Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. Oshenite®, a bioplastic additive produced from a renewable marine mineral called oolitic aragonite, allows environmentally conscience brand owners and manufacturers to produce or use plastic packaging with reduced amounts of fossil fuel-based resins. Produced by U.S. Aragonite, Oshenite can replace these resins in a wide range of flexible and rigid applications and offers environmental and economic benefits — both without sacrificing performance or contaminating recycling streams.
Sealed Air, known for its environmentally friendly packaging solutions, last week introduced its PakNatural® Biodegradable Cushion Bag, an internal packaging material for protective cushioning during shipping that meets sustainability requirements for performance, cost competitiveness and environmental responsibility.The new packaging innovation encases the company's PakNatural loose fill material within a protective bag also made from certified biodegradable, compostable and renewable film. The bags retain the superior non-abrasive properties of Sealed Air’s PakNatural loose fill solution, making them ideal for protecting electronics, books, glass items and collectibles.
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. When Coca-Cola first rolled out its PlantBottle in fall 2009 in Copenhagen, the beverage giant sent a signal to the entire food and beverage industry that it had had to take sustainable packaging more seriously. Additional companies, including Heinz, later rolled out plastic bottles using the same technology.
Cross-Posted from Product, Service & Design Innovation. At a time when authoritative studies highlight our lack of progress on existing environmental goals and the scale of the threats we may face, we need to turn away from incrementalism, from rationing our unsustainability, towards new models of technological and economic innovation.
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. Over the past 10 years we’ve seen a recurring ambition from clients — wanting to ‘do a Nespresso.’ This is because it’s a refill system that premiumised their brand, redefined their category, elevated user experience, drove consumption and built brand loyalty whilst delivering profitable growth.
Cross-Posted from Waste Not. During his plenary presentation last night at the SB '13 conference, designer, author and sustainability thought leader William McDonough announced a new partnership between McDonough Innovation and Waste Management, Inc — North America's largest environmental solutions provider and residential recycler.
For the millions of customers who purchase wireless devices and accessories each year, packaging is one of the most tangible ways to understand a company’s commitment to environmental responsibility. It’s often our first chance at a good impression, and it’s an area where small changes can add up to big differences — in everything from brand recognition to our bottom line. At Sprint, we’ve invested considerable time and resources into creating greener packaging solutions; as a result of our careful research and analysis — and our partnership with Deutsch Design Works (DDW) — we’ve overhauled packaging across nearly all Sprint-branded product lines.
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. PulpWorks, based in San Rafael, CA, designs and manufactures sustainable packaging, molded from 100% post-consumer waste paper, for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. The company has created a compostable and biodegradable alternative to toxic and harmful plastic (PVC) blister packaging.
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. The rapid adoption of plastics in innumerable applications over the years stems from their overall benefits versus other materials; in particular, their reliability, ease of manufacturing, lighter weight and affordability.
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. Today there are three ways to ship wine in the mail: cardboard, molded pulp or expanded polystyrene (EPS). Pfeiffer Lab, a Bay Area design firm, has been working on a design strategy project to re-envision wine packaging using new bio-based materials developed by Malama C
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. Companies crowdsourcing their sustainability strategies is a growing trend, and I was lucky enough to experience this first-hand last month, through a Unilever Sustainable Living Lab session, as a guest speaker discussing sustainable packaging design (interest declared: they’re a Seymourpowell cl
Cross-Posted from Waste Not. In a recent report from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), researchers determined that consumer attitudes and behaviors surrounding food packaging could help reduce household food waste.
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. Packaging. The term evokes images of wrappers, tubs, pouches and other types of product encasements we see on store shelves every day. Meanwhile, transport packaging such as pallets, cardboard boxes and plastic stretch wrap remain largely hidden from shoppers’ view.
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. If you’re a long-time Dell customer, you’ve probably noticed that our packaging looks far different than it did just a few years ago. It’s smaller, easier to recycle, and may even contain some materials you’re more likely to associate with your garden than your computer.
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. What is the appropriate role for packaging in a product system? As a product designer, I ask myself this question often. As a design professor, I ask my students what role packaging should play in a particular product system ... now, in the future, within compromised systems and within idyllic systems. What would an ideal product system even look like?
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. Waitrose last week pledged to slash its packaging in half by 2016, announcing three major changes to its product ranges that will help achieve this target and altogether save nearly 100 tons of packaging each year.
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. One of the things I love about the Sustainable Brands community is its diverse mix of sustainability experts, designers, innovators and entrepreneurs coupled with brand and marketing specialists. It makes for a heady mix of often differing views on related sustainability challenges.
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. Welcome to Sustainable Brands' Issue in Focus on sustainable packaging!
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. UK grocery chain The Co-operative has just announced significant reductions in the weight of its private label wine bottles. With the help of its supplier, Kingsland Wines and Spirits, the Co-operative achieved reductions that amounted to a savings of 725 metric tons of glass and 556 metrics tons of CO2. Not only does a major reduction such as this use fewer resources and save energy, the biggest reduction comes from having less weight to transport and therefore dramatically lower fuel costs. By the end of 2013, the Co-operative plans to reduce its packaging weights by a further 15% and increase its carrier bag reduction target to 75%.
Philips has announced a breakthrough in LED lighting after developing a TLED prototype that produces twice as much light as traditional fluorescent lamps using the same amount of energy.