Lecture 4 - Sustainable Packaging Design

VDIS10030 DESIGN AND THE

ENVIRONMENTSangeeta Jain

Sustainable Packaging Design

In this lecture, we will look at…

What is Packaging Design?

Functions of Packaging Design

Elements of Packaging Design


Packaging Design Process

Adding Sustainability to Design

Further Reading/Resources

What is Packaging Design?

• Packaging Design is the discipline of creating the structure (container) and visuals

(surface graphics) to carry, identify, describe, protect, display and promote a product.

It may range from a simple bottle and a label to an elaborate system of boxes and

inner packaging. The aspects which are usually reviewed are size and shape, color,

closure, outside appearance, protection and economy, convenience, labeling, and

the packaging material’s effects on the environment. Packaging is also a key

component to the creation of memorable consumer shopper and user experiences,

which, either in-store or in use, build on brand values such as fun, community or

authenticity as a means of motivating purchase intent and repurchase consideration.

Packaging is a design that has to function

Yum butter 10 oz Jar Labels GD USA Package Design Award Winner 2017

Functions of Packaging Design

Packaging Design has multiple functions to accomplish such as:

• Contain: Hold the product in order to get it to its destination

• Identification: Serves as an identification/branding for the product

• Protect: Protect the product from the environment such as dirt, dampness etc.

• Preserve: Increase the shelf life of the product

• Carry: Distribution of the product from manufacturing unit, to the store, to the consumer

• Communicate: Product description, marketing, nutritional information, etc.

• Display: Display the product at the store, attract attention and motivate sales

• Advertise: Packaging serves as a form of direct and indirect advertising

• Create an experience for the user…

Packaging Design gives an identity to the product

Packaging Design protects the product

Packaging Design facilitates distribution

• Effective packaging design ensures your product is adequately protected from the

wide range of mechanical, manual, and environmental hazards it will encounter on its

distribution journey. To minimize in-transit damage, a product must be designed to be

contained within a series of ever-larger “packages”—from its primary box, carton, can,

bottle etc. to secondary packaging like cases and pallets to its means of conveyance,

whether van, truck, plane or rail/container car. Each of these last containers has

specific space available and potential for damage, as it moves or stops along the way.

Packaging

Design

facilitates

distribution

Packaging

Design

facilitates

distribution

Packaging Design conveys information

Packaging Design attracts attention

Elements of Design in Packaging

There are various aspects of packaging design and so are the elements involved in it.

• The structure of packaging design consists of:

• Shape

• Size

• Material

• Form

• Opening and closing of the package

• The elements of visual design also known as surface graphics are:

• Brand name, product name and logo

• Ingredients and nutritional information

• Net weight, date of manufacturing, expiry date etc.

• Expirations, hazards, directions, dosage, instructions

• Bar code, patents, handling symbols, any other legal info

Some icons used in packaging design



• Sustainable packaging is packaging that has been manufactured from

sustainable materials using energy from renewable sources. The packaging

should remain safe and effective throughout its life cycle, after which its

component materials should be fully recyclable, thus creating a closed loop of

manufacturing and usage. It should still be able to meet the business

requirements in terms of cost, performance and safety.

https://www.ebrocolor.com/sustainable-packaging-report.html


• This involves increased use of life cycle inventory and life cycle assessment

(LCA) to help guide the use of packaging which reduces the environmental

impact and ecological footprint. It includes a look at the whole of the supply

chain: from basic function, to marketing, and then through to end of life and

rebirth. The goals are to improve the long term viability and quality of life for

humans and the longevity of natural ecosystems.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_packaging

Why Sustainable Packaging?

• We live in a world where most of us make purchases on a daily basis. Almost without

exception, the goods we buy are supplied in some form of packaging. Thus the importance

of sustainable packaging to us and our environment is immense. Packaging containing

potentially toxic or hazardous materials poses a risk to humans and eco-systems. A great

deal of energy is used in the production of packaging and most often, the source of that

energy is fossil fuels add millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide and methane into the

atmosphere per year while such discarded packaging ends up in landfills or oceans causing

soil, water, and plant contamination. Our planet's natural resources, such as minerals and

fossil fuels, clean water and cultivable land have limited availability. By using sustainable

packaging, manufacturers and consumers can eliminate these contaminants that destroy

the atmosphere, soil and water of our planet.

What is Sustainable Packaging?

