Sustainable is Good | Where design, lifestyle and packaging meet

Staples Cuts Ties with Asia Pulp & Paper

Massachusetts-based Staples, the largest US office supply store chain announced late last week it was canceling its contract with Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) over environmental concerns.  The action by Staples ended an eleven year relationship between the two companies.

APP supplied roughly five percent of Staples paper products including some marketed under the Staples brand.    Staples spokesman Owen Davis said the company stopped buying from Asia Pulp "due to their clear lack of progress in improving their environmental performance.''

APP has been under fire from environmental groups including Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund for its practices including alleged illegal logging in Indonesia and China and other issues.

While Staples action does not specifically address packaging its relevant as a significant move focusing on the sourcing of materials.  Staples clearly determined continuing its relationship with APP was detrimental  and could negatively impact its business.

Paper Packaging Major Threat to US Forests

A report, Southeastern Swamplands and Paper Packaging, released last week by the Dogwood Alliance identified paper packaging as a major threat to forests in the Southeast United States. 

The thirteen state region of the Southeastern US the report focuses on is the largest paper producing region in the world producing fifteen percent of the world's paper supply.  Twenty-five percent of all the wood fiber sourced from this region is used for paper packaging.  The Dogwood Alliance report examines the impact logging has had on environmental conditions in the region where as much as six million acres are logged annually.

Download the full report

The Dogwood Alliance identifies paper as the most frequently used packaging material at thirty-four percent with plastic a close second at thirty percent of all packaging.

This report and others like the EIA report on Wal-Mart's sourcing of Chinese wood are an important indicator of the direction environmental groups are going in terms of their policy action plans.  Examining the components that make up the products or packaging we buy and tracing their source and impact their production has on the environment is important and is something that resonates with consumers.  The fact the Dogwood report is focused on the US makes it even more of the moment as the problems they are referencing are literally occurring in consumers backyards.

Smart packaging design firms and companies sourcing more sustainable/eco-friendly packaging options should consider these issues and make them part of their development plans.  Things in our culture that are seen as wasteful or excessive like packaging and disposable single use products are going to come under increased scrutiny in the months and years ahead.  Smart packaging design firms and converters will stay ahead of these issues and will need to work to develop industry best practices, embrace certifications and openness regarding these issues.  Major clients who embrace these issues as concerns and require their designers and packaging department to incorporate them will lead the way and reap the rewards with consumers.  Companies who resist and continue with business as usual will be the ones paying the price. 

Good design isn't just about being of the moment and providing protection for a product its about being smart, forward thinking and responsible.  Design firms who diminish the significance of these issues in the design phase are doing clients a disservice.

The Dogwood Report identified a number of major companies sourcing packaging from the region including: 

Unilever, L'Oreal, Wal-Mart, Glaxo-Smith Kline and Schering Plough Corporation source from the August Mill in Georgia.

KFC, McDonalds, Buffalo Wild Wings, Taco Bell and Starbucks all source from the Riegelwood Mill in North Carolina.

Unilever, General Mills and Costco source from the Franklin Mill in Virginia.

International Paper is cited a major producer of packaging with strong ties to the region.   The company owns five container board mills and four consumer packaging mills in the Southeastern US.

Apple MacBook Air Packaging

Interesting post on the packaging of the new MacBook Air by Jason D. O'Grady that appeared on ZDNet.  "One thing that Jobs touted about the MacBook Air during Macworld Expo was the diminutive size of the packaging, so I decided to compare the boxes of the MacBook Air, MacBook and MacBook Pro–stacked top to bottom below."

    * MacBook Air (MBA)–12.25 x 14.25 x 2.25-inches–393 cubic inches
    * MacBook (MB)–15.5 x 14.75 x 3.25–743 cu. in.
    * MacBook Pro (MBP)–16.5 x 15.5 x 3.25–831 cu. in.

"As you can see from the photos the MacBook Air box is smaller in overall dimensions than the MBP and MB boxes and is almost half the volume of the MacBook box, which should make the people at Greenpeace a little happier."

