Design for Sustainability
Creating sustainable packaging is a crucial aspect of environmentally responsible product design. This blog will list the top guides on sustainable packaging and sustainable packaging design.
1. Packaging Design for Recycling Guide
The global ‘Packaging Design for Recycling Guide’ has been developed by ECR Community (Efficient Consumer Response – www.ecr-community.org), WPO (World Packaging Organisation – www.worldpackaging.org) and FH Campus University of Applied Sciences (www.fhcampuswien.ac.at), Austria.
The guide offers retailers and manufacturers a systematic approach to designing recyclable packaging across all types.
Download here.
2. Sustainable Packaging Supplier Guide
Guacamole Airplane’s supplier guide is said to be “one of the industry’s most robust databases” on a range of sustainable materials and the companies that offer them.
The newest edition includes more than 140 entries, additional images of materials and packaging, and detailed descriptions of each material’s sustainability background and disposal information. The guide also looks at design considerations, to help users understand the strengths and limitations of each material.
View here.
3. Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging
One of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s many guides, this document is directed toward packaging designers and developers with thought toward how it must best serve them.
It recognizes that there are factors that make designing for the environment dynamic and that tradeoffs often come with the territory. It focuses on design considerations and appropriate questions to ask. It includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability and environmental considerations into the packaging design process.
Other guides by SPC include Definition of Sustainable Packaging, Guide to Recycled Plastics, Guidance for Reusable Packaging, Designing Packaging To Prevent and Divert Waste and Materials Innovation for Sustainable Packaging (MISP) Guide.
Resources by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Design Framework can also be applied to sustainable packaging design.
When designing sustainable packaging, it's important to consider factors such as material selection, recyclability, energy use, and overall environmental impact throughout the life cycle of the product. Keeping informed about the latest developments and technologies in sustainable packaging ensures your designs align with the current best practices.