Sustainable Packaging:• Is beneficial, safe & healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle

• Meets market criteria for performance and cost

• Is sourced, manufactured, transported and recycled using renewable energy

• Optimizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials

• Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices

• Is made from materials healthy throughout the life cycle

• Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy

• Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial closed loop cycles

http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2017/5/15/just-water


• Minimising materialsSustainability goes hand in hand with source reduction. In other words, reducing the volume of primary materials or wherever possible reducing the total amount of packaging used with any product is a sensible design objective.

• Using recycled materialsThe greater the volume of recycled materials that can be designed into packaging, the more the industry's environmental footprint can be reduced. Recycled materials generally use less energy therefore, produce less greenhouse emissions.

• Using renewable materialsDesigners should aim to maximise the use of materials from renewable sources, such as paper, card and bio polymers, in the manufacture of packaging products. The computer

giant, Dell, have been examining the viability of packing materials based on bamboo, wheat straw and mushroom-derived material.


This plastic liquid soap bottle

from Method might look

ordinary but it’s what it’s

made of that’s so innovative.

The company created the

bottles sing a blend of

recycled plastic, and plastic

collected from the oceans.

https://methodhome.com/beyond-

the-bottle/ocean-plastic/

https://methodhome.com/beyond-the-bottle/ocean-plastic/

Marian Obando is the brains behind these clever egg cartons. They use newspaper and

hay to cushion the eggs, and are wrapped with a small piece of recycled paper with

information about the product.

https://blog.printsome.com/sustainable-packaging-design/


• Minimising risks associated with potentially toxic and hazardous materials

Packaging containing potentially toxic or hazardous materials poses a risk to humans and

eco-systems. The design process should identify such materials and, where possible, remove

them.

• Designing for transport

More efficient use of transport for distribution can make a significant reduction in energy

consumption. Packaging needs to be designed in ways which reduces weight, maximises

the use of space and uses bulk packaging where appropriate. 'Cubing out' is the process of

filling a shipping container to its most effective potential. Therefore packaging should be

carefully designed, with thought given to how it is packed in bulk not just as a single item.

• Designing for reuse

Packaging which has been designed to be reused can, in cases where it is appropriate,

make significant savings in energy and raw material usage.


Sustainable Lightbulb Packaging

That Can Take On Other Uses

Brazilian agency saad branding+design, has come up with this conceptual packaging

solution for lightbulbs. What makes this project so interesting is the sustainable factor, or

the exploration of the use of the packaging for more than just its initial purpose.

http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2017/3/29/re


• Designing for recovery

Companies which use recyclable materials when designing their packaging and

provide the consumer with appropriate recycling information are making a positive

contribution towards maximising recovery and recycling rates.

• Designing for consumer accessibility

Designing packaging to meet consumer accessibility expectations should take into

account a number of requirements. Consumers demand forms of packaging which are

safe, easy to open and which provide clear labelling and information. What is more,

they expect this to be provided without the cost of the packaging adding excessively

to that of the product itself.


The bag introduced by Puma

to pack their shoes is a good

example of sustainable and

eco-friendly packaging.

The company structured a

cardboard sheet and made

the bag. This helped them to

save 65% of cardboard. The

bag has no laminated printing.

It weighs less, which is a plus in

the energy saving department,

and takes up only less space.

Also, the need for another bag

to carry the shoe box is

eliminated by this design.

Packaging Design Process

Process of Design in Packaging

• Packaging design blends shapes, graphics, materials and more to create functional

solution that appeals on many sensory levels: visually, tactilely, emotionally. From classic

design hierarchies to contemporary styles, packaging design concepts elevate a

brand or product line above the competition and can help expand its market

potential into new outlets or new demographics.

• For example, Apple’s packaging which isn’t about a color, or a paper, it is about the

simplicity executed through structural design and attention to detail. The manner in

which the lid releases the base of a box with a smooth uninterrupted vacuum, how the

bagasse inserts fit seamlessly into the base, and the overall weight and sturdiness of the

pack speak to the brand’s design intent across all touch points.

• The process of packaging design may vary by; industry, long and short term goals, and

the purpose each pack will serve however they are rooted in a thorough

understanding of the product, people and goals.


There are several questions to answer to before starting the designing of the packaging:

•What is the product?• What is the product and which is the brand?

• What is the size of the product?

• What is the shape of the product?

• What is the weight of the product?

• What is the consistency (liquid/solid) of the product?

• What are the ingredients/materials in the product?

