Packaging News You Can Use

• 30 truly amazing wine label designs http://is.gd/bHuRo
  A product as basic as wine can be packed in so many different ways. Looking at archives of packaging by category is a good way to get creative ideas for your own products.
  For more insights read: Who Are You Packaging Your Product For Anyway?
• Universal Packaging System concept makes shipping stuff easier @ http://is.gd/bFjrg
  This innovation could radically change the way packages are shipped. One size fits all will dramatically cut down on inventory. The question remains does all the scoring detract from the structure integrity of the package?
  Find out more need to know in: 5 Things Every Business Needs To Know About Packaging
• Build Your Own iPad Stand Using iPad Packaging @ http://bit.ly/dB7nLq
  There was a whole hot of packaging designs focused around Earth Day 2010. One of the packaging paths to the future is to repurpose packaging materials for other purposes.
  For more repurposed packaging ideas read: Repurposed Packaging – The Packaging Of The Future
• CIGARETTES will soon be sold in plain packaging 2 stop young Australians from smoking @ http://bit.ly/dnwjHj
  The theory is scary pictures or no information at all will stop people from smoking. Australia is not the first company to attempt this concept. Only time will tell. But the main point is what gets adapted in one country can overflow to others.
  On Point: Packaging: The Hidden Power Player In A Global Society
• Glass packaging has the lowest carbon footprint @ http://bit.ly/blnPmI
  Who else has the same statement. Its all in how you interpret the data. Each packaging material claims their is the best.

SPECIAL REPORT: 2010 Packaging Trends Impacting What Consumers Will Buy:

In this fiercely competitive environment where every element of product packaging counts it’s important to understand any external influences that might keep your consumer from buying.

Packaging trends evolve with consumer’s wants and needs and sometimes they can become a primary factor in whether or not your packaging will succeed. It’s hard to assess each individual importance but it’s critical to manage for your overall packaging success.

Please email for a PDF copy of the top ten packaging trends.

Tags: Cardboard box, Compostable, Consumers, Design, Earth Day, eco packaging, Fast Company, glass, green, greenwash, media, online community, package design, packaging design, packaging innovation, packaging trends, Rebranding, Repurposed, Small Business, social media, sustainability, sustainable packaging, universal packaging, UPS, Wal-Mart, wine

Plastic to glass, paper to plastic and so on. Let the packaging wars begin as each material tries to claim it’s the best most economical and good for the environment. It’s impossible to conclude that there is one best material for every application.

Here are some recent competing statements:

FEVE – the EU association for container glass – declared that glass was the most eco-friendly packing material as it released figures showing that the 25.5 billion containers collected for recycling in 2008 represented “an average recycling rate of 65 per cent for the EU27 countries”.

“Coca-Cola Great Britain teamed up with the Carbon Trust to determine the greenhouse gas emissions involved in the life cycle of glass, metal and plastic packaging, and found that the carbon footprint of glass packaging is more than double the impact of using aluminum cans.”

See what I mean!

As a further example look at the “bottled water” wars where everyone claims theirs is the best package for the environment. You will see water packaged in all the primary packaging materials as everyone clamors for improved market share or a competitive advantage.

Paper And Paperboard Water Bottles

The PaperBottle is made from molded pulp is not yet commercial viable but has many potential applications. BoxedWater is a real product and is really like a milk carton.

Eco-friendly Plastic Options

If plastic is bad for the environment is the PlantBottle truly green or just another marketing gimmick?

A plastic bottle made from plants – up to 30 per cent organic material to start. Coke is trying to do its part to reduce plastic consumption for its bottles.

Less Overall Plastic Options

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?

Via SustainableIsGood.com

Water In Composite Paperboard Solutions Considered More Eco-Friendly

Plant It Water cartons are sustainable alternatives to disposable plastic bottles.

No wonder consumers are confused by eco-friendly packaging options

And I haven’t even covered the refillable options. It seems clear from these very different examples that everyone has a different opinion which packaging is best. So just take water as an example in off the wall and out of the box thinking in developing your product packaging. Your packaging can be any material as long as you back it up with consumer wants and needs. Let the best packaging material win!

Packaging Phrases To Watch For In 2010:

• Eco-Friendly
• Virgin Materials
• Alternative Packaging
• LifeCycle
• Paper
• Plastic
• Glass
• PlantBottle
• PaperBottle
• Molded Pulp
• BoxedWater
• Material Of Choice

Tags: Alternative Packaging, Aluminum, BoxedWater, eco friendly, glass, LifeCycle, Material Of Choice, Molded Pulp, packaging, Paper, PaperBottle, plantbottle, Plastic, Virgin Materials

BPA decision soon, says the FDA.

There are two schools of thought as to whether BPA needs to be banned on food packaging. Manufacturers say its safe yet watchdog groups say its not. The FDA has been considering their position (some might say flip-flopping) for a while and everyone is waiting for the outcome. For more on the FDA and packaging read

What’s The FDA Got To Do With Packaging @ http://is.gd/5qp8I

Complete article @ http://bit.ly/6bLNR6

Haute Eco Containers – Organic Packaging by Lindsay Perkins Subtle Yet Sustainable

Glass is making a comeback as an eco friendly material. Just one problem, right now there is a shortage of glass manufacturers.

Complete Article @ http://bit.ly/6HdmHA

Problem Is Not Packaging Design It’s Systems Design.

Part of what the green movement is all about is understanding what the consumer wants and expects in more eco-friendly packaging. Many companies are missing the mark with their green initiatives. Look for more on how the ReThink green packaging.

Complete Article @ http://bit.ly/8FmEzP

Nexus One finally caught on video alongside its packaging.

Creating online buzz is just one way smart CPG’s are marketing their products. Look for many new applications in 2010.

Complete Article: http://bit.ly/771Ia2

New Packaging Standards May Change Way You Shop

This is very worrisome for the packaging industry. Trying to mandate universal packaging standards. Packaging utilization and quality vary widely by country tying to equate developed countries packaging with that of emerging nations makes no sense. I’ve seen government packaging regulations before and it ain’t pretty.

Full Article : http://is.gd/5p9dv

Hot Button: Vicks recalls 700,000 packages of cold medicine.

When child proof packaging counts. This mistake was purely packaging and not the product. Something like this could happen to your product and cause substantial problems

Full Article: http://bit.ly/7yVaY5

Tags: BPA, child proof, eco friendly, FDA, food packaging, glass, green movement, packaging standards, recalls