Package Design - December 2010

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December 2010 | Vol. 8 No. 10

From Distant Shores Distant Village Is Bringing Handmade Artisan Packaging into the Mainstream Special Sustainability Issue: Nine Greener Case Studies Designers’ Roundtable Part 2 Transparent Green Marketing Tetra Pak’s Wide-Angle View www.packagedesignmag.com

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Sonoco collects and recycles more than 3 million tons of material each year.

Accountability. It’s what drives us to make better choices today so that we can all enjoy better returns tomorrow. It’s why we are working to reduce our environmental footprint, expanding community-based recycling programs, providing commercial waste reduction services and creating sustainable value for our customers. It’s also why we were included in the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability World Index.

Accountable to our planet, our stakeholders and ourselves… it's who we are.

Acting today for a better tomorrow.

To learn more about our commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship, visit us on the web at sonoco.com

december 2010 s p ec i a l s u s ta i n a b l i t y i s s u e

features

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Cover Story | Distant Village

By Ron Romanik

Founder Richard Cohen is bringing sustainable packaging solutions from the Philippines to gift sets from online retailers and brands such as Hershey’s Dagoba Organic Chocolate.

10 Key Sustainability Drivers

By Ed Klein

“Going green” is among consumers’ highest priorities in new products as green attributes have evolved from a nice-to-have benefit to an expectation.

14 Hot Topics Designers’ Roundtable Part 2 of 3

Our panelists discuss what sustainable packaging innovation means today, the challenges of sustainability initiatives, greenwashing, and all-natural branding.

20 Clearing Up Transparency

By Wendy Jedlicka, CPP

As we create a more sustainable operating space for humankind, transparency and accountability are the cornerstones for remaking everything we do.

columns

42 Carbon Accounting Primer

By Karen Utt

More than 3,000 organizations worldwide measure and publicly disclose their greenhouse gas emissions through the Carbon Disclosure Project.

44 Sonoco Business Model

46 Q&A on Sustainable Ink Options Soy oils have an environmentally friendly reputation even though many other vegetable-based oils can satisfy sustainability goals, both corporate and government.

Departments 2 Editor’s Letter 54 Index of Advertisers 49 New Products

48 Hiring an Eco-Pro

By Noel Jeffrey

By Wendy Jedlicka, CPP

Top management sees its sustainability accomplishments as building value for shareholders, employees, and customers in 85 nations.

Companies need to be sure that the people responsible for the final form of marketing claims know what they’re really saying.

Web Exclusives in December (under Hot Topics)

Wendy Jedlicka on The Living Principles of Design

Case studies 26 Gillette and MiraFoil

34 SoilWrap and Mirel

28 Kaytee and Great Northern

36 Ecoterah Bags

30 Simulia and Amcor

40 Amcor and Sprout

32 IPL Trustpack

56 Scott’s Naturals

Cindy Gilbert on Being Inspired

by Biomimicry Part 3 of the Hot Topics Designers’ Roundtable

32 Jawbone and Eastar

december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

FROM THE EDITOR EDITORIAL OFFICE

11262 Cornell Park Dr. | Cincinnati, OH 45242

Buzzwords and Ballyhoo

T

he paradigm shifts in sustainability thinking have progressed through a quick evolution over the last five years. The word itself knocked some folks off balance at first, and attempts to define what it meant for packaging were given thoughtful consideration.

Our recent webinar, available online at www.packagedesignmag.com, looked into the market forces affecting package design and sustainability today. Looking past the buzzwords and biobased fads that flooded early packaging sustainability initiatives, we took a close look at where the rubber meets the road and the meaningful gains that packaging design and production changes can bring.

We’ve brought much of that attitude to bear on this issue of Package Design, our fourth dedicated issue on sustainable package design. During the webinar, our Sustainability Update coordinator, Wendy Jedlicka, challenged many assumptions that people have to illustrate how it takes new ways of thinking to address sustainability and design throughout a supply chain. For instance, she pointed out that it would be reasonable to guess that the most eco-friendly way to deliver orange nutrition to consumers is to ship the whole orange. However, if you’ve ever squeezed an orange to extract its juice, you’ll realize how little usable content is actually extracted as a percentage of total “package” weight. Plus, oranges are round, so there’s a quite a bit of empty space during shipping.

