Planet vs Plastic: Sustainable Packaging Design
Our team here at A&H Worldwide is celebrating Earth Day all year long!
This year, EarthDay.org is striving to promote widespread public awareness of the environmental impact of single-use plastics on our environment with 2024’s theme – Planet vs Plastic. Did you know that in 2017, packaging production constituted the highest-demanded use for plastic among all industrial sectors, with a total 146 million metric tons used? (Statista)
As the global leader in product packaging, A&H Worldwide recognizes its responsibility to do our part in protecting the environment. One of our top priorities is creating innovative products, processes, and technologies that incorporate ecologically friendly materials and techniques, to assist our customers in achieving their sustainability objectives. We offer many eco-friendly packaging solutions, including recyclable and recycled materials, as well as in-depth package engineering solutions.
Our Favorite Sustainable Product Packaging Solutions
Paperboard
At A&H Worldwide, paper and cardboard are used in many packaging products that we manufacture including boxes, accessory cards, footwear and apparel hangers, and much more. Paper and cardboard are the most widely and easily recyclable materials in the world, making them very appealing to those looking to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging. At A&H Worldwide, we are passionate about providing our customers with the most cutting-edge, environmentally responsible packaging materials available on the market, like our new recycled hemp paper. We continue to source new FSC papers as well as recycled content paperboard in a variety of colors and textures to keep our offerings fresh and exciting.
There is a common misconception that aesthetics must be sacrificed when incorporating eco-friendly materials and processes, but at A&H Worldwide that is not the case. Our paperboard products can be highly customized to fit your brand image through the use of water and soy based inks, FSC paper laminates, and even metallic foil stamping. The foils we use in the hot stamping process are specially designed for ultra-thin application, leaving behind no plastic film on your products. This means the recyclability of your products will not be affected.
100% Recycled PETG
A&H Worldwide is proud to offer our very own RCS certified 100% recycled plastic. The RCS verifies the presence and amount of recycled material in a final product. It allows for the transparent, consistent, and comprehensive independent evaluation and verification of recycled material content claims on products. We create this plastic locally in-house from 100% recycled post-consumer polyester, giving this once-recycled plastic a second life. This recycled PETG maintains the same strength and durability as traditional PETG and PVC and can be used for a variety of product types – from accessory carding to molded hangers. Products made from our recycled plastic can be recycled again at the end of use, continuing the cycle.
Our recycled PETG is available in a wide variety of colors and finishes to perfectly fit your brand’s unique look and feel.
Contact Us to request a sample.
Green Engineering
Designing Your Package
Sustainable packaging is not all about the materials, but also about the overall package design. When designing eco-friendly packaging, our team members question:
• Is this packaging excessive?
• Is there unnecessary waste?
• How can this design be streamlined to maximize both functionality AND sustainability?
Our designers work directly with customers to re-engineer their packaging to incorporate environmentally friendly solutions that fit their specific needs.
Take the paper envelope for example. This style of packaging has become increasingly popular due to its elevated and sleek appearance as well as the added “unboxing experience” that it provides consumers. With sustainability in mind, our team developed several self-locking envelope designs to eliminate the need for extra adhesives, fast tape, or even a separate label to secure the package.
Keep Transportation In Mind
Another area that is often overlooked when determining the environmental impact of your brand’s packaging is transportation energy. Lighter packaging can mean lighter loads and fewer trucks and railcars are needed to ship the same amount of product, helping to reduce transportation energy, decrease emissions and lower shipping costs.
Identifying Materials
Recyclable packaging items can be labeled with a number and the universal chasing arrows recycling logo around it. This indicates more specifically, the elements of each type of plastic. This number is called a resin identification number, or RIN. With all the different rules and symbols, it can be confusing for consumers to figure out exactly what each recycling symbol means and how to properly recycle it. While the universal plastic resin symbol (three chasing arrows forming a triangle) remains the same, the numbers one through seven inside, make a significant difference.
Our designers can help you incorporate the appropriate material identification marks and symbols into your packaging to support and simplify the recycling process for consumers.
Keepsake Packaging
While 91% of product packaging finds itself discarded at a landfill or within our environment after use (SCSC), who says it can’t continue to serve another purpose? Brands interested in encouraging their consumers to reuse their packaging rather than throwing it away should consider using keepsake packaging. Keepsake packaging is designed for consumers to keep and use alongside your product after purchase. For example, a microfiber pouch that doubles as a cleaning cloth and storage bag, a jewelry card that is designed to be used as a bookmark, or a box that converts into a branded display stand for your product. This not only lessens the environmental impact of your packaging but also adds value to your products, and can encourage repeat purchases as customers remain reminded of your brand.
We’re Here To Help!
As the global leader in innovative product packaging for over 50 years, we are steadfast in our beliefs that protecting our environment is one of the single, most important facets of our business. We are committed to assisting our customers in achieving their own sustainability goals every step of the way.
For more information on sustainable packaging alternatives, or to schedule a free design consultation, please Contact Us today.
Ref
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1134796/plastic-production-by-industrial-sector-worldwide/
https://supplychain.edf.org/resources/sustainability-101-packaging-waste-the-problem/