When it comes to environment-friendly packaging, most companies and consumers focus on opting for packaging that can be recycled and is made from recycled materials. While this is certainly important, you should not overlook the possibility of reusing packaging. After all, the phrase is “reuse, reduce, recycle,” and every piece of that puzzle is important. By encouraging consumers to reuse your packaging, you can minimize the environmental impact of your company. As a bonus, you will get free advertising every time someone sees your packaging, assuming you brand it correctly. To maximize the reusability of your packaging, consider the following tips.
Make It Visually Appealing
One of the most important aspects to making your packaging reusable is to ensure that it appeals to customers visually. If they do not think your box or metal canister is pretty, they are less likely to reuse it, at least not in a visible place where you can benefit from free advertising. Think about what would appeal to your target market and add in related styling.
Make It a Useful Shape
When it comes to designing the shape of your packaging, make it a priority to pick something that is useful. If you sell jewelry, try designing a packaging that can be reused as a gift box. As a rule, it is a great idea to create packaging that doubles as a gift box or gift bag, since clients will appreciate getting a free gift-wrap that saves them the hassle the next time they need to give away a present.
An alternative is to select a shape that works well for reducing clutter and can be combined with other similar packages. The classic cookie tin is the perfect example as this has plenty of space to contain sewing supplies or other items and can be easily stacked. Of course, you want to ensure the shape you choose also works with your product; do not make it larger than what your product needs just to be reusable.
Include Reuse Tips
If you want to encourage customers to reuse your packaging, give them some tips on how to do so. Maybe include one or two on the packaging itself and a QR code leading to your website with more advice. Good suggestions for reusing general packaging include storing craft supplies and office supplies and clearing up odds and ends. In the case of containers that can be sanitized, you can recommend their reuse as food storage. Get creative in this respect. For example, if you sell candles in glass jars, suggest to customers to reuse the jar as a decorative vase, perhaps providing them an inspiration photo or two on your company’s Instagram account if you have one.
An Alternative: Recyclable and Biodegradable
Unfortunately, not every product comes with a packaging that can be reused in a practical way. If this is not feasible, take other steps to be as sustainable as possible. You can opt for recycled materials and remind customers to recycle your packaging. Or choose a packaging that is biodegradable.