The Febreze air-freshening luminary refills shown here accomplish many sustainability goals. Designers tackled a completely new air-freshening concept to deliver efficient material use and efficient product refill delivery in thin, light eco-friendly materials. However, consumers were still the starting point to discover what unmet needs there existed in a home décor scent unit.

The turning of the New Year will mark a fresh start for Package Design Magazine, its loyal readers, and its value-conscious advertisers. Just like the redesigned packages we often profile, a healthy makeover from time to time can be refreshing and energizing. The staff at Package Design is looking forward to serving both its readers and advertisers more thoroughly by presenting content-rich editorial that is better organized and more accessible.

Rest assured, our popular features will remain topical, tapping into the fastshifting trends in design, structure, research, materials, processes, and branding. By “more accessible” we mean that new styles and formats will engage the eye and interest of our readers and invite them into the magazine to explore more. When readers are engaged with the content, they are also engaged with the advertisers. We’ve constructed Package Design to provide both a sounding board and a call to action for ideas that are tested for success in the marketplace. We trust you’ll find more of the same to like in 2011.

Best,

CORPORATE OFFICE

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EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ron Romanik ron.romanik@stmediagroup.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Patrick Henry pat.henry@stmediagroup.com ART DIRECTOR

Laura Mohr laura.mohr@stmediagroup.com PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Linda Volz 513-263-9398 linda.volz@stmediagroup.com

SALES DEPARTMENT PUBLISHER

Julie Okon 317-564-8475 / 513-744-6909 (fax) julie.okon@stmediagroup.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

John T. Lyons III 770-955-2923 / 610-296-1553 (fax) john.lyons@stmediagroup.com EUROPEAN SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Alex van Bienen +31-475-570009 alex@vanbienen.net

CORPORATE STAFF PRESIDENT

Tedd Swormstedt DESIGN GROUP DIRECTOR

Kristin D. Zeit

CUSTOMER SERVICE/SUBSCRIPTIONS

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Mark Kissling 513-263-9399 mark.kissling@stmediagroup.com Package Design Magazine (ISSN 1554-6772) is published 10 times a year by ST Media Group International, 11262 Cornell Park Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45242. Phone: 513-421-2050 Send address changes to Package Design Magazine 11262 Cornell Park Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45242. © ST Media Group International Inc., 2010.

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Ron 2

DECEMBER 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

by Ron Romanik

That’s Caring created a pleasant opening experience with this all-natural material box from Southeast Asia.

FROM DISTANT SHORES Distant Village is bringing handmade artisan packaging into the mainstream

R

ichard Cohen, founder of the Distant Village Packaging company, based in Chicago, is in high demand these days.

Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development invited him to sit on the organizing committee of a global think tank. Sales were up 40% in 2010 over 2009, and the company has completed substantial packaging projects this year for online retailers Greenheart and That’s Caring, sustainable cleaning product company PortionPac, and branded projects for Mighty Leaf Tea and Hershey’s Dagoba Organic Chocolate brand.

On top of that, the Distant Village sister company in the Philippines was recently recognized at the 2010 Philippines International Eco Show (PINES) for the Best Eco Corporate Social Responsibility CSR Program. The award recognized the company’s efforts to empower and support local communities while developing mutually beneficial relationships with artisans in remote villages through fair and ethical business practices.

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DECEMBER 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

“Since our founding 10 years ago, our CSR efforts have been central to our mission,” says Cohen. “It is a great honor to be recognized for these efforts."

Many bottom lines

Cohen’s vision starts from the source—the artisans who handcraft unique packaging from natural sources around the globe.

Southeast Asia is the main Distant Village overseas source today, for both the raw materials and the artisans employed.

