Checklist: What Makes Packaging Sustainable?

The packaging market is in the midst of a transformation, with sustainability as the new standard. Driven by growing environmental awareness and an increasing demand for appropriate offerings, the need for environmentally friendly packaging materials is developing rapidly: in 2022, the market volume was already at 310 billion US dollars, but that is just the beginning. By 2030, it is expected to grow to an impressive 518.33 billion US dollars. This corresponds to an annual growth rate of 6.7%.

Companies worldwide are responding with innovations, are increasingly using recyclable materials and developing new concepts to reduce the ecological footprint of packaging.

Why the Switch is Important

The use of sustainable packaging materials is essential for several reasons. They help to reduce environmental pollution and contribute to the conservation of limited fossil resources. And sustainable packaging also provides a sales advantage. More and more people are attaching importance to the fact that the products they buy are not only environmentally friendly in terms of their content, but also in terms of their packaging. That is why retailers are increasingly pushing the use of packaging with a better environmental balance.

Sustainable packaging also offers companies the opportunity to strengthen their brand image and set themselves apart from the competition by taking ecological responsibility. In addition, they make an important contribution to the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of climate protection, responsible consumption, and the preservation of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Legal requirements and stricter recycling quotas are putting additional pressure on companies to change their packaging and develop resource-saving alternatives.

What Sustainability Means

Sustainable packaging can be divided into different categories, each with its own specific advantages and challenges. Although there is no single definition, sustainable packaging is essentially characterized by the use of materials that either come from natural and renewable raw materials or can be easily recycled without any loss of quality. Aspects such as conserving resources during production and ensuring product protection are also part of a sustainable packaging strategy, as they help to avoid food and product loss. The energy required for recycling should also be taken into account.

One option that does not require a switch to new materials is to reduce the amount of material used, for example by using lighter or thinner monofoils. This conserves resources while maintaining the functionality of the packaging. However, it is important to find a balance between product protection and film thickness. Converting packaging machines to use thinner films is not always easy either, but it is certainly feasible, as practice shows. The fact that using less material conserves resources applies to all material classes – from glass and metal to fiber-based materials. Modularity and easy disassembly facilitate recycling, while designs for reusable or dual-use solutions can extend the life cycle of the packaging.

In the case of plastics, mono films that do not contain any material mixtures make the recycling process considerably easier, as they can be sorted and recycled more easily. Recyclability is another important lever, especially when it comes to making plastic packaging more sustainable. Additional innovations such as special labels and adhesives for PET packaging are helping to improve the processing of recyclable plastics. This is particularly necessary in view of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). It forces companies to fundamentally rethink their packaging and logistics strategies. From 2030, for example, only packaging that is at least 70 percent recyclable may be put into circulation.

Which Material Type is Best?

Another approach is to replace plastics with paper-based solutions such as cartons or protective packaging, as well as with hybrid solutions that significantly reduce the amount of plastic. Fiber-based materials such as paper from FSC- or PEFC-certified sources or packaging made from plant fibers such as bagasse, hemp, straw, rice straw, and bamboo are particularly popular. Grass packaging has also already arrived on the market and is being promoted in particular by Rewe. The material has been in use for organic fruit and vegetables since 2017 and has proven to be suitable for everyday use: it is accepted by customers and does not lead to any loss of quality. However, new and innovative materials such as packaging made from mycelium (fungal networks) or algae are also gaining in importance.

In any case, it is crucial that the raw materials are obtained and processed in an environmentally friendly manner. However, not all packaging based on renewable raw materials is automatically more environmentally friendly. For example, additional coatings or long transport routes can significantly worsen the environmental balance.

Bioplastics are another versatile class of materials. They are either biobased or based on biodegradable polymers of fossil origin, or a combination of the two. Biobased plastics are made from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugarcane, but are not necessarily biodegradable – one example is bio-PE, which is chemically identical to conventional polyethylene. In contrast, biodegradable plastics can also be made from fossil raw materials, but they decompose into natural components under certain conditions.

In addition to recycling, manufacturers are also focusing on the compostability of packaging. Plastics such as PLA (polylactic acid) or PHA can biodegrade under industrial conditions and offer an alternative for short-life packaging.

Nevertheless, these materials are not without challenges. Bio-based plastics are often more expensive than conventional alternatives, and the necessary infrastructure for their recycling or composting is lacking in many places. This is because such plastics are often only suitable for home composting to a limited extent.

Conclusion

Sustainable packaging offers companies the opportunity to demonstrate their sense of environmental responsibility while meeting the demands of modern consumers and legal requirements. However, innovative designs, well-thought-out material selection and an optimized recycling infrastructure are crucial to achieving a genuine environmental benefit in the long term. The design phase is a crucial point in the development of sustainable packaging. 80% of the environmental impact is determined at this early stage. That is why the focus should be on minimizing the use of materials and maximizing recyclability at this point – regardless of the type of material.