With a heightened awareness of our environment and the ways we are damaging it, more and more consumers are considering the packaging their products come home in. When you are considering a packaging shift or even a complete overhaul, it’s important to seriously consider ways you can go greener. One of the current trends includes making packaging that can be reused in innovative ways. Consider some of the following ideas when you are going through a packaging redesign so you can subtly or directly encourage your clients to reuse your packaging.
Make It a Game
If you package your product in cardboard, there are many ways you can incorporate crafting and reuse instructions for the container. Some ways to repurpose it and turn it into a fun crafting project include making a smartphone holder, a shoe-sizer, or even a biodegradable planter.
If you decide to go with a crafting project, there are many different patterns you can find online. You can take these and modify them to your packaging. Then, print the pattern on the inside of the cardboard and leave a note with the instructions on the outside so your clients can find it.
For more fun and improved marketing, have the craft or game tie in with your products. For instance, if you sell wine, you can have a package that transforms into a small planting container for grape vines. Other fun ideas include three-dimensional figures such as farm animals, people, zoo critters, and more.
Edible Packaging
With different companies getting savvy with reusing, reducing, and recycling in consideration of packaging, there are products hitting the market that are packaged in something completely edible and biodegradable. One popular item is the edible “paper” plate made from wheat bran. It is an ideal replacement for traveling or having a picnic, as it can leave the consumer with far less waste to worry about. There is also a trend toward edible water bottles, which are primarily composed of sodium alginate gel. This is being done in an effort to come up with a solution to the overload of single-use plastic water bottles hitting our landfills and waste management systems. Another company has changed the design of the plastic rings holding six-packs together. The new ring set is biodegradable in the ocean, providing a food source for fish and sea life. There is also a food chain on the West Coast using edible food containers made from tomatoes.
Consider Downsizing Both Your Packaging and Your Product
It’s not just Mars bars that are getting smaller; there are several different products on the market such as deodorants, toothpaste, and more that are taking to producing less of their product to sell individually. This makes it possible to use all your deodorant or toothpaste before tossing. The result is a smaller container that ends up the landfill and less product waste. Changes in the aluminum can size for deodorant and hairspray can reduce your product’s carbon footprint by 25 percent or more. It is a win-win for you and the consumer because they can also purchase the product for less.
