment.
We hate to break it to you, but recyclable doesn’t equal sustainable. There’s a lot more that goes into sustainability than just recyclability.
While recyclability is a great starting place, an all-encompassing strategy must also include “source reduction, product design, reuse, and consideration of recycled content” (Shorr).
Understanding and considering how a product is manufactured, how it’s disposed of, and what happens at the end of its life cycle is critical.
Packaging’s biggest purpose is to protect the product within.
However, some companies believe sustainable packaging design is inferior to its counterpart. They believe it won’t protect their products during transportation, from spoiling, or other factors.
Myth! Sustainable packaging design options can be just as durable as traditional packaging.
Paper-based honeycomb mailer bags, for instance, protect products just as well as plastic bubble mailers. Even better, they’re recyclable (Sappi Packaging & Specialty Papers)!
Additionally, paper products, which are sturdy enough to replace plastic containers, demonstrate how fluting, which is corrugated cardboard, can maintain its strength even when made from recycled materials (Sappi Packaging & Specialty Papers).
By creating sustainable packaging designs, companies will conserve natural resources and reduce their carbon footprint, thereby minimizing harmful environmental impacts.
We encourage you to prioritize sustainable packaging design options and recognize the long-term benefits of embracing these practices.
To learn more about how Esko can help your business be more sustainable, contact us today!