Greener packaging at a glance:
The packaging design challenge
Packaging design is a three-dimensional discipline:
- As a decorative surface, packaging speaks to the passing consumer, whispering (and sometimes shouting) "buy me." The result can be seen on shelves loaded with bright paperboard boxes, shiny foils and metallics, and lavish and colorful plastic bags. Visually exciting, surely, but what becomes of the beautiful box and the slick wrapper once it's opened?
- Packaging must also serve as functional and protective storage for the products within, during both transport (secondary packaging) and on-shelf display (primary packaging). As a result, designers and manufacturers have typically leaned on excessive layers and bulk even when unnecessary.
- Finally, product packaging provides an interactive user experience. When done thoughtlessly, as when an online bookstore ships several books each in its own plastic wrapper and separate cardboard shipping box, it frustrates the user and creates an onerous amount of waste.
This flood of both primary and secondary packaging is the largest contributor to our nation's landfills, accounting for a third of all municipal landfill waste (US EPA). And guess what: we're quickly running out of room.
A different kind of packaging design
Greener packaging design, on the other hand, can fulfill all of the above roles without sacrificing our environment. So how can designers use their creative problem-solving skills to break the landfill cycle and design better packaging?
- Eliminate packaging altogether.
Although the greenest packaging is no packaging at all, many designers fear this will put them out of business. But examples abound where smart designers are able to eliminate most packaging and build brand equity, like the clothing company that simply rolls up their t-shirts and secures them with a product tag. By focusing on the ultimate goal (safely delivering a product to a customer), we can break out of standard formats and design better delivery methods.
- Reduce materials.
To reduce the amount of materials required, try lightweighting your packaging (using lighter-weight materials), designing a package that can be reused over again (or even reused for another purpose), or reconfiguring shapes and sizes.
- Design for recovery.
Designers can divert waste from landfills by designing packaging that's made to be composted or recycled by standard municipal systems. This means careful choice of greener materials, making sure components can be easily broken down, and including clear disposal instructions on the packaging itself. It also means potentially working with clients to develop take-back programs for packaging and used products. Many European countries already have laws regulating design for recovery, and the U.S. may not be far behind (see the Green Dot program for more information).
- Design primary and secondary packaging to work together.
Think about redesigning primary container shapes to minimize secondary shipping containers. By designing both primary and secondary packaging into a cohesive system, you can reduce freight volume and weight, which in turn reduces the environmental impact of shipping goods.
- Choose nontoxic materials.
One of the most important ways designers can improve packaging is to specify nontoxic alternatives to commonly polluting materials. PVC, for example, is a particularly toxic plastic that can often be replaced with a less toxic material depending on the use (see glossary).
Re-nourish recommendations for 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. The Sustainable Design Roadmap can also provide further guidance for developing a greener packaging design process.
For further help with your sustainable packaging project, you can visit the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, The Recycled Paperboard Alliance, the European Organization for Packaging and the Environment (EUROPEN) and/or the Packaging Council of New Zealand.
A step-by-step guide to making your next graphic design project more sustainable.
Re-nourish's criteria for defining a sustainable packaging project.
