Well Hello people! While you are reading this it is safe to assume that you already know a thing or two about the common terms revolving around sustainable packaging. It's a category that has piqued interest in recent times among all. Especially when it comes to ecommerce market & consumption overdrive that you and I both get into every once in a while. This article is not to lecture you on the same old terms, hacks and practices around sustainable items.

Rather we want to really become your ally, your one true companion who you can turn to and ask for the right recommendations, expect honest answers and maybe even diss on someone who is not clean but claims to be, because why not!

Alright then, all set to dive in? Let's get started with things you already know:

So you know plastic is bad for nature right, duh!! You know there are companies that offer sustainable and eco friendly packaging and there are some regulations around it from authorities.

There are three broad categories of sustainable packaging

1. Biodegradable/Compostable
2. Recycled
3. Reusable

So lets define each of them with an analogy:

Say you are buying a Suit for your marriage. You buy a 3 piece, the best material, exquisite color, you wear it on the d-day! You bask in all the attention. That's it. Now you have a product with great sentimental value but you know you will not wear it more often in future.

There are 3 scenarios in play here for the future of this suit.

Scenario 1: It keeps on hanging in your wardrobe, maybe you wear it after 5 years in a function or maybe not. You have outgrown this piece which has high sentimental value but low functional value. Slowly it deteriorates to the point that it is not usable. Finally you let it go but it may never be used again. The material is leather so when you dispose of it, it is degraded into something else. source: Image 2.webp

Scenario 2: After a few years of your marriage, you realize that you have outgrown your suit in size. You pass this to your younger cousin. He wears it at some function and you still admire this beautiful piece. He then passes it on to his friend for a different function a few years later. Because the material used in the suit is durable & long lasting you have double the use and reduce resource wastage. source: Image 1.webp

Scenario 3: You hold on to the piece for its sentimental value but in a few years you understand that you will never fit into it. But you also don't want to give it to somebody. So you go to a tailor and ask him to do something with it. He makes few cuts, few alterations, few additions and well now you have a party blazer that is ready to knock your friends’ wit off. Few years later you again do some adjustments and now you have turned it into a warm blazer for your trip abroad. source: Image 3.webp

Scenario 1 is how Biodegradable packaging works :

It decomposts itself into nature with no adverse effects. It is good for nature and easily breaks down into compostable pieces thus avoiding landfill mounts. For example: Cardboard packaging, Biodegradable Tableware which is made from plant based & bio polymers.

Scenario 2 is how Recycled packaging works:

The material used in recyclable packaging comes from used plastic & paper which has already seen one cycle of usage but it does not end in landfill rather it is recycled into new packaging. Thus creating a circular economy that serves packaging needs that only plastic/paper can fulfill but gets easily recycled. For example: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) – water bottles , Made from previously used materials like plastic & bottles.

Scenario 3 is how Reusable packaging works :

Most packaging is single use. Reusable packaging material is made in such a way that it has multiple or more than one use cases. The materials are long lasting & durable. For example: Cloth tote bag, Made from organic cotton.

Great, now we are at speed with the fundamentals of environmentally sustainable packaging. Let's look at how to choose the right packaging material for your business?

Factors to choose right packaging material:

We believe there is no right or wrong answer here, it is very specific to your use case & requirements along with your budgets & feasibility of the business.

Market: We can start with your product type & your consumer behavior. What are the category of products & standard consumer expectations from it. Say you are into cosmetic products then consumer expectations will be that it will have glass bottles as main product & cardboard boxes as outer packaging. That is the norm.

Budget: Next comes the budget. Generally consumers, especially GenZ appreciate and prefer sustainable packaging and are even willing to pay more for it. Nielsen has found 66% of global consumers and 73% of millennials are willing to spend more for environmentally sustainable products, while 48% of consumers are willing to change their consumption habits to lower their environmental impact.

Availability of Materials: What sort of packaging materials will pair up best with your products. What sort of materials are your customers willing to invest in? Do they have compost bins or to degenerate the packaging or do they prefer multi use of their packaging?

Customization & Uniqueness: Do you think the choice of packaging will have an elevating impact on your brand? If that is the case then invest in packaging that is reusable & can stay longer with your consumer. This stage also includes selection of Ink type. Avoid petroleum based ink and instead opt for vegetable & soy based inks to reduce impact on the environment.

Great progress! Now you understand varied types of sustainable packaging options, you have understood the nuances of choosing the right packaging for your business. Now where do you find them?

Our sole mission is to help individuals like you get the right partners & solution providers. Here we have listed a few who are doing great work in varied packaging solutions. We aim to become a holistic platform for sustainable packaging companies.

Below are list of companies which creates environmentally friendly packaging solutions:

source: Sr. no.webp

1. Ecotact bags
2. Bombus beeswax wraps
3. Craste
4. Refillable
5. Jiro
6. Zero Circle

We have curated these companies keeping in mind varied factors such as:

1. Sustainable packaging options for small business
2. Authenticity of their products
3. Market presence in India and only a selected few companies have made it to the list.

Do you need more inspiration? Don't worry we got you covered. We are sharing a few really interesting sustainable packaging solutions which others have adopted. Some conventional & some absolutely unique. Let’s go:

1. Bite Toothpaste

Made with, chemical free ingredients, refillable jar & plastic free packaging, bite toothpaste offers good on you and good on environment products.

source: Bite Toothpaste 3.webp

2. Cabinet Health

Cabinet health offers refillable, sustainably produced & packaged medicine bundles in sleek design boxes. The outer packaging is also biodegradable.

3. Phool & Co - Tote Bags & Recycled cardboard boxes

source: Phool & Co 2-1.webp

Phool products are made from temple waste and also comes with environmental friendly outer packaging with unique story based designs.

4. Matador Travel Packs

Refillable Toothpaste Tubes are designed to replace single-use travel-sized tubes. It can be refilled indefinitely with your preferred toothpaste to reduce waste and eliminate a trip to the store.

source: Matador Travel Packs 3.webp

5. Elate Cosmetics - Plantable packaging

Custom Plantable Cosmetics Packaging which are good for the environment.

source: Elate Cosmetics 1.webp

Made for Planet also encourages our readers to understand how end users think about sustainable packaging, what are the trends & consumption patterns?

• Nielsen has found 66% of global consumers and 73% of millennials are willing to spend more for environmentally sustainable products.
• While 48% of consumers are willing to change their consumption habits to lower their environmental impact.
• In India, 60% consumers are ready to pay more for sustainable brands, 43% rank sustainability as a top-five key purchasing criteria. (Report by Bain & Co)
• Statista Consumers Insights Survey revealed ethical spenders will buy from eco-friendly brands, even during challenging times.
• In the US, consumers are hesitant to break ties with familiar names, even when presented with sustainable alternatives.
• People are tired of greenwashing and 84% expect brands to be transparent about their regeneration journey (even if it might be imperfect).
• 1 in 2 consumers even considers brands that don’t communicate about sustainability as not sustainable.
• 8 out of 10 people worldwide seriously worry about the future.