“Reduce, reuse and recycle!” is the mantra one follows when designing sustainable packaging. While reduce and recycle seem to be the most prominent ones, there are very innovative ideas on how packaging can be reused as well. Reusable packaging is not a new concept in fact, and it seems it hasn’t reached its full potential yet. Reusable packaging has been most commonly connected with returnable packaging that can be redeployed many times. As such, known examples include durable handheld and bulk containers, pallets, shipping racks, shopping bags, carton boxes and other related items that can be reused many times.

However, one can approach reusable packaging from a different standpoint – packaging that can be used for a different purpose that goes beyond its basic purpose – by making it useful even after consumption. And, experimenting with different types of packages and materials can lead to some really exceptional packaging ideas. In addition to being cool, these innovative designs also tend to enhance the consumer experience and infuse brand loyalty.

Some Interesting Reusable Packaging Examples

Lite2go by knoend is a product where the clear packaging becomes the lampshade for the lamp that is packaged inside. Another interesting design is made by Tom Ballhatchet; the box in which the TV is packaged in, becomes a stand with shelves! In a similar way, a wooden packaging for wine bottles can later on become a rack to store them. A T-shirt can be delivered in a package that can be easily transformed to a hanger. And cardboard packaging can become a source of new life – by embedding plant seeds in it.

An example that shows that big brands are actively looking at this topic comes from Puma and their joint project with fuseproject on “Clever Little Bag”. The project received recognition through many awards, such as GOOD Design Award for two years in a row, as well as innovation and sustainability awards. The project looked at how to reduce an industry’s footprint and contribute towards a greener and more sustainable world, while at the same time reducing cost. The idea was to look into shoe boxes as one of the most challenging issues. Shoe boxes  contribute to millions of tons of waste a year and are usually discarded after purchasing a pair of shoes. After several months worth of work, an innovative solution was introduced.

The cardboard was kept for the inside of the packaging only, so the overall structure would still be rigid, and  it would be possible to stack the items securely. The bag that surrounds the cardboard structure protects the shoes from the outside environment, such as dust and dirt. It is made from non-woven materials that require less work and waste, and replaces the plastic bag in which the cardboard box is usually placed in upon purchasing. Apart from being reusable and fully recyclable, this innovative solution is estimated to decrease water, fuel and energy consumption by more than 60 percent each year. According to the numbers calculated by the Clever Little Bag innovators, this innovation will lead to  “approximately 8,500 tons less paper consumed, 20 million Megajoules of electricity saved, 1 million liters less fuel oil used and 1 million liters of water conserved. During transport, 500,000 liters of diesel is saved and lastly, by replacing traditional shopping bags the difference in weight will save almost 275 tons of plastic.”

Sounds quite nice, doesn’t it?

Image courtesy of pixabay.com