How to Improve the Sustainability of Packaging

Improving packaging sustainability is crucial as businesses face growing pressure from consumers and regulations to minimize their environmental impact. One area for improvement is packaging, which has an immense potential for sustainability. By implementing sustainable practices and adjusting our mindset, businesses can significantly enhance products and distribution methods. Sustainable packaging involves reducing material waste, optimizing designs for recyclability, and exploring biodegradable or compostable alternatives. This approach not only reduces a company’s carbon footprint but also enhances brand reputation by aligning with eco-conscious values. Adopting innovative solutions and adhering to global sustainability standards can ensure that packaging is functional and environmentally responsible, contributing to a more circular economy.

Additionally, businesses must take accountability for the afterlife of their product packaging by educating customers on responsible disposal. Every decision made throughout the production and distribution process affects people and communities. It is imperative to prioritize limiting negative environmental impacts and strive for a sustainable world, starting in the workplace.

The Impact of Unsustainable Packaging

The EPA estimates that over 82.2 million tons of packaging waste are discarded every year. This waste takes up space in landfills, gets into rivers and bodies of water, and can even leak hazardous chemicals into the ground, harming local wildlife and communities.

Packaging waste makes up a large portion of all disposable waste thrown away by consumers. In order to reduce this, businesses ought to take steps to change how they package products and the types of materials used in the packaging processes.

The Growing Importance of Sustainable Packaging

The importance of being eco-friendly in business is growing for several reasons. First, there are increasing regulations and protections to ensure environmental responsibility. These regulations guide manufacturers on packaging materials and components, promoting environmentally friendly practices.

Secondly, consumers are demanding more sustainable practices from companies. As demand for sustainability increases, customers will expect businesses of all sizes to align with their values by providing sustainable materials and packaging options. Meeting these consumer demands will improve brand reputation and set a positive example for competitors.

Finally, sustainability is simply the right thing to do. As a business owner, it is your responsibility to minimize waste and reduce your environmental impact, whether that’s by choice or by law. By adopting sustainable practices and using eco-friendly packaging options, it’s possible to significantly lower your carbon footprint and contribute to a cleaner and healthier planet.

What are the 5 R’s of Sustainable Packaging?

Sustainable packaging can be broken down into five R’s that represent the different methods of reducing packaging waste and using eco-friendly materials.

1. Reduce

Reduce the amount of materials needed to package products. Single-use plastics and other types of plastic packaging may seem inexpensive, but they take up space and aren’t the most sustainable way of securing products for shipment. They also produce a significant amount of waste. Utilizing smaller packaging is another way to reduce the amount of materials needed.

2. Reuse

Whenever possible, reuse materials. There are many ways that packaging can be reused once the product is finished. One way would be to utilize a refillable container or reusable packaging where the consumer buys the container once and then buys refills that are compatible with packaging. Glass packaging is another example of a type of packaging that can be reused over and over again.

3. Recycle

Utilizing recycled materials and recyclable materials is a great way to bring new life to your product packaging. Recycled plastics get recycled and turned into post-consumer plastic resin (PCR) that can be used in different products like packaging, strapping, and even fabric.

4. Renew

In recent years, renewable resources have become more commonly used as raw materials for sustainable packaging solutions. Particularly for single-use packaging, plant-based materials and compostable materials have become an excellent choice to replace traditional single-use plastics used in food packaging. Sustainable packaging is the future, and renewable and biodegradable material use is a crucial step in decreasing our environmental footprint.

5. Redesign

Take a look at your packaging design. If your packaging is outdated or can’t be altered to accommodate more sustainable practices, it might be a good time to redesign. Sometimes, all it takes is for a business to make a few small changes to enhance the sustainability of their packaging. It could be as simple as swapping traditional packaging materials for more sustainable ones, or a complete rebrand with new innovative design ideas that can help reduce waste and promote eco-friendly materials.

Steps to Improve Your Packaging Sustainability

To make your packaging more sustainable, following the five R’s is a great place to start. But for the next steps to improving your environmental impact, you’ll need a comprehensive guide to evaluate your current sustainability practices and make informed decisions about improving them.
By following these steps, you’ll be able to identify opportunities to improve the sustainability of your packaging and develop a strategy for best practices moving forward.

