Opinions on the Future of Sustainability in Packaging

While living abroad years ago, EarthHero CEO, Ryan Lewis, became increasingly aware of the adverse effects of hyper consumerism on the natural environment—landscapes seemingly transformed into seas of plastic. Wanting to make an impactful change in the way we consume, Ryan imagined a marketplace that championed responsible consumerism by only offering sustainable goods. In 2017, EarthHero opened its virtual doors to offer sustainable choices for every type of consumer, making sustainable shopping approachable and easy for everyone.

Question #1: What encouraged you to open a sustainable store and what were the main challenges you faced when considering selling sustainable products?

The reason I started EarthHero, a go-to marketplace for sustainable consumption, was based on my passion to want to help solve the problem of overconsumption, wasteful consumption, and a linear but harmful way of producing and consuming products. I had worked for a company that provided ecommerce for the restaurant industry, and through that experience I was alarmed by how much damage was done selling those types of products and seeing how those products were made.

Ultimately, I left that business to start something more aligned with my values. I started EarthHero in 2017  when the challenges were different. There were not many sustainable products, and there were gaps in the marketplace. Greenwashing was very present, and conversations about the origins of the products were not exact. Often, if someone claimed a product was made from sustainable resources, no percentage of those resources was indicated and statements were vague. Products were described as eco-friendly without mentioning the reason why that was so.

Finding that information and putting it into one platform was a challenge. There has been progress regarding what sustainability means. So even if it’s not perfect, we can talk about the pros and the cons of a product with more clarity. In the last six or so years, many companies and entrepreneurs have begun offering more sustainable products. Also, more certifications have come out online where companies can sign up to provide an additional layer of accountability. But we are still far from where we need to be.

The challenges today are more a question of “How do we make a living while making consuming sustainably easy?” In order for this type of thinking to become the new norm, things must change.

Question #2: How do you see retail practices changing and becoming more sustainable? Do you believe retailers are becoming more sustainability-minded in their approach to how they sell products?

There are more independent start-ups selling sustainably branded products than ever before. Traditional retailers did not have sustainability goals the way they do now. Many major retailers have started carrying the same brands that small sustainable retailers offer and, in some cases, products that were previously considered just a commodity. I think these companies chose to take that path as a reaction to the changing market. And as a result, there are now more inspiring choices. They realized that this is something consumers are interested in, and products that used to be special in the past—shampoo bars for example—now are sold everywhere.

There is a rush to do the same with other product categories, too. The nature of the products themselves has changed, and packaging has changed, too. In particular with ecommerce, every retailer is searching for the most optimized way to ship while not overinvesting in the branding component. They realize that consumers will open and then quickly recycle or compost the packaging they encounter. Many brands now recognize that they need to create a zero-waste experience when it comes to their product packaging.

We’re seeing that, in more and more cases, packaging is not needed. Consider dish soap: we just put it in paper and wrap it. You don’t need packaging for this product. This is an emerging movement with flexible executions. But the end goal is that there is zero trash going to the landfill from purchasing this product, and that has an effect on the consumer experience.

Question #3: Let’s talk about packaging. How important is packaging appearance and material for you as a retailer?

The first thing we want to see as a retailer is minimum to no packaging. We love package-free stuff. The next level would be minimalistic packaging. We don’t want bulky packaging. It should be compact and to the point. The third component is sustainability. We love when packaging says it was created from 100% post-consumer material, or whatever the best would be for that product. We want to see it and to be accountable for what it is. But there is also an aesthetic that goes beyond sustainability. We like simple, non-overaggressive marketing packaging. Really just a packaging that is more based on lifestyle than consumption. Packaging made for a purpose for a product that is made for a purpose.

Question #4: Do you see changes in consumer behavior? Do you believe more consumers are migrating to sustainable retailers and are willing to pay higher prices for more sustainable products and materials?

When sustainable products first hit the market in a trendy way, old-school sustainability was still less merchandise-focused. Now, sustainability is far more widespread. Even if you’ve never purchased a sustainable product, you likely know what’s going on in the market.

In the United States, depending on where you are in the country, the perception may vary. But on average, it’s continuing to trend up. People are seeing mentions on social media, in the news and in headlines. They see all these sustainable products and, if nothing else, at least they get curious about it and may go from curiosity to wanting to participate. They can otherwise feel guilty or doomed in a sense about where the world is at. This allows them to participate and to contribute to a solution. I don’t know if it’s conscious or not, but it is, in a way, making them feel better about their lives, their consumption and how they can fill their homes with sustainable products. There’s still a long way to go, but there is a market that is benefiting from this trend.

Question #5: What are the main complaints or requirements from the buyers toward packaging? Do they share an opinion on specific packaging materials or use?

100%! Even when paper packaging has a plastic window where you can see the product—or small zippers that hold the product inside the packaging—our consumers would comment because those elements prevent packages from being completely sustainable or recyclable. Any kind of residual waste is called out now, which is great. Even with clothing that typically would come in packaging, a lot of our manufacturers now roll the shirt in a piece of paper and make it a zero-waste consumer experience. In all shapes and forms people are reacting to non-sustainable materials, that’s for sure.

Question #6: When sending products via ecommerce, how important is the packaging? What packaging materials do you use? How important is the size of the packaging?

We try to right-size all the boxes we ship. Some retailers put small products in big boxes. That’s never something we would do. In order to accomplish that goal, we also need small products to be packaged small, or work with our manufacturers to come up with ecommerce-related quantities. For example, trash bags from recycled content—normally you wouldn’t buy 80 or 100 of them. You would just grab maybe 20. However, ecommerce brings a more bulk mindset with consumers. And we like that.

We want to offer bulk products with minimal packaging, less transit and less waste. The whole supply chain wins when people buy the right products with the right packaging in bulk. It’s a sustainable way to shop.

Question #7: The world is changing rapidly. We see governments and consumers requesting sustainable materials and, in some cases, looking to get rid of all packaging materials entirely. How, in your opinion, can packaging companies adapt to the changes and innovate to keep the industry up to date?

The paper industry, in general, has difficulty working in small numbers. Their economy is of scale. In order to keep the price down, you have to run huge batches of product. I think there is an opportunity for the paper industry to build a model that accommodates smaller amounts, smaller sizes—and maybe charge a premium for it. Something like that might disrupt the inflexibility that has generally been there with the order minimums. But on the other hand, I feel that brands are figuring out what they need to do in those situations. Smaller brands need to start with just one packaging option and then upgrade to different ones as they grow. But if there were a packaging company that understood this problem, and could disrupt it, there would be an opportunity to make it better for the brands and at the same time to have more options in the market.

Question #8: What would be your wish for a more sustainable world, and how could paper-based packaging companies contribute to it?

There are more materials that can be sustainable—compostable packaging for example. But a low percentage of businesses have easy access to those compostable materials. The more they can go into single-stream recycling, the better it will be, and most paper can do that. I would really like to see frozen foods getting more attention in that way. Some brands are already doing that, but it’s not quite mainstream yet. It is definitely an area of opportunity.

If paper-based packaging companies could identify categories and products that are packed in unsustainable materials, or not in paper, that’s the biggest way to create market share and use as much recycled content as possible. That is a significant change in the eyes of a consumer, if it comes from a tree or if it comes from the trash. I think consumers are becoming more comfortable with Kraft, an unbleached paper, versus putting unnecessary materials into packaging. That’s a trend that is continuing. Then, don’t over-engineer it—don’t make it so thick! This is what comes to my mind.

Buckman is engaged and committed to partnering with organizations to find solutions to the sustainability challenges discussed in this post. For more information on Buckman’s sustainability strategy, visit our website.