Jason is right the packaging for the new Air is almost half the size of the MacBook packaging and it should help Apple's ratings on Greenpeace's green computing index and their "Green my Apple" campaign 

Sustainable is Good contacted Apple for details on the Air packaging however did not receive a response to multiple inquiries.

PHOTOS via ZDNet

The Cost Versus Price of Sustainability

Traditional Detergent Packaging is Slowly being Phased Out PHOTO I KinoSport

What does it cost for a manufacturer to deliver a more sustainable product or package to our retail store shelf and what should the resulting price be to us as consumers?

There is a perception that going green increases a manufacturer’s cost, but does it really? We have found that the answer is, not usually, especially if it is done correctly. There is also an equally inaccurate idea out there that we as consumers are willing and perhaps even eager to pay a premium for a more sustainable product or package. As a consumer who happens to be in the packaging business; the answer is definitely not, unless the higher price is truly necessary and justified.

These perceptions open the door for CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) manufacturers to quietly raise prices. Today I confirmed what I already suspected. While doing something positive for the environment, going green has become an opportunity for manufacturers to improve the profitability of a mature and perhaps less profitable product.

“Cleaning up” in the detergent aisle

Being the well trained husband that I am, I made my trip to the nearby, big box retail store, knowing the laundry detergent my wife wanted me to buy and what I should pay for it. I headed straight for the detergent aisle ( I told you I am well trained) and immediately saw the 200 ounce bottle that we usually buy and the brand new, concentrated version, bragging about its increased strength and the fact that only one half of the usual amount was now needed.

“That’s great,” I thought, knowing enough about packaging to appreciate the fact that the new version’s design meant -

• - overall less packaging
• - substantially less plastic resin used
• - reduced corrugated usage
• - lower inbound material and outbound finished product shipping costs
• - a smaller carbon footprint

Then I took a closer look at the numbers that were NOT in big, bright, bold print.

Target to Launch Nine Natural/Organic Product Brands

Minneapolis-based Target Stores is launching nine natural/organic product brands in a major nationwide launch this March.  The discount retailer known for its hip side will be launching the new products in all 1,591 stores across the country.

Eight of the nine brands scheduled to launch are new to Target the ninth, Burt's Bees is already available at the retailer.  The brands included are Alba, Avalon Organics, Burt's Bees, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, Giovanni Organic Cosmetics, Jason Natural Products, Juice Organics, Kiss My Face and Weleda.

"This expansion further delivers on the retailer's Expect More, Pay Less guarantee while providing a fun, convenient shopping experience and access to thousands of highly differentiated items," a release from the company said.

The release also says Target will launch two new cosmetic bags made from recycled materials designed to encourage recycling.

Details of Target's planned launched appeared in an article in an industry publication, Women's Wear Daily (WWD), the day after the launch was officially announced.  The WWD piece said Target's new launch would occupy up to eight feet of prime retail space in each of their over 1,500 stores.  As part of the partnership between Target and the brands, the new natural care products will all be featured together along with thematic pictures and displays.  According to WWD, the idea is to provide consumers a "one stop shop" for their natural/organic personal care products.

Sources tell Sustainable is Good Target was not happy when some of the details of its new partnership appeared in the article.  Company owners and reps who were interviewed for the piece have since received some type of non-disclosure policy document from Target relating to the new partnership.  Several companies we contacted for information regarding the launch declined to comment citing the new directive from Target.

Lisa Havlik of LaForce + Stevens a NY -based firm that handles much of Target's PR relating to this product sector told Sustainable is Good, "As with all new joint ventures, Target wanted to ensure the announcement was according to the overall strategy and time line."  Havlik said Target's main concern was to not have information on the partnership discussed publicly (by companies involved) until the formal announcement was distributed.

Target's upcoming launch is an important development for measuring the acceptance/availability of natural/organic products to the all important mainstream consumer. 

Weleda Packaging

German natural personal care products brand Weleda's motto is "In harmony with nature and the human being."  This philosophy is carried out in the company's brand identity and packaging.