• What is the shelf life of the product?

• Is it a luxury product or a fast-moving consumer product?

• This information will help to understand the material to be used for packaging the product, its approximate shape and size.


•Who’s buying the product?• Is the product going to be used by men, women or both?

• Is it for children or adults?

• What is the age group of the people who will buy this product?

• What is their income group?

• What is their occupation?

• What is their education level?

• Is it geared towards people who need to have a special interest or ability to use the product?

• It is important to know who the consumer is before starting the design process because

the packaging design must appeal to its ideal consumer and cater to their needs. For

example, products for older adults may need larger text.


•How are people buying the product?• Are they purchasing it in a supermarket?

• A small store around the corner?

• Online?

• What are their purchasing characteristics?

• If the product is going to be sold online and shipped then they probably shouldn’t

have a lot of extra space that could cause the product to rattle around or the

package to bend. And those that will be sold in the supermarket or a store must have a

shelf value too because it will need to stand-out from its competitors and be able to

catch the eye of a buyer.


• The designer should also gather information about:• What is the brand positioning?

• What is the history of the brand? Has this product been sold before?

• Who are the competitors?

• What does their packaging look like?

• What is the unique point of the brand and/or the product?

• Contents that will go on the packaging

• Text

• Graphics

• Required marks – such as instructions for use etc.

• Temporary marks – such as sale, special offer etc.


• The designer then decides the packaging layers:• There are three “layers” of product packaging: outer packaging, inner packaging and product

packaging. Any product may need one or all three of these.

• Outer packaging is the first thing a customer is going to see. It’s what protects the product from the

elements. This could include the box that the product is shipped in or the shopping bag the item is

placed in at the store.

• Inner packaging is what keeps your product nestled safely in the outer packaging. This might be

packing peanuts or tissue paper that stops something from getting jostled or scuffed. Or it might be a

sealed bag that acts to preserve freshness.

• Product packaging is what most people think of when they think of packaging: it’s the box the toy

comes in, the bottle with a label, the tag on a garment, the wrapper of a candy bar.

Process of Packaging Design

This is followed by:

• Ideation – think of concepts to best represent the product

• Sketches – make rough layouts of ideas to reflect your thoughts

• Mockups – start with a 2D design of the front panel of the package and then create 3D

mockups to show the entire package

• Refinement – make the necessary changes/modifications

• Prototype – create a final 3D prototype

• Production – prepare the flat artwork with crop/fold marks ready to be send for printing



• To accomplish sustainable packaging, design practice must be adapted and expand

beyond what is already a broad skill set: designers are skilled systems thinkers, capable

of investigating, understanding, synthesizing and proposing useful and appealing

responses to the system of human needs and wants. Lifecycle-to-Design can advance

an aesthetic in which potential adverse environmental impacts are considered and

managed and positive impacts optimized. Designers need to make smart decisions

about product lifecycles and material and energy flows and apply that knowledge to

transform the entire packaging design of the product.


1 Begin with a LCA and understand it.

• The L2D process begins with a reference lifecycle assessment. The designer can use the

LCA to fully understand the product system and the product’s potential environmental

impacts.

2 Translate the lifecycle impact insights into design goals.

• The LCA’s impacts and conclusions can be stated as design goals, which aim to

reduce or eliminate negative impacts and increase positive impacts. In this way,

designers can derive design goals using lifecycle and environmental impact

information relevant to the product system rather than create generic or narrowly

focused environmental goals.


3 Select and propose strategies that address the stated design goals.

• Using design goals derived from the LCA, a variety of design strategies can be

considered.

4 Create design concepts using strategies based on the lifecycle goals.

• Use the strategies to aid in creating design concepts that directly address lifecycle

impacts and improve lifecycle performance. The purpose is also to inspire innovative

design concepts.

5 Iteratively test and improve the concepts.

• The design solution may be tested and evaluated in terms of form, function and

sustainability and feedback should be integrated in the design.

nutshellIn aDesigning sustainable Packaging

Resources

• https://99designs.com/blog/tips/ultimate-guide-to-product-packaging-design/

• https://www.ebrocolor.com/sustainable-packaging-report.html

• https://99designs.com/blog/trends/packaging-trends-2017/

• http://blog.catalpha.com/packaging-that-sells-starts-with-our-professional-packaging-

design-process

• https://www.shopify.in/blog/9783680-how-to-successfully-redesign-your-product-

packaging