Greener Packaging Design

Set a more sustainable course for packaging by incorporating the following guidelines into your next project. Ideally, sustainable packaging should:

• Eliminate excess or unnecessary material (also known as rightsizing).
• Be made as light as possible without sacrificing durability (also known as lightweighting).
• Be made with nontoxic, renewable materials (see bioplastics and Cradle to Cradle).
• Be manufactured and transported using renewable energy.
• Be designed for intentional reuse, and for longevity.
• Be easily disassembled for appropriate disposal channels.
• Be compostable, or at least recyclable.
• Avoid polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Don't forget to try our Greener Printer and Paper Finder tools on your next packaging project. Designing with a systems thinking approach can also provide further guidance for developing a greener packaging design process.

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For further help with your sustainable packaging project, you can visit the:

• Sustainable Packaging Coalition
• The Recycled Paperboard Alliance
• European Organization for Packaging and the Environment (EUROPEN)
• Packaging Council of New Zealand.

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