Whenever possible, the materials come from invasive species of grasses or parts of abundant foliage not normally used. “I think what we’re doing is an interesting model for the packaging market,” Cohen says.

“A lot of our clients are very sincere about their commitment to sustainability,” says Cohen. The clients are willing to be flexible in their specifications if it helps the process along more efficiently, and looking at the full life cycle of the components is

Greenheart ships these gift boxes with only an outer brown paper wrapper, saving boxing and filler costs.

always wise. Cohen’s aces in the hole, so to speak, are industrial designers at top U.S. boutique firms that moonlight as Distant Village designers.

When he started the company, Cohen was trying to combine his passion for environmental preservation, his affinity for helping the underprivileged, and his deep appreciation of fine craftsmanship. He was amazed to find so much under-utilized talent out there in small communities in the Pacific Rim, and he noticed that handiwork minimized both fuel consumption and production waste. For instance, for many Distant Village packaging projects, machine silk-screening is cost-prohibitive compared to hand silk-screening. On a broader scale, he feels it would be a shame if long-held artisan traditions were lost to the march of “progress.”

That’s Caring’s commitment

That's Caring is an online store providing environmentally responsible gift packaging solutions to their clients. The company creates eco-friendly gift baskets with two goals in mind: satisfaction of the person getting the gift and protecting the environment. To establish a leadership position in the ecofriendly gift basket industry, That’s Caring selected Distant Village for a recyclable, compostable, and reusable packaging that reinforces their strong brand identity.

Jamie Pritscher, co-founder and CEO of That’s Caring, explains that earlier this year the company decided to advance its environmentally friendly reputation even more and elevate its eco-conscious commitment further. Specifically, That’s Caring wanted to improve upon previous packaging, where some components had a low amount of recycled content.

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DECEMBER 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

The Distant Village artisans construct the new, distinctive keepsake packaging from 100% natural fast-growing and abundantly renewable natural plant fibers following triple bottom line standards. Distant Village's team professionally designed and produced gift boxes in line with fair trade principles, environmental preservation, and sustainable practices.

The That’s Caring boxes are handcrafted by artisans in a remote village in Southeast Asia, allowing for economic empowerment of this community. The packaging starts with 100% recycled chipboard for strength and sturdiness in shipping and finishes with tree-less papers. The paper-like material is fashioned from a blend of banana plant fiber and an invasive species of wild grass. In addition, all dyes to color the papers are non-toxic and the wastewater from production is cleaned and recycled before reintroduction to the soil.

The two reengineered box designs, nested during shipping from Southeast Asia, reduce the total shipping volume by 50%, dramatically decreasing the carbon footprint and storage

The PortionPac company was born out of a sustainability mindset, and this handcrafted promotional piece completes the brand message.

requirements. To further impress green-minded customers, coconut excelsior, a natural biodegradable packing material, fills the boxes to replace 30% to 70% of the recycled paper filling. The all-natural coconut “hair” from the coconut shell has an unusual character that is surprisingly functional: cushioning and securing fragile objects of varying shapes and sizes. Finally, the aesthetic appeal and sturdy construction mean that reuse is likely, allowing the box to have a second life—such as saving photos, letters, or other memorabilia—in customers’ homes.

When Pritscher was first introduced to Distant Village, she immediately thought: “Why haven’t we been doing this? It makes perfect sense.” She was amazed when the project was turned around in just over eight weeks. The initial order was 1,300 total pieces in two sizes ready for shipping.

“The packaging sets us apart,” Pritscher explains. “It com-

pletes the whole gift story with the products we have inside.”

She also likes the way the new packaging structure creates the traditional reveal of opening a gift, where all the components are immediately visible. “We really wanted that ah-ha moment,” she emphasizes.

At the heart of Greenheart

Greenheart is a Chicago-based, eco-fair trade, non-profit shop that carries both fair trade and eco-friendly products. In searching for a gift packaging solution that could be used for both consumer products and corporate gifting, they found that Distant Village matched their mission.

