The Future of Sustainable Packaging

A Student asked me to answer a few questions for a research report regarding her dissertation on "Sustainable Packaging and its Future..." 

 Questions: 1. How can you define sustainable packaging? 
                    2. What is the role of design industry in packaging sustainability?
                    3. What is the role of students in sustainable packaging design? 
                    4. Why we need change in packaging? 

 Answers: 

 1. We define sustainable packaging as that which is recyclable, biodegradable and/or at the least helps minimize landfill. Our philosophy is reduce, reuse, recycle and we encourage our clients to reuse some of their packaging they currently have as well if possible, because it helps keep the earth cleaner and less susceptible to environmental waste and pollution. On the flip side, when it comes to boxes we've found from years of extensive testing that if a box is composed of too much recycled paperboard, then the tape doesn't adhere as well to it when sealing the box. Therefore we recommend a mix of virgin and recycled paperboard for the practical use of boxes. 

 2. The design industry has an important role in creating blueprints and proving that sustainable packaging is equal or superior in quality to non-sustainable packaging, while reducing the impact on the environment. At the same time, the design industry must take costs into consideration when designing sustainable packaging. If it will replace non-recyclable and non-sustainable products, it better be cost effective as well because companies and consumers are still very, if not more price conscious than they are with regards to sustainability. 

 3. Students are the wave of the future when it comes to staying eco-friendly and they can have a major impact on implementing creative ways to incorporate sustainable packaging into the marketplace. Since they are environmentally conscious as well, they can make a huge difference in the future of sustainable packaging and find ways of further making it the norm in packaging. 

 4. For long-term reduction of waste in the world and in order to create a greener, less polluted, less wasteful and consumerist society, it is inevitable that packaging is changed for the better, and it is better that this awareness is raised throughout.