How green is your packaging?
Packaging waste is a significant global problem. With the boom of eCommerce and fast fashion contributing to the masses, the fashion industry’s role in waste generation is significant. On a positive note, consumers are growing much more conscious of the environmental impact of their purchasing habits and are actively looking to purchase from eco-friendly retailers. With this noticeable shift in focus towards green products, a number of sustainable packaging options are already offered, but an ever increasing product range and misleading claims can make picking the right product for your brand complicated.
So what is sustainable packaging? What needs to be considered when looking to make the switch to more eco-friendly packaging? When making a choice it is important to consider the entire life cycle of the product, ensure the product is certified and will do what it claims and is suitable for your brand and customer.
Reduced Packaging
Thoughtful ways of reducing your packaging should always be your first step. Review your packaging and consider how you could change its design or minimise the number of packaging items used. For example, does your product need to be wrapped in a plastic bag and then put inside a box? Can information about your brand be printed on the box or published on your website rather than on a separate card? Streamlining your packaging design can help minimise the amount of waste sent to landfill, but also reduce your overall packaging costs.
Paper Products
Using recycled paper for your packaging not only minimises the use of virgin raw materials, but also means items destined for landfill can be recycled and made into new products. Maintaining the recyclable capabilities of your paper products also ensures your packaging has another life. When designing your packaging, consider using film lamination such as BOPP (Biaxially-Oriented Polypropylene) as conventional laminated products cannot be recycled. There are also alternatives to traditional petroleum-based inks for printing such as water based inks or renewable soy-based inks. These inks are non-toxic and also water soluble, which is better for both the consumer and the environment.
Certifications are another element influencing what both consumers and businesses choose for their packaging. For paper products, the Forest Stewardship Council or FSC certification guarantees that paper items have come from a forest and supply chain that is managed responsibly. Packaging printed with the FSC logo must be produced by a FSC certified supplier and the raw material and print design must adhere to the FSC guidelines.
Plastic Products
Reducing our reliance on traditional fossil fuel-based products is a common approach to making your packaging eco-friendly. Alternative options for soft plastic polybags and postal bags include recycled plastics like RPE / RPET or plant-based fibres such as PLA made from corn starch. These products offer environmental benefits at the beginning of the product life cycle through reduced consumption of fossil fuel resources. It is important to note however, that each product offers varying capabilities for recyclability, biodegradability or compostability at end of life, so must be considered carefully.
Recycled plastics are made from non-virgin plastic material waste. It is not suitable for composting and the rate of decomposition in landfill is timely (anywhere from 10 to 1000 years). However, recovery infrastructure for soft recycled plastics is well established across Australia and NZ with programs such as REDcycle and Love NZ collection bins at shopping centres and commercial soft plastic collection bins allowing for easy disposal by consumers and commercial recycling for use in new products.
PLA which stands for polylactic acid, is a biobased plastic made from renewable plant-based fibres such as corn starch. Another benefit of PLA is that it can be composted, but disposal of compostable packaging not as straightforward. PLA is also considered a contaminant in kerbside recycling bins and soft plastic recycling programs. If it claims to be compostable, it must meet the applicable Australian standards for it be certified either industrial compostable, home compostable or both. If the product is certified for home composting, customers can do so at home or a local Community Composting Hub. If it is only certified for industrial composting, it needs to be done so in an industrial composting facility and is not suitable for home composting. While on the rise, commercial composting is currently in its infancy in Australia and NZ and Council kerbside collection of compostable plastics is not currently widespread. Where correct disposal options are not available to your customer, it may just end up in landfill, where it will most likely remain inert. It is therefore important to be cautious when selecting PLA products. Make sure they have been tested for their capabilities before use and are labelled clearly with the material the packaging is made from and the correct disposal method.
If you are considering making the change to green packaging and need help selecting the right product for your brand, contact us and see how we can help.
