Other than eco-friendly and green packaging options, sustainable packaging solutions are making its way into the new packaging trends. Sustainable packaging is the designing and development of packaging that is made from biodegradable and recycled material and is further designed to be used for multiple purposes, hence increasing the packaging’s life cycle and usability. Considering the amount of waste our planet is having, the need for sustainable and recyclable packaging solutions is ever significant now.
According to Wal-Mart, Remove, Reduce, Recycle, Renew, Re-use are the five of the original seven R’s of the sustainability packaging modules, which is now lessened to reduce, reuse and recycle. The retailer giant has been working on minimizing its carbon and greenhouse footprint by rethinking and redesigning its packaging and introducing more room for reuse and recycling. Besides Wal-Mart, other companies like Coca Cola Co., Biotika, Monday’s Child, Sheyn, H&M and Slopes & Town are amongst the many others that have reduced their packaging waste by using recycled material and functional design that could be transformed into other items.
Why Sustainability Packaging is Needed?
While sustainability packaging could be more expensive than the traditional ‘use and dispose’ packaging, it is crucial to rethink and recreate the way businesses do packaging. Talking about global consumer trends, they are more informed than ever about the products they use and the resources that have been used for it. Brands and businesses are moving towards sustainable and recyclable packaging ideas because they know what their consumers want and that they want to educate them about the need and importance of recycling.
Sustainability Packaging Reduces Carbon and Greenhouse Footprint
A lot of energy goes into manufacturing the packaging of the goods; companies spend nearly half of their budget on the package of their items, which includes everything from money and energy. We all know that carbon dioxide and other carbon compounds are released with the use of fuels, including fossil fuels. By reducing packaging material and opting for lighter versions, businesses can significantly reduce the amount of CO2 released during the life cycle of their products.
Sustainable Packaging Cuts Down the Usage of Resources
Natural resources including water, natural fuel, gases and minerals are reducing with every passing day and companies take a hefty credit for it. Usage of water, natural material and fuel during the product development and transportation cycle, which is depleting natural resources. With sustainable packaging solutions, companies are looking forward to decrease the usage of new resources and extending their life cycle.
Sustainable Packaging Saves Money and from Toxins
Because sustainable options use biodegradable and natural ingredients like bioplastics, it is non-toxic and free from allergies that are caused from processed plastic and items made from them like children milk and water bottles and cups. Sustainable packaging also offers tons of options and chances to save big on money as you are using the same item in different ways, for example, H&M’s shopping bag is also a hanger that is used for hanging and sorting clothes.
Sustainable packaging is a great way of starting and being a part of the revolution of minimizing packaging cost and waste and increasing functionality in packaging.