We live in an era where plastic pollution is at its peak and is a cause for concern across the globe, alongside the issues surrounding waste, landfills, and the burning of fossil fuels, and their impact on climate change and global warming.

While many businesses will be considering ways to beat the competition and entice customers with heavily seasonal packaging in line with upcoming holidays and occasions such as Halloween and Christmas, one expert explains why this must be done sustainably.

Robert Lockyer, Founder and Chief Client Officer of Delta Global, a luxury global packaging provider, discusses how brands can ensure they remain sustainable and relevant when producing seasonal packaging.

Yes, there is no denying that seasonal packaging is a sure-fire way to attract new and existing customers – and it continues to be, however, the needs of consumers have changed. Which is why sustainability must become the main focus of seasonal packaging as we move forwards.

However, brands such as Net-a-Porter and Paperchase are two of the brands getting seasonal packaging right.

Has seasonal packaging become obsolete?

Absolutely not - my point is that when it is used or created, it should be done correctly and sustainably.

Consumers no longer want clutter, meaning that they are no longer sucked in by festive packaging and boxes that will be thrown in the bin come Boxing Day. They want to live and lead a minimalistic lifestyle and therefore, any packaging that they do buy, must have a secondary purpose as opposed to simply looking pretty.

Packaging, at whatever time of year, must now be multifunctional and be able to be repurposed – or at the very least, be completely recyclable.

And this is even more crucial when it comes to packaging that has been designed with a particular season or occasion in mine.

Prioritising sustainability

We mustn’t forget that seasonal packaging is the ultimate marketing tool.

In today’s world, ROI is just as important as sustainability and brands must consider the chance that they may be left with surplus materials that should be saved and reused as opposed to discarded.

There are a plethora of ways to create seasonal packaging without being wasteful – in terms of both materials and expenditure.

Before placing an order with suppliers, consider utilising previous stock and materials and see how these could be repurposed into something more appropriate.

Don’t simply start from scratch, but rather, make use of what you already have and put the environment first.

The Net-a-Porter beauty advent calendar marks the beginning of the festive season for beauty lovers and is a prime example of how to do seasonal packaging right.

Without the bells and whistles (quite literally), the packaging for the advent calendar encompasses minimalism and sustainability whilst remaining unique and entirely reusable, without sacrificing luxury.

The compartments within the design can be used time and time again, and due to its sleek design, it isn’t made redundant during other months of the year.

The future of seasonal packaging

We’re in the midst of July, which is the month that many businesses begin to consider the Christmas period.

Whilst many brands may be already designing limited edition festive packaging, I urge them to do so with sustainability at the forefront of their minds.

If seasonal packaging is on the agenda this year, then I advise businesses to ensure the materials they use are FSC accredited and that the packaging itself is well-made, can be recycled, or even better, reused.

Seasonal packaging is very much still alive and kicking, however, it has most certainly changed, so let’s change with it...
www.deltaglobal.co

Tweet