4 Keys To Create High-Quality, Sustainable Packaging

By Isaac Fletcher, contributing writer, Food Online

Creating a sustainable product provides a strong competitive edge, but in meeting sustainability goals, it is still important to make packaging that lives up to quality, aesthetic, and performance standards

For food processors and packaging manufacturers, sustainable packaging presents a set of unique challenges. In the effort to create more sustainable products, manufacturers need to be sure they are not sacrificing in areas such as quality, performance, cost, and convenience. With an ever-increasing consumer preference for environmentally-friendly goods, it is now more important than ever for members of the food industry to perfect sustainable packaging.

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Although there are many solutions that can achieve the desired results, some food-packaging manufacturers make great sacrifices in quality in the name of a more sustainable product. By simply replacing major materials with more sustainable options, packaging manufacturers may produce inferior products that leak, lack durability, and are not as capable of keeping food fresh. Other manufacturers attempt to incorporate post-consumer recycled content into packaging in hopes that this will be enough to attract conscientious consumers. These approaches are known as greenwashing, and tend to not address primary packaging functions like quality, performance, and cost. So, what should packaging manufacturers and food processors look for in sustainable packaging?

Quality
Building sustainable products is certainly an important and admirable goal, but without providing high-quality solutions, packaging manufacturers may lose credibility and negatively affect customer experiences. One major pitfall is sourcing certain components of packaging to a third party that provides sustainable solutions only to discover that there are inconsistencies when the final packaging is assembled. It is recommended to always look for third-party certifications such as FSSC22000 or BRC to ensure a high level of quality is met.

Aesthetics
As with any form of packaging, creating an attractive and enticing design is vital in gaining consumer interest. Designing sustainable solutions that look natural and are aesthetically pleasing can present challenges of its own, but incorporating key elements such as vented lids, creative shapes, and stackability can go a long way toward improving aesthetics, and adding value, while still meeting sustainability goals.

Material
Terms like sustainability, environmentally friendly, and green get tossed around so often that their true meaning can often be obscured. To create truly sustainable food packaging, manufacturers need to closely consider the materials. Some popular options include mineral-based polypropylene, post-consumer recycled materials, and molded pulp fibers. One of the major advantages of molded pulp containers is that they are generally made from materials that are annually renewable and compostable, both of which are important considerations for sustainability.

Consumer Needs
Processors and manufacturers always need to be aware of the end-consumer’s perspective. Considerations such has how customers will interact with the packaging will help to ensure that packaging is designed to be viable and functional. Recent innovations such as high-heat containers and double lock lids help to create a positive experience for the customer.

Although designing sustainable packaging that still lives up to critical standards can be exceedingly challenging, there are solutions and approaches that make it possible. In the current landscape of innovation and advancement, there is no longer the need to compromise performance, quality, or cost-effectiveness to create a sustainable product. As environmental-friendliness becomes an ever-more important consideration for consumers, manufacturers will need to achieve sustainability while still providing a positive consumer experience.