Dell’s focus on sustainability has established the electronics giant as a leader in the green movement. Back in December of 2008, Dell announced a plan to transform computer packaging by adding recycled content (32%). By 2012, Dell hopes to achieve its goal of increasing the recycled content in its packaging by 40%. To do this, the company is implementing a strategy based on three C’s: Cube, Content, and Curbside.

Cube
Reducing the size of product packaging so it is more efficient, from the size of the boxes that hold product components to the number of items that can be moved per shipping pallet. In one example, Dell optimized the packaging for its Inspiron laptop so that the number of computers per pallet increased from 54 to 63.

Content
As previously stated, Dell is ramping up the amount of recycled contents that go into their packaging. For heavier products that require sturdier support, the company has increased the use of recycled foam versus using virgin product. Dell has also increased the use of post-consumer recycled plastics, integrating the equivalent of more than 9.5 million half-gallon milk jugs into its packaging.

Also, Dell has been using bamboo as a strong and compostable alternative to the molded paper pulp, foams, and corrugated cardboard often used in packaging.

Curbside
Ensuring that their packaging is curbside recyclable is that last piece of Dell’s green packaging strategy. Dell increasingly chooses materials that can be tossed in the recycling bin such as post-consumer plastics and molded paper pulp.

Bamboo is still not accepted by many municipal recyclers for curbside pickup however, Dell is working with Georgia Pacific, Unisource Global Services, and Environmental Packaging International in an effort to certify its bamboo packaging for recycling.

Dell outlines the three C’s strategy in their 2010 Corporate Responsibility Summary Report (PDF)

Have you heard the term Upcycling? Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value. It is the opposite of downcycling, which involves converting materials and products into new materials of lesser quality. Most recycling involves converting or extracting useful materials from a product and creating a different product or material.

Upcycling, in reference to packaging, has a slighly different definition. It’s the creative use of the shape and characteristics of existing packaging to create new products or packaging. Here are some great examples of upcycled packaging:

The pioneers of Upcycling: Terracycle

In 2010, 27% of products at major US retailers are estimated to have sustainable packaging. By 2015, this figure is projected to reach 37%.

Despite a global recession, escalating environmental pressures from consumers, the media, and legislators have put pressure on manufacturers to emphasize innovation in design, choice of materials, processing, and life cycle logistics. In fact, green packaging is the only sector of packaging that has continued to show growth. This evidence tells us that the future of packaging is in sustainability.

Environmentally conscious decisions now must revolutionize packaging design and drive the bottom-line of companies. Consumers are becoming increasingly educated on what sustainability is to the extent that they can, and will, call out companies for greenwashing (deceptive use of green marketing in order to promote a misleading perception that a company’s policies or products are environmentally friendly).

Walmart continues to be on the forefront of sustainable packaging in the retail arena.  Although the retail giant has achieved many of its environmental goals such as plastic bag reduction, it continues to be unable to eliminate PVC from private-label packaging. As sustainable packaging evolves, Walmart will continue to strive in achieving its PVC elimination goals.

Many other large companies are following suit including Proctor & Gamble. Very recently, they announced plans to use sugarcane-derived plastic on selected packaging for its Pantene Pro-V, Covergirl and Max Factor brands to increase its sustainability credentials. The strategy by P&G is completely consumer-driven. Their research shows that women around the world want to make themselves more beautiful without making their environment less beautiful.

Amazon and Mattel team up to implement their own green packaging innovation. Dubbing it Frustration Free Packaging (FFP), its intention is to stray away from plastic packaging that is difficult to open. Especially in regards to toy packaging, Mattel found that consumers were livid about the complexity of opening up toys from their plastic and twist-tie inundated mess. Frustration Free Packaging is recyclable and is designed to be opened without the use of a box cutter or knife and will protect your product just as well as traditional packaging.

The key to all of this is that consumer feedback from companies like these has been extremely positive. If customer’s are pleased and recognizing sustainable packaging efforts, the demand will continue to increase just as experts suspect that it will.

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.

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.

Phillips has been receiving a lot of awards lately especially in packaging design. It’s not surprising if you look at the Activa Fitness Monitor.

The packaging for the product is a perfect example of Re-purposed Packaging. A lot of re-purposing is clever but the Activa packaging is really an extension of the product itself. The monitor is tucked inside a clear water bottle which showcases the product and later, acts as your additional fitness companion. As the sustainable packaging market keeps rising due to environmental concerns, look for companies to employ the same type of green packaging tactics like re-purposing.

The Activa Fitness Monitor itself? It’s a very cool versatile product. You can load up mp3 files while letting the monitor know what exercise you’re doing and it will play your music according to your activity and workout pace- approximating your heart rate. You can clip it to your waist or wear it as a wrist watch or arm band, the Activa keeps track of your workout performance and gives you vocal feedback about it. After your workout, the Activa gives you your performance results that you can easily track on your PC.

