Learn How Your Brand Can Implement More Sustainable Packaging
With Earth Day approaching, being environmentally friendly seems to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Between a push to eradicate plastic straws and changing consumers’ plastic bag habits, one cannot help but reflect on how their brand measures up in today’s increasingly environmentally conscious world.
Sure, you’ve switched to emailed receipts and the office uses energy efficient light bulbs, but when was the last time you took a good look at your packaging? Package design is an important part of branding, and sustainable packaging will help the environment and help you gain favor with consumers. It’s a true win-win!
We know what you’re thinking: Can I afford to make the switch?
Package design is one way brands can either stand out or stick out. You want to make sure your packaging captures consumers’ attention for the right reasons. Thanks to today’s efforts to go green and reduce, reuse, recycle, overly wasteful packaging is tone deaf. In order to strike the right cord with consumers, brands need to make the switch to more sustainable packaging.
In essence, can you afford not to make the switch?
Whether you want to put your toes in the water or dive right in, we’ve compiled a list of ways you can make strides toward more sustainable packaging:
- Reduce
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s often overlooked. Before you look into more sustainable materials, do an analysis of your current packaging.
Do you really need all that plastic around your product? Can your product fit in a smaller box for shipping? Cutting corners in this way not only saves the environment, but it saves your budget as well.
- Reuse
Shredding and Forgetting
What is it about returning to work after a vacation you can’t stand— is it the thought of all that paperwork piled on your desk? It’s time to put that paperwork to use.
Utilizing a shredder (an industrial one—this is something the whole office can do) gives you access to a seemingly endless supply of packing material. Why buy packing peanuts, whose Styrofoam will stick around forever, when you can utilize last year’s reports to stuff this year’s boxes? Your one-time investment in an industrial shredder will pay for itself with the money you save on packing material.
The key here is to use old paperwork—something the company has already published or doesn’t mind out in the open. Don’t worry about letting go, either. In this age of technology you should have a digital backup from which to pull from should the need arise.
Who Doesn’t Love a Makeover?
For the packaging you do use, get creative and come up with a few ideas to bring your packaging to life after initial use. If cats have nine lives, so can your packaging.
Shipping in a cardboard box? Write a list of all it can become—a house, a rocket ship, a boat—and encourage consumers to post pictures of their creations with a certain hashtag. Throw in a prize for most creative packaging repurposing and you, the consumers, and the environment can claim a victory.
- Recycle
Use materials that will be accepted at as many recycling plants as possible. The less work your consumer has to do to determine whether your packaging can be recycled, the better.
Proudly display that recycling badge, encouraging consumers to recycle your packaging (and, of course, showing off your sustainable side).
This Earth Day and every day it’s important to examine your business practices and find new ways to go green. Making strides toward sustainable packaging will allow your brand to not only help the environment but also gain the respect of environmentally conscious consumers.
When it comes to packaging, we know how to make your brand stand out on the shelf. Whether you’re looking to make small, sustainable updates or want a complete redesign, Kraus marketing has you covered. Contact us today to learn how we can help you design sustainable packaging that’s true to your brand.