Opportunities for more sustainability can be found in all areas of the fashion industry and its supply chain. Not only in the production of the articles or logistics, but also in the packaging of orders. For example, think of reusable packaging, alternatives to air cushion film and polybags made of algae. However, these innovations are not often in the spotlight, even though they deserve it. That is why we present some companies that are ready for their appearance.
Regardless of one another, several companies have been founded in recent years that offer reusable packaging. Examples of this are the Italian Movopack, the Finnish Repack and the Dutch Boxo. The reuse of packaging reduces emissions and plastic waste.
A study by Fashion for Good (“Reusable Packaging Report”, published 2021) shows that reusable packaging produces 87 percent less plastic waste than disposable packaging. It is important to know that according to the latest numbers, only 14 percent of all one-way plastic packaging are recycled (Ellen Macarthur Foundation, 2017).
Compared to a conventional disposal envelope, reusable packaging causes 82 percent fewer CO2 emissions. What about the disposable packaging that consist of 30 percent of recycled materials? Even then, the reusable packaging has 82 percent less emissions than the disposable packaging with recycled material.
However, it should be noted that the CO2 emissions between the different systems vary for reusable packaging. If packaging is initially transported to another location for cleaning after return, higher CO2 emissions result from transport, and the difference to a one-way envelope is lower. If the returned packaging is sent directly to a distribution center, cleaned there and reused immediately, the difference to disposable packaging is of course greater. The numbers in the previous paragraph refer to the latter system, in which packaging is cleaned in the same place, from which it is reused and sent.
Zalando also tested reusable packaging in Scandinavia for a while. The company states that only a small part of the packaging was returned at the beginning of the test phase. “We have found that circulatory models change the behavior of consumers: require inside and the concepts have to be communicated clearly.” Many logistical steps are also required: a deposit system, the review and cleaning of the packaging, etc. “We are still far from being used to introduce reusable packaging from all Zalando customers,” said the company. However, the e-commerce giant has introduced a circulatory concept for the packaging for internal logistics, as can be read in a message. “As a result, we now use cardboard packaging several times in our intralogistic network. This saves 980 tons of new boxes in 2022.”
More sustainable packaging: 3 companies that change the rules of the game
While Zalando only implements the use of reusable packaging internally, the Dutch company Boxo retailers supports: Inside, to implement this type of packaging externally. This means that consumers: they actually get in hand.
It works as follows: If consumers: place an order in the inside of a connected web shop and live according to the zip code near a boxo return stop, you will receive the option to choose reusable packaging. For this, a deposit of 3.95 euros must be paid.
“We have oriented the amount on a beer box because many people are familiar with the deposit concept for it,” explains Lucas Hullegie from Boxo on the phone. If consumers want to return the packaging inside, go to a return point and announce their intent. Employees then show a QR code that consumers: scan on the inside with their phone. The code leads to the Boxo website on which consumers confirm: in the inside confirm that they want to return a packaging. Then scan the QR code of the packaging and immediately receive a payment application with the deposit repayment.
The Boxo packaging itself is made from so-called “Big Bags” by the dairy company FrieslandCampina. “These are packaging for milk powder that may only be used once for reasons of food safety.” Instead of throwing them away, the dairy company now hands over these Big Bags to Boxo. “It’s a sack in a sack. We cut out the inner sack and we use the outer sack.” Hullegie explains that these Big Bags are converted into Boxo packaging with the help of social workshops.
Hullegie states that it has produced reusable packaging myself because “there were not so many variants”. Fortunately, more packaging companies are now participating and using Boxo Return, a white label service from Boxo. “For example, couple decorative and moon, they offer our return system in combination with their own packaging. The collaboration with packaging companies creates more types of reusable packaging, and we can manage the volume of e-commerce.
Boxo also creates an ecological balance analysis (LCA) for all reusable packaging. LCA stands for “Life Cycle Assessment” and shows the environmental impact of the entire life cycle of a product or service. “This way we can really compare the use of a cardboard box that is not reused with reusable packaging.” Hullegie points out that this information can also be used by the web shop partner: inside communication with customers.
“If KNOUS: Packing back on the inside, the web shop also receives a notification. This can then tell the customer: inside, which effects have been achieved, for example, or another type of reward. This type of communication is also a marketing opportunity for web shops.”
New generation of packaging: three companies that combat plastic waste
In order to bring a product to its destination without prejudice, more than just the external packaging is required. Inside, for example, there is insulating and protective material, which is often made of plastic. In this area too, there are inspiring companies that offer sustainable options, such as Woola from Estonia. The company offers an alternative to the air cushion film made of excess sheep wool. Since this wool is not suitable for the production of clothing, it is often burned or buried. Every year in Europe it is around 200,000 tons of wool. However, the natural properties of wool (elasticity, water dismissal and temperature regulation) make the material suitable for items that require additional protection.
Since Woola was founded, the company has prevented 128 tons of wool at the landfill, founder Anna-Liisa Palatu told fashionunited. This corresponds to 640,000 wool sweaters or enough wool to cover four soccer fields with a four meter thick layer of wool. The wool is not only saved, the farmers are also compensated for the handing of their wool. “This makes the farmers compensation for the costs of the sheep’s shear, which they wear anyway, whether they sell the wool or not, since sheep have to be sheared for the benefit of the sheep every year.”
The Woola product consists of one hundred percent and can therefore be composted. “Although we promote the reuse or return of the packaging, composting is a good option if reuse or return is not an option,” said Palatu.
Woola even noticed in larger players in the fashion industry. The company won the LVMH Innovation Award a few years ago. This also made it part of the LVMH business accelerator, and many doors opened for the Estonian company.
From algae to reusable bag: innovations in the packaging industry
In addition to air cushion film, there are also regular polybags that come from packages when consumers: inside they open them. These are the plastic packaging in which clothing is often packed. Sway offers algae alternatives for this. The material looks like conventional plastic and also offers the same protection, but is made of algae. It is also biodegradable and can be composted within 180 days at home, according to the company on request.
The company was co -founded by Julia Marsh, who was a designer for packaging systems. She believed that design would initiate the transition to a waste -free world because it sees plastic pollution as a design error. However, it found only a few good existing alternatives to plastic. In her opinion, a replacement must be efficiently deal with the resources, compost quickly and have the same properties as plastic at a competitive price. While Marsh immersed in the columns of the circular economy, it was fascinated by the pillar “Regeneration of Natural Systems”. This gave her a view of algae. They are naturally rich in natural polymers, quickly grow without large carbon use and are good for the ecosystem. When the algae packaging is composted, no harmful but good fabrics are released for nature and offer nutrients.
A polybag contains a few grams of algae. On request, Sway announced that 1 million Sway polybags correspond to the absorption of 20 tons of carbon and hundreds of hectares of biodiversity promotion.
In the past five years, Sway has processed £ 2.5 million algae for research and manufacturing its material. In the meantime, some brands are already using their packaging, including the fashion and outdoor brands Faherty, Florence and Alex Crane.
If you are looking for substitutes in the normally plastic packaging industry, you will find it. These three companies are a selection of innovator: inside that want to make a difference and actually do this thanks to the scaling of the solutions. The fashion industry is far from being freed from its plastic addiction, but there are certainly aids for withdrawal.
This article previously appeared on Fashionunited.nl and was used with digital tools translated.
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