Brands are waking up to the fact that they need to look at innovative ways to reduce their impact on the environment. Those that produce products for outdoor activities or sports have even more reason to support the trend. Their future rests in an environmentally sound world. However, all companies can take inspiration from their eco-friendly moves.
Sustainable packaging
The bag that dissolves in water
The Icebreaker brand has used a degradable bag fashioned out of recycled plastic for a while. They're shifting to a water-soluble pouch. It will be both compostable and biodegradable, using non-toxic material. If this bag ends up as waste, it won't harm the environment.
The hangtags that dissolve
Surfer Kelly Slater’s brand, Outerknown, took on the challenge to design tags that will dissolve in water. They do this because their base material is cornstarch. Once you've bought your swimwear, you don't even have to remove the tags – just hop in the water or toss it in the washing machine, and the H2O will get the job done for you.
The packaging made from potato starch
Sustainable packaging is making constant strives, with brands looking to minimise the waste created when they ship their product. Petzl is using a material made from a mix of paper and industrial starch derived from potatoes. It’s biodegradable and can be used to make cartons in a range of sizes and durabilities. They are even home compostable. The headlamps Petzl is famous for are now packaged in this material. Bonus? The packaging is much lighter than traditional forms and is non-abrasive, so the brand has been able to do away with polybags too.
The polybags that are bio-based
Outerknown has shifted its use of polybags to a form of plastic bag made from sugar cane. The manufacturers say the benefit is that there are bigger eco savings made in the production of the bag, as there are fewer emissions. Another advantage they say is that more people have access to services that recycle plastic than composting, so they are more likely to ensure the recycling chain is adhered to.
The reusable mailers
This requires buy-in from customers, but Toad&Co believe reusable mailers are the future of sustainable packaging. The packages can be reused for a decade as they are made from recycled billboards. With e-commerce growing rapidly, solutions such as these will become more popular with all brands. The crux here is to move away from recycling to reuse materials so that the need for more recycling depots is reduced.
The reusable mesh bags
These are being used in place of polybags by a brand called Polarmax. They first trialed eco-friendly recyclable bio bags to ship their products but learned their customers still felt uncomfortable about the use of plastics in their packaging. They chose to move to mesh bags that can be reused by customers. They refer to this as “retasking”.
The strap-free boxes
Icebreaker chose to invest in a programme to stop using plastic straps on boxes that are being transported or shipped. They also stopped the use of plastic hooks on boxes used in hanging displays. They're looking at all avenues where plastic can be dropped and have tasked all their employees to make this a priority at all levels of the business.
The compostable bags
Burton chose to swap the materials used to package its snowboards from polypropylene plastic to a paper bag. It is recyclable and compostable. They say it saves considerable plastic waste each snow season when ski lovers invest in new gear. They have also replaced packaging that is non-recyclable in all their apparel packaging. They’re using recyclable corrugated cardboard boxes, which are also predominantly fashioned out of recycled materials. They've been able to replace bags that previously used a foil liner, which could not be recycled. Their aim as a brand is to reach a target of 100% recyclable or compostable packaging.
The polybag recycling initiative
The North Face has taken a different approach, looking at how they can make the recycling of polybags easier in the retail environment. The North Face Polybag Brigade diverts polybag packaging waste so it can be used to make plastic lumber, bike racks, and other useful products in the biking industry.
Packaging supplies are changing for the better. Climate change and the cause and effects on the environment are unquestionable. If you're a brand, you can take the following towards sustainability:
- Increase your percentage of recycled plastic that is used to produce poly bags.
- Use cardboard packaging that has been certified as having been sourced from sustainable forests. These factors in things such as no impact on the soil, air, and water in the systems where the trees are grown.
- Use the correct sized retail boxes, so you don't waste fillers, dividers, and bindings.
- Use inks that are environmentally friendly on the packaging.
- Choose water-based glues rather than toxic alternatives.
The author, Shaun Bryce, is Director of Melbourne Packaging Supplies.
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