Greenheart had previously used standard crafted paper tote bags for their gift packaging. Distant Village's team professionally designed and produced gift box sets made from 100% natural fast-growing and abundantly renewable materials.

The Greenheart boxes are similar to the That’s Caring boxes in structure and materials. One small exception is the hand-carved coconut shell button, which serves as a fastener device. The button and natural fiber thread draw attention to the distinct look of packaging, helping to elevate the Greenheart brand.

Katherine Bissell, general manager at Greenheart, explains how the boxes are very popular with Greenheart’s customers, and how the green heart on every box extends their company’s brand. “Customers love the fact that the boxes are strong and can be used for shipping,” she says. “Many people like the fact that the boxes are keepsake boxes meant to last. Customers keep them for variety of uses.”

Beyond material sustainability gains, forwardthinking design is also instrumental. The three Greenheart boxes and the small tote bag are all designed to nest in one large box, reducing the carbon footprint and storage space needed at the Greenheart store.

Bissell notes that requesting shape variations is not a significant cost issue because every box is handmade. Greenheart usually mails the boxes by simply wrapping them in brown paper and affixing an address label, saving excessive shipping materials.

Rightsizing portions

This Mighty Leaf Tea gift box made of abaca plant fibers creates a light yet sturdy display case for 30 biodegradable tea pouches.

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Caryn Stets, marketing director at PortionPac, recalls the fateful event when her company and Distant Village crossed paths. PortionPac has a long history of supplying concentrated cleaning products with a minimum of water for more efficient shipping. Stets had been looking for a sustainable alternative to a promotional package that they had been using, which was constructed with customary UV-coated white paperboard. continued on page 54 »

DECEMBER 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

TM

Powered by 100% renewable energy

FSC certified and recycled papers

First in the industry to be 100% carbon neutral

Sustainable Packaging issue

A commitment to a greener future that begins with sustainably-sourced materials can move more easily into supply chain efficiencies, reducing carbon footprint and expanding recycling efforts.

This change in buying philosophy has in turn led to the development of global packaging norms and other guidelines for managing and reinforcing sustainability assertions by brands across industries, and especially so within the food and beverage category. For example, eco-labeling has become an important point of reference for many companies when communicating an environmental message about products. Tetra Pak believes that certain eco-labels are good and necessary, and that’s why in early 2008, our company became the first packager to launch a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) labeled food carton.

Many eyes are upon us

Looking Well Ahead Key drivers are influencing the future of sustainable packaging

By Ed Klein

B

y all accounts, 2010 has remained a challenging year for most segments of the global packaging industry with growth at or below 2008 levels. However, research recently conducted by Global Industry Analysts (GIA) suggests that the global market for sustainable packaging is forecasted to grow to $142 billion annually by 2015. GIA says this growth will be fueled by manufacturers achieving greater cost savings through the use of sustainable strategies and by a steady rise in consumers’ adoption of greener lifestyles.

Observers report that “going green” is among consumers’ highest priorities when shopping for new products, suggesting that green attributes have evolved from a nice-to-have benefit to an expectation, according to Consumer Reports magazine’s 2009 report entitled “Green Roundup; Green Choices.“ And recession or not, more than two-thirds of consumers both actively seek environmentally responsible products if they are within their budget and pay attention to what companies do, even if they can’t afford the products of a particular company at the present time (according to a 2009 Reuters/Cone Study).

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december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

Growing attention to sustainability is being shaped by retailers, brand owners, and suppliers who are focusing on products and packaging that provide good environmental performance—and business value. Packaging companies are reacting to this changing landscape by integrating environmental performance into the way we do business and by redefining how we leverage environmental performance as a competitive advantage to add market share and reputational value. At Tetra Pak, for instance, this has included innovating downstream supply chain efficiencies; showcasing how we are reducing our packaging materials footprint as well as our total carbon footprint; and expanding carton recycling.