While packaging is thought to be wasteful by some consumers, re-purposed packaging like this alleviates those concerns because it’s not going to tossed in the trash as soon as the product is opened.

It’s coming June 4th. The most highly-anticipated android release of the year. It’s the Sprint EVO- the first of its kind that supports the 4G network. As it will be a few weeks before it hits the shelves lets take a sneak peak at the packaging.

Sprint is on the green scene, making a concerted effort to promote their environmental responsibility. It would only make sense then that the packaging is made out of recycled cardboard- nice touch!

Now lets look at the shape of the box. It’s interesting. Like none other we’ve ever seen in this market. It kind of looks like a microwavable dinner though if you’re planning on purchasing one of these phones, we don’t recommend that.

As more and more companies are looking to sustainable packaging solutions, packaging providers are trying to find unique ways to use the limited amount of resources to create eco-friendly packaging.

As the global sustainable packaging market is projected to double to $170 billion by 2014, ISO begins work on international sustainable packaging standards. ISO is the International Standards Organization who oversee a widely used portfolio of ISO certifications.

Packaging Digest reported that representatives from the US, 11 European countries, China, Korea, and Japan met late last year to iron out the details. ISO aims to develop six standards for the sustainable packaging certification:

1. Source reduction
2. Reuse
3. Recycling
4. Energy recovery
5. Chemical recovery
6. Composting and bio-degradation

After the six standards are finalized, a seventh standard will outline requirements for using the six standards. Final draft is expected to be completed by ISO sometime in 2012.

Although many major companies have resisted sustainable packaging initiatives in the past, citing the higher costs of implementing new packaging processes as the biggest deterrent, those that have persevered have typically seen dramatic savings and the disposal of far less packaging waste. A key misconception is the belief that higher costs are  associated with sustainability efforts.

According to a 2007 survey by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and Packaging Digest magazine, 73% of 1,255 respondents stated that their companies were emphasizing sustainable packaging. In doing so, companies aimed to minimizing their carbon footprint through initiatives related to transportation, alternative fuels, and sustainable packaging.

Introducing Rescue Water. The newest functional beverage that serves additional purposes other than simply quenching your thirst. Produced by AriZona Beverage Company, Rescue Water is a flavored water intended to help increase the rate of fluid replacement and balance nutrient absorption in the body. The beverage is marketed to active people and comes in four different flavors that feature AriZona’s classic green tea extract for an antioxidant boost. The water is made with no preservatives and no artificial colors and is sweetened with a natural sweetener derived from Stevia Plants.

For packaging, Rescue Water required a bottle that can withstand the high temperatures and pressures of processing. The 20.5 ounce PET bottles feature Constar’s X4™ technology, in which the panel-free design imparts a robust, in-hand feel similar to glass. The breakthrough technology also optimizes manufacturing during the hot fill labeling processes. The high-tech geometry of the bottles with the X4™ technology allows the vacuum hot-filling process to take place in the base of the bottle leaving the sides rigid and smooth giving the bottle a similar feel to glass.

The bottles also contain Constar’s DiamondClear technology which is blended throughout the PET giving a crystal clarity to the bottle while aiming to protect the freshness, flavor, and color of the beverage inside.

The Rescue Water bottle is also a sustainable packaging solution. PET bottles with X4™ technology are recyclable using the 1-PETE code and are BPA free. Accepted by curbside recycling programs, used PET containers can be recycled into a host of new products such as packaging, sleeping bags, clothing, and tires.

More info:
AriZona Beverage Company
Constar X4™ Technology

PUMA has introduced some very innovative packaging for their shoes that could change the way shoes are packaged in the future. Dubbed “Clever Little Bag”, the packaging and distribution system will reduce the paper used for shoeboxes by 65% and carbon emissions by 10,000 tons per year.

Partnering with San Francisco designer, Yves Behar, the “Clever Little Bag” will replace the cardboard shoebox with a fashionable reusable shoe bag. Not only does the bag serve as a great protector, it is a very efficient and eco-friendly way to get their popular shoes into the hands of consumers.

PUMA will be generating huge savings on the production side using fewer raw materials, less water and energy to produce, and less weight to ship and be disposed of. Further, they will be reducing consumption on a manufacturing level by more than 60% per year- approximately 8,500 tons less paper will be consumed, 20 million Megajoules of electricity saved, and 264,000 gallons of fuel oil and water saved. During transport, 132,000 gallons of diesel fuel will be saved. Due to the replacement of traditional shopping bags, up to 275 tons of plastic can be saved with the use of the “Clever Little Bag”.

By 2015, PUMA is aiming to implement fully sustainable packaging for all of their product lines. Some other things that are on the horizon in the near term are sustainable bags for all apparel collections which estimate in saving 29 million plastic bags per year. Also, PUMA T-shirts will be folded one more time to reduce packaging size and CO2 emissions and costs during transport.

More info:
PUMA Vision