Everyday Products Use More Efficient Sustainable Packaging

I always like to highlight everyday mainstream products whose packaging changes for the better in terms of design, sustainability or both. 

I know in the past SISG readers have had negative reactions to some of the conventional mainstream products I've featured in the this fashion.  The feeling is the products themselves should be better and more responsible.  While I agree with this overall position the fact of the matter is millions of mainstream products are sold daily in the US and I feel we should recognize efforts by large corporations to make changes in the right direction. 

With that it brings me to today's post at the start of Earth Week 2011.  Here are four products which have improved dramatically thanks to intelligent industrial design and the use of new more effective materials.  Through these improvements the company's who make the products have significantly reduced the use of plastics and dramatically improved their supply line efficiency.  All four of these products were recognized at the 2010 DuPont packaging awards for packaging innovation.

 

Fresh Step cat litter made by Clorox.  Switched to flexible bag from pail packaging reducing plastic use by 80%.  The flexible bag is able to handle the heavy weight of the product and features a number of innovations to make consumer use easier.

Scope Outlast mouthwash uses innovative industrial design in its new bottle to improve its appeal among younger shoppers.  Its design isn't just appealing the new bottle uses 20% less PET plastic and its cap and bottle provide structural support in the shipping box eliminating the need for corrugated inserts.

Always feminine products are packaged using a new continuous flow wrapping process which reduced the use of PE plastic by 25% and created significant efficiencies in the production warehouse.  Proctor & Gamble redesigned their packaging machinery to implement the new process.

Coca Cola introduced its PlantBottle which uses a mix of PET plastic that includes up to 30% plant-based material.  The PlantBottle offers the same qualities as their traditional PET plastic bottle.  The company claims they are working on expanding PlantBottle with their goal being a bottle made from 100% renewable materials.

Comments

[Twyla]

Will people jump on me for thinking that "sure, an improvement is an improvement, but its still just not good enough"? Am I a snob for thinking manufactured products like litter, mouthwash and pads are luxury products (don't get me started on the bottled water lol)? I am so worried about my daughter's future that my worry has amassed a global scale. I've probably given myself ulcers and pissed off everybody I know for buying plastic non-essentials that my jaw drops when I see plastic cutlery hit a plastic lined waste basket. I don't understand how carelessly people just buy *junk* and then throw it out like it didn't mean anything. I think I might be close to being one of those people who see someone buying something *new* new and wanting to yell at them how they are effing over there kid's future - yada yada for good measure.
It makes me weep to see people's carelessness sometimes. I hope you don't find this offensive, but I am going to link to your post and my comment.

[Lane']

The only product that I *have* used is the kitty litter and I have to question is the new packaging really all that better? It weighs less, so it takes less fuel to transport. However, is the new packaging recyclable? The old pail not only was recyclable it was also reusable. It looks like it's the type of plastic that ends up in the landfill.

Kudos for using 80% less plastic, but I'm on the fence with this one.