Posts Tagged ‘green packaging’

Sustainable Packaging Forms an Organization

Monday, April 4th, 2011

sustainability metaphor 320 300x225 Sustainable Packaging Forms an Organization

Sustainable packaging is now getting a voice on issues related to green packaging. Big companies have joined forces to help make the packaging industry more eco-friendly. ConAgra, Colgate-Palmolive, DuPont, Kellogg, and Proctor & Gamble are among the companies that have formed AMERIPEN, The American Institute for Packaging and the Environment. This organization plans to lobby for science-driven packaging policies and reach out to others to find ways to work together. The key issues are to find ways to improve sustainability of packaging and how to reduce waste.

AMERIPEN is trying to enhance sustainability initiatives and help save the environment by producing eco-friendly packaging. The efforts in finding ways to reduce waste and minimizing the impact on the environment are the two of the main reasons this organization was formed. They also hope to play the role of influencing opinion leaders to further improve the packaging industry’s value chain. The packaging value chain is rapidly changing as eco-friendly and sustainable trends are among us. As we become a society trying to find ways to save our environment, AMERIPEN is here to do their part, within the packaging industry.

Odwalla is Planting Eco-Friendliness

Monday, February 21st, 2011

odwalla plant bottle 165x300 Odwalla is Planting Eco Friendliness

Odwalla, maker of natural juices, smoothies, protein drinks, and food bars will be hitting shelves this March, but in a greener fashion. Odwalla will be transitioning from their traditional packaging to the PlantBottle. This new bottle is made of 100% plant-based materials and is 100% recyclable. It also consists of materials derived from molasses and sugarcane juice. The goal with this new Odwalla packaging is to reduce dependence on nonrenewable resources. Coca-Cola, along with many others have replaced their traditional packaging with the PlantBottle, in an effort to make their packaging more eco-friendly.

The PlantBottle is just another step Odwalla has taken to become a more sustainable company. They have created an organization called Plant a Tree Program, which has planted more than 300,000 trees in the last 3 years. They also developed Bloom Energy Fuel Cell technology which reduces Odwalla’s carbon footprint of its plant by 35%. The PlantBottle, along with their other green innovations are helping to reduce their dependence on nonrenewable resources.

8 Ideas to Make “Green” Packaging More Green

Monday, January 10th, 2011

green planer 8 Ideas to Make Green Packaging More Green

Whether you call it green, eco-friendly, or sustainable, this type of packaging provides many benefits to the environment. It has the ability to reduce waste, greenhouse gas emissions, and our dependence on oil. What may surprise you is that green packaging is also an effective marketing solution. By using sustainable packaging, sales have the possibility of increasing and costs are cut. Although sustainable packaging has many benefits, there is always room for improvement and innovation.

Here are 8 ideas to make green packaging more green:

1. Innovation in design: Just because something is eco-friendly doesn’t mean creativity and design gets thrown out the window. Packaging still needs to keep customers satisfied and enticed to purchase. Creative designs can have sustainable solutions, while still keeping the customer in mind.

2. Corrugated fiberboard: Also called cardboard, corrugated materials are the most recycled on the planet. They are mainly made from recycled newspapers and boxes, and then are reused for storage and shipping. These materials are a great way to incorporate sustainability into packaging.

3. Recycled plastics: Plastics tend to have a bad reputation for being harmful to the environment. But recycled PET (RPET) is a sustainable material that is made from recycled water bottles. This a sustainable alternative for incorporating plastic into packaging.

4. Molded fiber materials: These fibers are made entirely from recycled fibers. They are versatile, durable, and environmentally responsible. Molded fibers are often used for food products, wine bottles, and toys.

5. Compostable solutions: Composting is becoming a popular way to dispose of waste and is an environmentally friendly way of doing so. By producing packaging that can be thrown into the compost pile after use is a great way to decrease waste build up. As our landfills become more and more packed with waste everyday, composting allows for those materials to be put back into the earth.

6. Automated packaging: Manual packaging takes a great deal of man power and can result in errors. Automated packaging allows for accuracy and precision.

7. The H-Loc trapped blister: What is blister packaging you ask? It has the reputation of being the frustrating and hard to open packaging. On the other hand it keeps products safe and secure. The H-Loc is a replacement to the traditional style of blister packaging. A trapped blister is an effective sustainable option because it uses mainly corrugated materials and a minimal amount of RPET.