The bright colorful packaging of Weleda's products stand out on store shelves.  The brand's use of vibrant colors corresponds with key ingredients in each product.  The colors of the packaging represent the natural color of ingredients used to make the product.  "Nature is vibrant, nature is beautiful thats what you see in the products," said Jennifer Barckley Director of Communications for Weleda USA.

Sea Buckthorn Berries

The company's new Sea Buckthorn body cream and hand cream come in packaging with warm yellow's and oranges representing the color of the sea buckthorn berry.  The packaging of Weleda's Sea Buckthorn Body Lotion is particularly well done.  The company used a warm orange/yellow label with a creamy blue apothecary style glass bottle.  The Sea Buckthorn Body Lotion packaging is a good example of Weleda packaging.  The company uses mostly glass and aluminum tubes for its products instead of plastics.  Plastics are only used as closures or caps in most of their packaging.

Barckley said the packaging design is all done by Weleda's European office.  She said its not uncommon for the company to work with outside creative agencies on occasion for specific projects but that product packaging design is done in house. 

Milk Packaging Changing in the UK

Milk packaging in the UK is changing.  Supermarket chain Waitrose this week began selling milk in plastic bags called Eco Paks.  The new milk packaging was tested in an in-store trial last year and based on consumers positive reaction to the trial the company decided to go ahead with a launch.

The supermarket said it will promote the new bags in more than fifty stores across the UK including several in London. 

The Eco Pak uses 75% less plastic than plastic milk bottles and consumers can buy a reusable jug to pour their milk into. 

Milk packaging in the US has remained for the most part traditional with companies using plastic, cartons or glass bottles.  It will be interesting to see if any major chains in the US begin to experiment with alternate more eco-friendly packaging for milk.

Published reports indicate that of the roughly nine billion plastic bottles sold in the UK only seven percent of them are recycled. 

Toys R Us Going Green?

One of the new Toys R Us bioPVC Gift Cards

Major US retailers are experimenting with greener options for their gift cards.  We reported on Target's use of a new bioplastic resin called Mirel for its gift cards.  Leading US toy retailer Toys R Us also began offering a variety of green gift cards in October 2007. 

Jennifer Albano Manager, Corporate Communications for Toys R Us told Sustainable is Good the company has introduced an assortment of greener gift cards including biodegradable cards, cards made from corn, and a card made from recycled plastic. 

Toys R Us is using a material called bioPVC for some of its gift cards.  The material is made by CPI Card Group.  CPI says its bioPVC is made from 99% PVC and fully degrades within 9 months to 5 years in soil, water compost or wherever microorganisms are present.

Toys R Us Gift Card Packaging FSC-certified

Toys R Us is pairing its new gift cards with outer display packaging made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified Mixed Sources paper stock.  The cards are available at Toys R Us stores across the country.

We asked Albano if the greener gift cards were part of a larger green initiative Toys R Us had planned.  Albano indicated these developments are part of a larger planned initiative by the company for 2008 however said she was unable to provide additional details at this time.

The greener gift cards from the toy retailer and comments from the company's CEO Gerald Storch predicting 2008 would be the "year of the green toy," indicate we will see some major green announcement(s) from the company in the months ahead.

Celestial Seasonings Launches Organic Coffee

Celestial Seasonings part of the Hain-Celestial Group announced this week it is adding a line of organic Fair Trade certified whole bean coffee to its product lineup.  The new coffee products are packaged in a unique re-sealable zipper lock bag which helps prolong the freshness and preserve the flavor of the beans.

The 12oz packaging is similar to packaging used by a number of upscale tea brands currently on the market.

Celestial Seasonings claims to have a unique roasting process and use only shade grown coffee beans for its products. 

The company, known for its tea did extensive customer research and found even its loyal tea drinkers were interested in having coffee sevearl times a week.  The line was created to provide consumers with "another great tasting high quality option from Celestial Seasonings," acting general manager David Ziegert said.