XIAMEN SUNBOO PACKAGING

Practice five environmental protection concepts and let green packaging serve a better life!

  The general trend of environmentally friendly packaging industry

Whether we realize it or not, product packaging plays an important role in people's consumer decisions. Many features such as logo, color, location, etc. can influence consumer choice.

So what is their impact on the living environment?

In the past two years, low-carbon and environmental protection have begun to guide our consumer preferences. Many consumers critically point to excessive packaging and the use of inorganic materials as key contributors to our global waste problem.

Many companies have come up with a range of eco-friendly packaging concepts to ensure their carbon footprint is as low as possible.

From edible packaging to repurposed packaging, there are many concepts being tested in real time. Here are five top environmentally friendly packaging concepts:

01

Upgrade reusable packaging

Heard over and over again in the 80s and 90s: recycle, reduce, reuse.

Over the years, consumers and manufacturers alike have made incredible progress in recycling, moving towards packaging that can be collected and reshaped into new packaging.

More and more consumers are also consciously choosing to buy in bulk and use reusable packaging and utensils where possible, which helps reduce the amount of waste produced. Examples include kraft packaging, molded pulp, foam and recycled plastics.

Some companies are making a commitment to the “3Rs” by introducing reusable packaging initiatives. These pioneers are using reuse and refill business models.

Under this model, customers can return the original packaging for refilling at a discounted price.

This leads to another “R” that is becoming increasingly prominent in the consumer goods world: returnability.

Many companies go to great lengths to encourage customers to return items that can be recycled (or upcycled). Black plastic, for example, is a difficult product to recycle. Since municipal recycling facilities use optical scanners to identify all types of plastic, these facilities cannot scan black plastic because they do not reflect light.

Recognizing this, companies and local supermarkets are encouraging consumers to return their black plastic and offering compliance incentives.

Skincare company Lush, for example, is encouraging customers to return their iconic black pots for recycling, with five returned pots winning a free fresh face mask.

This allows plastics to be properly recycled or upcycled rather than crowding landfills.

02

The rise of bioplastics

Bioplastics may sound futuristic, but they are already the future of retail packaging.

Bioplastics refer to plastics generated from natural substances such as starch under the action of microorganisms. They are renewable and therefore very environmentally friendly.

Not only is it environmentally friendly, it is also very adaptable to the human body and is expected to be used in the production of medical products such as postoperative sutures that can be absorbed by the human body.

Bioplastics are developed from pure plants. Plants contain a large amount of starch and protein, which are also the main sources of acrylic acid and polylactic acid in bioplastics.

Acrylic acid, polylactic acid, etc. extracted from plants are then produced through various processes to make biodegradable plastic materials, which largely avoids pollution and damage to the environment. This is an advantage that traditional plastics cannot match.

This innovation may be more expensive for businesses now, but it's great for the planet.

03

vegetable ink

Did you know you can get your hands on plant-based ink?

The ink is traditionally made from petroleum, which ensures a negative carbon footprint. In recent years, companies and consumers have adopted soy-based inks for packaging because they are biodegradable and do not produce harmful emissions.

Additionally, plant-based inks are much more efficient on certain materials in terms of cost and waste.

04

Edible food packaging

Eat the package after eating the food? Edible packaging is currently on the rise and is one of the most environmentally friendly retail packaging solutions available today.

Edible straws, wrappers, films and other packaging supplies have entered the market and are expected to become the new normal. Some brands, for example, are selling sandwich wrappers made from seaweed. So now you can not only have your cake and eat it too, but also the wrapping paper.

Mexican company E6PR makes a six-pack of beer rings that are actually made from the wheat and barley residue from the beer brewing process and not only break down but also become a tasty treat for animals.

05

Antibacterial packaging

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, we may be creating a generation petrified by bacteria.

Many brands are adopting technology that prevents bacterial growth in the lining of reusable bags to encourage the use of eco-friendly packaging while keeping the food inside safe.

Antimicrobial packaging is not easily reversible and may be exploited by combining environmentally friendly packaging with antimicrobial packaging.

This is a smart move for packaging manufacturers and could very well be the start of a huge industry. The antimicrobial packaging industry is expected to grow to $11.88 billion by 2024.

That forecast was issued before the COVID-19 public health crisis, so it's safe to assume that number is likely at least $3 billion higher now.

Research has found that two-thirds of shoppers find paper and cardboard-based packaging make products more attractive than other materials.

Because paper and cardboard can be recycled (and even creatively reused).

At a time when society is trying to reduce waste, changing our packaging habits is a step in the right direction to be kinder to our already stressed Mother Nature.