Can You Reduce Your Packaging?

With hygiene at the forefront of consumers’ minds, brands have to get creative when incorporating sustainable initiatives into their packaging. Initial thoughts may be to use packaging materials made from post-consumer waste or substrates that are recyclable or compostable to achieve your sustainable goals, but what about reducing your packaging?

Reducing, minimizing, or simplifying your packaging doesn’t necessarily mean taking away from your packaging in terms of impact. Here are some options to reduce the environmental impact of your packaging without having to compromise on its appearance:

Downgauge

When possible, you can downgauge your packaging thickness or reduce the number of layers that make up your packaging. This option can work well and reduce a lot of waste if your packaging is overengineered. However, it’s crucial to confirm that all of your barrier requirements are met when making these changes. For example, suppose your product is sensitive to light and is currently packaged in a 3-layer structure that contains a metalized film. In that case, you won’t be able to remove any layers as you need this metalized film to protect your product. However, you could decrease the thickness of a layer, depending on the product.

Lidding Film

In the past, produce such as tomatoes and grapes have typically been packaged in plastic clamshells. However, in the last few years, lidding film attached to a punnet has become a popular alternative for clamshells for many reasons, including their visibility and convenience for customers. Lidding film uses up to 25% less packaging than clamshells yet still offers high barrier protection so that your produce remains protected.

Stand Up Pouches

Stand up pouches can be an excellent packaging alternative to using a container with a lid and a label. Not only does this use less packaging material and reduce the steps in your packaging process, but pouches also offer more of a visual impact as you can use the entire surface area for your design.

These are just a few options to reduce your packaging. At Associated, we have a team of packaging experts, plus a sustainability expert, who are all available for contact if you have questions about creating a more sustainable packaging option. Reach out to us here or request a quote online!