Packaging News You Can Use

What if you could wave a wand and magically reduce the amount of product packaging? I’m sure you would have an instant success with consumers who are concerned about the amount of product packaging. The problem isn’t as simple as it seems at first. That’s why it’s so difficult for companies to remake their entire product packaging to satisfy everyone.

Its not that companies don’t want to reduce their packaging it’s just hard for them to factor in all the variables that apply or might come into play. Sometimes it comes out of left field something you couldn’t anticipate either.

Newton Shoes:

Take this Newton shoe packaging example that was all the rage because its use of eco- friendly packaging materials. On the surface it looks like a solution but unfortunately as it turned out the packaging actually was more costly to produce, took more space in shipping and distribution and was a nightmare at retail due to the unusual shape. Consequently was not really an environmental win even though the package design is great.

Courtesy of Shoebox

Some companies are doing a really good job of reducing packaging the volume of packaging materials

Park City Icewater:

The bottled water is an industry hard hit by the environmental movement. Every one has a different eco packaging story to share. I picked this example because I really like the packaging and it was the first of it’s kind to come up with an innovative packaging solution. GlacierPak takes up considerably less space in landfills, the primary complain against traditional bottled water. But still it’s packaging to dispose of even though it does reduce the amount of waste. So is this “really” an eco packaging solution?

Courtesy SustainableIsGood.com

Eliminating more packaging or transforming an existing mainstay type package is a good start. In this example the traditional plastic packaging wrap is eliminated if favor of a recycled paperboard box. The intent is to make it a dispenser too much like the paperboard refrigerator dispenser for soft drinks. After empty the whole thing can be tossed into the recycle bin. Seems a reasonable packaging solution to less packaging.

Ever-Green bathroom tissue

WonderTablitz
I’ve used this example before because it seems such an easy solution to less packaging. Ship less water (which is the main component of most cleaning products). The bottles are shipped empty and you keep the original bottle. The cleaning tables are encapsulated in the front of the packaging and you buy replacement tablets and use your own water.
So the bottle is infinitely reusable saving it from going into the waste stream. And saving on transportation costs too.

So the reality is when you when you design your product packaging to reflect the consumer wants and needs you may not satisfy everyone and you may not be able to achieve all your packaging objectives. The more thought you can do beforehand might save you problems at the backend. What seems like and eco packaging transformation might not be your ultimate outcome.