Conduct Your Sustainability Audit

To improve the sustainability of your packaging process, you first need to thoroughly understand your current situation. A sustainability audit assesses the different items and different materials you currently use in your business. This evaluation helps identify potential areas for improvement.

Begin by reviewing each step of your packaging process. Take note of the materials used for each product. Consider factors like how many materials are used? Is there obvious waste? What are your transportation costs, shipping obligations, and warehousing expenses? Evaluate whether traditional methods align with the overall customer experience.

Asking these questions during your audit will help you to develop a plan that prioritizes sustainability and focuses on minimizing waste and excessive spending. This approach will enhance both your packaging processes and your commitment to environmental responsibility.

Choose and Implement Sustainable Materials

The next step is to find the right sustainable materials to use in your product packaging. Using organic materials and reducing your reliance on plastic packaging or incorporating PCR and bio-based plastics into your packaging solution can you embrace natural resources that are eco-friendly and sustainable.

The material usage is a key component in your sustainable strategy, so take the time to explore some of the emerging technologies and new innovations, like plant-based packaging and recyclable packaging. These new materials are a great place to start your updated packaging process.

Optimize Your Packaging Design

By adopting minimalist packaging and eco-friendly packaging designs, you can significantly reduce waste and appeal to conscious customers with heightened expectations. Optimized designs eliminate excessive plastic waste and empty space commonly found in older packaging methods that rely on unsustainable materials and overpackaging.

You can also take this opportunity to enhance your brand’s visibility on the packaging. Packaging is an extension of your marketing strategy, and reworking your messaging, branding, colors, and logos on redesigned materials can go hand in hand.

Implement Efficient Manufacturing Processes

The next step of sustainable packaging is to make sure your manufacturing processes are optimized. Waste can come from more than just excess packaging material, and if your processes are outdated or inefficient, it can lead to lost revenue and costly downtime. Invest in eco-friendly products, machines, and tools to help your manufacturing processes become more sustainable. The use of fossil fuels can have a major impact on your ecological footprint, so look for ways to offset your costs and prioritize sustainable practices.

Enhance Your Supply Chain Sustainability

Sustainable packaging goes beyond manufacturing and also includes your supply chain. Joining a sustainable packaging coalition can help you make connections with a wider supply chain that prioritizes sustainability across various organizations and in different countries, depending on where your business operates. Also, prioritizing partnerships within the supply chain that share similar values can help with transparency to ensure sustainable practices are being used at every level.

Promote and Encourage Reusability and Recycling

Make sure you are doing your part to promote and encourage sustainable practices like reusability and recycling outside your manufacturing processes. Advocate for renewable energy sources and reduced carbon emissions in your local community, or try sponsoring an internal initiative for eco-friendly practices and match customer donations.

Not only will these practices help establish your company as a leader in sustainable initiatives, it can help back up your claims and enhance your brand image. When you lead by example, consumer demand increases, and your customers will appreciate and support your dedication to improving your environmental impact.

Educate and Engage Your Stakeholders

Your stakeholders play a crucial role in guiding and strengthening your sustainability efforts, just like your customers. Engaging and educating them helps secure the support you need to advance sustainable practices and packaging initiatives within your company.

To get started, initiate communication with your stakeholders about your motivation behind the proposed sustainable packaging changes. Provide concrete examples backed by data and evidence to support your decisions. By doing so, you lay the foundation for sustainable practices within your company.

Monitor Progress and Continuously Improve

Regardless of the packaging process you implement, consistently monitoring progress and tracking changes is essential. Through ongoing evaluation, you may discover that specific sustainable materials offer superior protection or that further innovation in packaging design can lead to even more sustainability. Embracing a philosophy of continuous improvement sets you apart from competitors and promotes forward-thinking ideas for enhancing packaging sustainability as your business grows and evolves.

Start Taking Steps Towards Improving Your Packaging Sustainability

At Paramount Global, we understand the importance of offering sustainable packaging for businesses. As industry leaders in full-service packaging and supply chain solutions, our expertise lies in optimizing and simplifying our customers’ packaging needs. From sourcing sustainable packaging solutions to inventory & supplier management, we’re here to help. Contact us today to learn how we can be a partner to you.