Brands are keen to ensure their products and stock are as sustainable as possible. Of course, this isn’t going to happen overnight, and it will take some brands longer than others to implement such changes.

However, packaging expert Robert Lockyer, Founder and Chief Client Officer of luxury packaging provider Delta Global, suggests that brands consider much more than just their products.

He said, “Now is the time for brands to consider their packaging and prioritise this, just as much as they do their products.

“Whilst the product is presumably the most important thing to both the brand and the consumer, what good is that if the packaging is destroying our planet?”

When asked what the cost of this would be, Robert simply said “Well, sitting back and doing nothing, will cost the future of our planet.”

With 61% of UK consumers limiting their use of single use plastic, Robert is keen to ask why this shouldn’t be extended to product packaging and deliveries.

Often, deliveries turn up at consumer’s doors in plastic mail bags and with excessively large and unnecessary amounts of bubble wrap and plastic air bags – all of which cannot be reused, repurposed and in some cases, even recycled.

Robert asks, “Is all of this really necessary? The answer is not at all – not even in the slightest. We’re fortunate enough to live in a world where we have access to so many more materials that are undeniably, much more environmentally friendly.

“It won’t happen overnight, and it may take time for some brands to implement as it can be a lengthy process, however it is one worth considering and implementing – to meet the needs of consumers, and as a business move.”

Some plastics can now genuinely be recycled, but it will never be the best material to be using when there are many others at the disposal of brands.

At least 14 million tons of plastic ends up in our oceans each year, and as well as polluting our oceans, wasted plastic contributes significantly to climate change and global warming, and threatens the extinction of wildlife.

Delta Global is accredited by the FSC, and the certification allows brands to choose wood, paper and other materials from well-managed forests and recycled sources, meaning that packaging can be both sustainable and ethical. Add to of course that EUTR and Ecovardis accredited.

Encouraging brands to be creative and enlist the knowledge and expertise of a global packaging provider, Robert explains the importance of sustainable packaging solutions.

“Ethical conduct begins far earlier than the product itself, which is why packaging is so important and brands should focus their efforts on reusability, reducing waste and recycling in order to support a circular economy,” says Robert.

Robert also praises brands that are taking responsibility for their actions and prioritising positive change but is firm that this must amount to more than just a case of greenwashing, as we so often see on social media from brands such as Tesco and even Gymshark with its plastic mailing bags.

“It simply isn’t enough, and businesses should look at the likes of Sweaty Betty and Net-A-Porter and take a leaf out of their book,” Robert exclaims.

Sweaty Betty, for example, implemented an innovative packaging solution and developed a bag that was not only made from 100% recycled materials, but could also be repurposed and reused as a cosmetics pouch with a matching hair tie.

This solution saved 2.7 million plastic bottles from entering landfills and our oceans, and Robert encourages other luxury brands to follow suit.

Whilst the materials of packaging is the main priority when it comes to implementing a more sustainable approach to business, Robert also urges brands to also consider the impact of their supply chain.
“It’s important we do all we can. Fashion in particular is such a large and dominating industry that its actions can have a significant impact – positively or negatively.

“This is why a simplified, streamlined and more efficient supply chain should be implemented. With more localised distribution and AI-technology, the right supply chain can minimise waste and mitigate issues such as under and over supply.”

So, the answer to whether your brand’s packing destroying our planet is most probably, a resounding yes. But what really matters now, is how you go about making a change for a more efficient and sustainable future.
www.deltaglobal.co

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