Making sustainability a reality and communicating effective actions to consumers are important ways to build their trust while meeting their demands. It is true that, in reality, a truly sustainable package does not yet exist. To meet the need for greener products and greener packaging, it is critical to establish clear, actionable, cross-industry standards to assess the sustainability of products and packaging, as well as claims that companies make about products. Without such guidelines, it becomes too easy and tempting to stretch or exaggerate green claims.

Agreed-upon criteria

In 2005, The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) was the first to create common ground by formalizing what is now a widely accepted definition of sustainable packaging. The SPC says that sustainable packaging: • is beneficial, safe, and healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle;

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Sustainable Packaging issue

currently working with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to develop the first international standard for sustainable packaging (ISO TC122/SC4) that would include establishing a universally accepted definition of the sustainability philosophy: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

In January 2010, another initiative, the Global Packaging Project (GPP) of the Consumer Goods Forum, also focused on common language around sustainability. Made up of some the world’s largest brands, retailers, raw material providers, and packagers, the GPP is now poised to release the first set of common metrics and indicators to measure environmental and sustainability improvements in packaging. The metrics are based on 18 pilot projects that were conducted between March and September of this year by such GPP participants as Coca-Cola, Kraft, Unilever, Safeway, Carrefour, Walmart, Target, and others.

Green all the way to the bottom line

“To meet the need for greener products (including greener packaging), it is critical to establish clear, actionable, cross-industry standards to assess the sustainability of products and packaging.”

• meets market criteria for both performance and cost; • is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy; • optimizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials; • is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices; • is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios; • is physically designed to optimize materials and energy; • is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial closed loop cycles.

Since SPC’s criteria took hold, 25 other organizations have produced sustainability definitions and eco-ratings that companies can use to validate green claims. Most notably, this includes Walmart’s packaging sustainability scorecard, one of the larger-scale efforts to measure the sustainability of packaging. Walmart’s primary contribution to the sustainability conversation is to encompass the entire supply chain in measuring environmental impact.

Two other global efforts now underway will also have implications across the packaging value chain. First, sustainable packaging professionals and global value chain strategists are 12

december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

Aside from helping to ensure transparency for consumers on product sustainability, these initiatives also may signal opportunities for companies to achieve greater cost savings through sustainability efforts. From operational savings achieved through lower material, freight, and inventory costs to more sustainable sourcing, sustainable packaging may prove to be one of the most effective drivers of efficiency across all industries for years to come.

Whatever broad sustainability criteria are established or adopted industrywide among packagers, we know that recycling standards will be at the heart of it. In 2009, Tetra Pak and our competitors formed the Carton Council to lead the expansion of the carton recycling infrastructure across the country and promote recycling strategies that are environmentally sound, socially responsible, and economically sustainable. To get more information about carton recycling, please see www. recyclecartons.com.

Packagers, retailers and brands have an economic interest in following the standards that eventually will be established in the years ahead. These standards should become an important driving force for decision-making in the value chain.

There is no doubt that the drive toward sustainable packaging is here to stay. But by taking a long-term view of sustainability, the packaging industry is poised not only to meet consumers’ green demands, but to experience what may be the greatest opportunity for innovation for generations to come. n Ed Klein is vice president, environmental affairs for Tetra Pak (www. tetrapakusa.com) in the U.S. and Canada. Tetra Pak cartons are made from raw materials that are responsibly sourced according to the highest standards available, and the company is a WWF Climate Saver partner, voluntarily reducing its carbon emissions by 12% percent since 2005.

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ISSUE

Hot Topics Designers’ Roundtable Our panelists discuss the latest trends in sustainable design and green marketing (Part 2 of 3).

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n the second of this three-part series, we discuss what sustainable packaging innovation means today, the challenges of sustainability initiatives, greenwashing, and all-natural branding. Part 1, in the November issue, covered what innovation means today, how private label is affecting the market, and the origins and limits of the simplicity fad. Part 3, online in December, delves into how the business of design is changing, the effects of over-reaching advertising agencies, and how retailers are often calling the shots.

