What’s the future in sustainable packaging?

Considering today's high consumption, excessive waste generation and incorrect disposal have become a major concern. In this sense, sustainable packaging is in prominence among consumers.

Moreover, offering sustainability in packaging is an efficient way to generate value and recognition to a brand, and is increasingly welcomed by customers.

Thus, sustainability in packaging is a great competitive differentiator, which provides advantages for the business and for the environment, so we should examine the best alternatives for the planet. 

So what alternatives are there when it comes to wrapping and protecting our products, and how much do consumers really care?

We find out more about the challenges and opportunities that sustainable packaging presents for product design industries, as well as the difference between biodegradability and compostability that brands should be aware of in their quest to reduce harmful packaging.

 "Biodegradable" versus "compostable

Biodegradable is anything that is natural enough to degrade, easily and naturally, and become part of the earth again, without causing any problems or leaving any waste.  However, everything is practically biodegradable, because even a plastic bottle will degrade, only it can take an average of about 400 years.

Compostable products are like biodegradable products, but much better for nature, as they degrade at a much faster rate, within six months, and do not leave any microplastics in the soil.

The regenerative economy

There are some amazing revolutionary new materials coming out that don't leave any microplastics and even improve the quality of the soil if composted. We have talked generally about changing consumer mindsets from sustainability being something that is not bad for the environment and to interest in regeneration - something that can actually regenerate the environment and improve it as you use it.

Leave no trace

More and more water-soluble packaging is being created that follows another sustainable route, which is 'leave no trace'. The brilliant ocean-soluble polymer poly bags, which breaks down into biomass in soil and water, has been used by brands like Finisterre - a good narrative because for a surf brand it's very much about clean water and protecting the environment

The most common types of materials are:

Plastics -  although it is recyclable, the use of plastic must be reduced, precisely because of the excessive production, which offers serious risks to the environment;

Fibers -  a great option for certain products, but one must be aware of hygiene standards;

Metals -  metals are recyclable and favor sustainability, although they are more expensive to use as packaging for products from many types of businesses;

Papers-  besides being fully recyclable, they are cost-effective and resistant. An ideal alternative to have sustainable packaging