8. Glass Packaging: As weird as this may sound, glass is a sustainable alternative for packaging. The material can be reused as well as recycled, and never uses its quality, purity, clarity, or image.

Pooh Bear Loses Some Baggage

Monday, December 27th, 2010

pooh 300x216 Pooh Bear Loses Some Baggage

Disney has cut packaging waste by 80% for its 12 inch Winnie the Pooh Plush. In designing this new package, Disney’s goal was to create less waste, cut costs, and reduce carbon emissions. The packaging is designed to use less material by taking Pooh out of the open box and sit him in a saddle instead. The saddle allows for Pooh to maintain the sitting position on shelves. The branding information is moved from the original packaging design and is placed on a small paper label that attaches to Pooh’s hand. This new label reduces the amount of ink used in this new package. The use of the new packaging has saved 8 metric tons of cardboard and translates into nearly 10 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions avoided.

Moving Ahead With Greener Packaging

Monday, December 20th, 2010

idt eco friendly packaging Moving Ahead With Greener Packaging

Companies are jumping on the green packaging bandwagon and are focusing on eco-friendly options. Green packaging is a win-win situation for these companies because it’s environmentally friendly and it provides cost savings by tossing out wasteful and outdated materials and techniques. Going green is about trying new things to help save the environment and that is exactly what companies are doing. They are experimenting and finding ways to reduce waste and harm on the environment by producing more sustainable packaging.

Walmart has been a leader in searching for greener packaging alternatives. Last year they pledged to eliminate all waste at its stores in 2025 by reducing, reusing, or recycling all materials.

Dell has been taking efforts to provide more eco-friendly packaging by trying out packaging materials made from bamboo. Bamboo replenishes itself quickly, making it a great resource for packaging.

Amazon has been thinking of ways to rethink traditional packaging. Colorful packaging was originally used for display boxes, with the intention to maximize the visual appeal, which is not necessary for online shopping. So Amazon started offering “frustration free packaging”, a program aimed at reducing shipping waste and difficult to open packaging. They work directly with manufacturers to ship products in hassle free boxes.

Other companies such as FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service offer shipping boxes made from recycled materials.

Companies are becoming more environmentally friendly when it comes to packaging and have taken different approaches to doing so. The world is full with ways to reduce waste and produce greener packaging.

What is That Noise?

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

sunships bag1 205x300 What is That Noise?

Frito-Lay’s introduction of its 100% compostable packaging for SunChips has left consumers annoyed. This new bag was launched in April 2009 and although the new bag is made from biodegradable plant material and breaks down in the environment , the bag is too noisy. The bag has an unusual molecular structure that resulted in consumers comparing the noise levels to lawnmowers and jet engines. A Facebook group called “Sorry but I can’t hear you over this SunChips Bag”, has also contributed to the outcry.  Consumer complaints and a decline in sales are the reasons SunChips are returning to its old, nondegradable packing for five of the six flavors. The noisy packaging will remain for its original flavor. This little “crunch” in eco-friendly packaging will not stop Frito-Lay from finding other packaging solutions. They will still continue search in finding sustainable packaging options.

The Future of Packaging, Part 1

Friday, August 13th, 2010

greenworld 300x240 The Future of Packaging, Part 1

Like many other industries, the packaging industry has suffered through the current recession. Sustainable packaging, however, has showed impressive growth from 2008 to 2009, and has been immune to the economic downturn. Sustainability has helped companies cut costs and reduce packaging waste by using recycled and reusable materials. Europe and the U.S. represent the largest regions for sustainable packaging, together accounting for more than 70 percent of the global market.

Sustainable packaging is projected to reach $142.42 billion globally by 2015, according to a report from Global Industry Analysts (GIA). Drivers for growth include increased awareness about environmental hazards related to disposal and recycling of packaging wastes, government initiatives to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, and stringent regulations.

As eco-friendly packaging becomes mainstream, many companies are implementing green packaging as a marketing tool. Manufacturers also are under pressure to use environment-friendly materials, and adopt methods that require low-energy consumption and reduce environmental impact of packaging.

In terms of market segmentation, recycled material accounts for the largest packaging category, contributing nearly 90 percent to the total demand in the United States. However, biodegradables represent the fastest growing segment in the packaging industry. Biodegradable materials are easily decomposed by microorganisms, and reduce packaging waste, while the materials preserve food products and sustain freshness. Among biodegradables, bioplastics are garnering the greatest attention in the green packaging market. As questions loom about the limitations of bioplastics, the demand continues to swell, presenting an opportunistic market as bioplastics evolve.

