Predicted to become the number one challenge facing companies in years to come, sustainable packaging is a trending theme among big businesses. In effort to grow earnings and maintain high returns, practices in regards to material choice, design, and lifecycle of packaging are a necessity.
An increasingly large amount of packaging companies are depending less on requirements from government regulators to make their products environmentally sound, and are going about the process themselves. In order to reach long-term success, companies consider these means of sustainability essential to their company. A strong environmental policy boosts company sales and overall reputation. Environmentally aware consumers worldwide are fuelling into the optimization of renewable or recycled source materials.
How Do Companies Address Sustainability?
Industries seek to reduce carbon footprints in addition to providing a valuable resource for subsequent generations.
Minimizing overall resource use results in a significantly higher output of product per unit of input. Essentially, waste reduction takes advantage of raw materials and energy use to provide the most product for minimal costs.
Several corporations are expanding their sustainability by producing edible packaging. Food and beverages are currently being offered in packages made of entirely natural ingredients. Having the same life span as the foods they contain, the packaging is safe for all consumers. Not limited to wet products only, engineers are even exploring water-soluble packaging for dry food application as well.
Hazardous and toxic production of packaging is no longer an option for large manufacturers. New generation plastics derived from renewable raw materials, known as compostable plastics, are an environmentally friendly option consumers demand. Abundant materials such as cellulose, starch, and soy protein decompose back into carbon dioxide and water. Utilizing renewable materials is a frequently occurring sustainable packaging option.
Conscious of health and environmental issues, a growing amount of consumers are requesting clear labeling on their products. Clear explanations regarding sustainability information is becoming a trend across all industries. Just as the ingredient information for a product is significant, the information about the materials that develop the packaging is equally as important. Fulfilling the greater transparency demand is an obligation of all manufacturers.
Safe and effective packaging made with renewable resources that meet cost and performance criteria reduces our eco impact for future generations. Countless efforts are being made to satisfy consumer demands and promote healthy and environmentally friendly products. As a continued process of improvement, sustainable packaging has become something much larger than just recycling.
