The Circular Economy Involves More than Recycling

The Circular Economy Involves More than Recycling

We applaud the achievements of the recycling award winners that were announced in our previous blog on paper recycling. Having celebrated their success, it is important to remember that recycling is simply one element of the circular economy.

Designers, manufacturers, retailers and consumers need to be proactive at every stage of the process. We all need to take responsibility for what we make and purchase.

“Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference. The greatest danger to our future is apathy.” – Dame Jane Goodall DBE

Flying the Flag for Sustainable Packaging

At Aylesbury Box Company, our focus is on the design and manufacture of cardboard packaging. Over the years, we have made many internal changes to our processes and facilities. The aim has always been to improve energy efficiency and reduce waste.

We sell a sustainably sourced, recycled product; cardboard packaging. Our knowledge of packaging design and cardboard engineering has supported many customers to reduce packaging waste. We can advise on practical and commercially viable alternatives to single-use plastics, including polystyrene.

The reality is that bespoke cardboard packaging can actually reduce the cost of protecting your goods during delivery and display, whilst boosting the perception of your brand.

8 Steps to Sustainable Packaging Design

When it comes to the circular economy, we invite you to consider the entire process:

Rethink – Is the packaging necessary? Can it be reduced without compromising on product quality, protection and presentation? Does the design encourage reuse? Is it easy to recycle at the end of use?

Refuse – If any element of the packaging is surplus to requirements, leave it out. If it is possible to substitute a packaging material for a more sustainable option, make the switch.

Reduce – Even subtle changes to the size of the box can be beneficial in reducing the materials, energy, transportation, CO2 emissions and cost of packaging.

Reuse – Great design and stunning print can encourage consumers to keep the packaging box and reuse it. It may simply be solutions that mean customers can use the same packaging for returns.

Refurbish – A black outline design on white cardboard delivery box could provide children (big and small!) with a creative colouring project, as well as a packaging solution. This idea was trialled in a collaboration between Kellogg’s and Crayola in Australia last year, could it work for your brand?

Repair – The circular economy promotes repairing faulty items, rather than ditching them. A strip of parcel tape can be all that is needed to make a used cardboard box perfectly functional for reuse.

Repurpose – Cardboard boxes have always been repurposed. With a little imagination, a big box can become a racing car, ship, robot or rocket. What was your favourite childhood creation? With printed templates, many companies have encouraged consumers to repurpose cardboard packaging into practical items. An example is a coat hanger template on the cardboard in shirt packets.

Recycle – As a final step, it is important that we take care to make proper use of available recycling schemes. This will ensure that the volume of waste heading to landfill is minimised.

If your company is prioritising a green approach in 2020, you can talk to us about sustainable packaging solutions. Call Aylesbury Box Company on 01296 436888.