Markets using sustainable packaging include cosmetics and personal care, food and beverage, food service and shipping markets, and healthcare. As an example, the study cites more than 600 new beauty products with a green label were introduced in Europe alone during the past two years, driven by consumer preference for eco-friendly plastic packaging materials.

27 percent of products at major U.S. retailers are estimated to have sustainable packaging in 2010, and by 2015, this figure is projected to reach 37 percent.

To be continued…..

Check out: Green Packaging 365

Packaging with Banana Leaves

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

banana2 300x212 Packaging with Banana Leaves

In today’s world, packaging is often looked at as wasteful, largely because the packaging usually outlives the products that they protect. But packaging is extremely important. It provides protection to keep products safe in transport and on shelves as well as information for consumers to make the right purchasing decision. With that said, researchers realize the importance of packaging while taking environmental concerns into consideration in an effort to source sustainable materials that can be used for packaging. We’ve blogged about many of them. Recently, coconuts have been tested for different packaging applications. Others include algae-based plastics, sugarcane plastics, mushroom stems, and the list goes on.

Now the newest development in eco-friendly packaging material is banana leaves (at least until we run across something else….maybe next week). Israeli designer named Tal Marco has taken a decidedly low-tech and refreshing approach to package design with his use of natural banana leaves which are an abundant resource in many regions around the world. Their wax-like surface is ideal for food packaging specifically because they work well with wet and greasy foods. However, the leaves are very flexible and can last a long time after being cut from banana trees. Therefore, they can be adapted to many types of packaging.

banana11 300x212 Packaging with Banana LeavesThese banana leaf packages that are pictured are cut to form using die cutting technology. Die cut leaves can be folded into numerous forms lending themselves to many retail applications. No glue is used. The unique qualities of this material allow packages to be opened simply by tearing the banana leaf along its natural perforation.

Coconuts- The Next Study For Sustainable Packaging

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

coconuts 300x300 Coconuts  The Next Study For Sustainable Packaging

In our environmentally conscious world, the packaging industry is scouring resources for materials to implement into sustainable packaging applications. The newest to enter the conversation? Coconuts. Because of their strength and low water-absorption, coconuts might be a great candidate for eco-friendly packaging material. Researchers have begun putting it to the test.

There are many positives when looking at coconuts as a sustainable packaging material. They are a readily available resource and can be found in many places around the globe. Moreover, they’re already being harvested for coconut oils and juices. The coir, or husk, can easily be processed to produce sturdy material for packaging instead of being left for waste. Coir is strong enough to perform better than most conventional materials in categories such as density, water-absorption and swelling without the addition of chemical binders. No chemical additives mean this green packaging alternative is safe for your compost pile after use.

In today’s world, coir has many uses in furniture, horticulture products, etc. With that said, the husks are very under-utilized. Only 10 percent is currently being extracted for use in other products. You can see the opportunity of having an abundant resource if it proves to be a great packaging solution.

Another positive aspect of this innovation is that it would give a revenue boost to struggling coconut farmers around the globe.

For more information on green packaging concepts and ideas visit Green Packaging 365.

Testing Common Language for Sustainable Packaging

Friday, July 30th, 2010

earth 1 300x299 Testing Common Language for Sustainable Packaging

More than 30 companies are testing out a packaging sustainability measurement system that one group hopes becomes a worldwide standard. The system was developed through the Consumer Goods Forum’s Global Packaging Project (GPP), and includes a list of 52 indicators (and how to measure them) like weight, recycling rates, virgin content and shelf life. The indicators are divided into three main sections:

- Environmental (material waste, recycling/composting/reuse rates, recycled or renewable content)
- Economic (total cost of packaging, packaged product wastage)
- Social (packaged product shelf life, product safety, responsible workplace practices).

The GPP has also released a document (PDF) listing every indicator along with each one’s definition, metric, what to measure and what not to measure.

The basics of the system and common packaging principles are explained in the GPP’s first report, “A Global Language for Packaging and Sustainability,” which was designed to deliver a common framework and measurement system that trading partners can use to help them make better, more informed decisions about packaging and sustainability. The report was developed with input from more than 80 manufacturers, retailers, trade associations and packaging industry stakeholders.

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Walmart, SC Johnson, General Mills, Target and Colgate-Palmolive have agreed to use it to answer questions about the sustainability of different packaging choices. The results of the pilot projects will be compiled and released at the end of this year.