The panelists are:

Ronald deVlam, founding partner of Webb Scarlett deVlam Bill Goodwin, founder & CEO of Goodwin Design Group Norma Kwan-Waski, cofounder and managing partner at John Waski Design Dale New, senior vice president of DePersico Tom Newmaster, partner at William Fox Munroe Inc. Leslie Tucker, principal of IQ Design Group Robert Ziegler, president of Brandimation

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n the down economy, have sustainability initiatives in design briefs been expanding even more?

Tom Newmaster: Everyone talks about it, but it seems like with the client mix we have, we’re the ones bringing it up, not them.

They are saying: “We don’t want to use a material that has some negative aspect to it, and we don’t want to add on unnecessary packaging.” But they’re not pushing us to use more sustainable materials or reduce the packaging materials a certain percentage. I always try to put some type of sustainable element in the recommendation because it’s definitely not going to hurt. That’s just one more positive reason, or a good reason, for someone to buy that product over something else. I’m trying to work those things in, but I’m not being pushed to.

Robert Ziegler: I think it’s part of every project that we’re engaged in, though typically not the primary driver. It’s become part of the vernacular; any time there’s anything to do with structural components and material choices, it’s brought up.

Both the client and our company actively engage in conversations about the environmental footprint of what we’re doing.

That said, eco choices aren’t being made for their own sake.

Value is still the driver of all decision-making. In certain categories, sustainability is more of a driver than in others.

Ronald de Vlam: I think it’s still on an upward trajectory and I’m still getting a lot of briefs where the sustainability element has to be very well considered. I think that’s in part because of Walmart’s Sustainability Scorecard, but it’s also a part of appeal14

DECEMBER 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

A major challenge of sustainability initiatives is balancing the natural materials gains while still assuring consumers that the product is effective.

ing to the consumers who are much better informed than they were before. I think they can appreciate what a brand can do by being greener. I’m reading with interest about how the Sun Chips bag didn’t win the consumer acceptance that I thought it would. The noise factor was a kind of blight on that particular format. But, in other areas, companies like Microsoft and Kraft see sustainability as a great consumer story to promote and— quite often—it also means considerable cost-savings for them.

If it’s a double win, it gets put in the design brief more often.

Bill Goodwin: It frustrates me when you turn over a typically recyclable plastic package and it shows a #7 instead of a #2 or #3. Why is that? Toys R Us introduced a green line a few years back, but people just weren’t ready for it. But we still promote possible sustainability gains in every presentation. Another problem is that there aren’t enough universal symbols yet.

Some out there are good, but we should have standardized symbols to make it easier for everybody.

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here is the pressure to address sustainability coming from?

Ziegler: There’s a lot of “innovation” being done for cost reduction, and as a result of material reduction, that can also be called eco-innovation. So they're typically bottom line-driven initiatives. There are also companies out there looking for breakthrough innovation to drive long-term, top-line growth.

These companies realize that we’re in a position that we haven’t

Sustainable Packaging issue

Secondary use of a product or package is a sustainability strategy that resonates with consumers.

been in for several years—that companies with a strong cash position in a down economy can hire the best talent, create long-term insulation, and develop an intellectual property portfolio around breakthrough innovation. Those companies are going to see significant market power shift their way in the next three to 10 years.

Norma Kwan-Waski: In general, many of us are conscious about environmental issues and trying to create more sustainable packaging, but arguably more can be done. Especially with some convenience-focused products, many of these convenient packages have caused more throwaway which is the opposite of sustainable thinking. Ironically, even some of the convenient size packaging for organic food products is not recyclable. This is somewhat of a vicious cycle, and change as we know is not always easy. While wanting to use less energy is good, to many CPG companies this may involve hidden costs and risk factors that may hinder them from rethinking how much they want invest for long-term rewards. In recent times many have turned to concentrated products and more refills, and these are small steps in the right direction.

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hat are the design trends are giving new life to organic or environmentally friendly consumer goods?

Dale New: It’s really all about authenticity and believability. If you’re packaging something organic or all-natural, it’s got to look authentic. We’ve seen it evolve from organic and natural that had to look like the farmers did the artwork themselves.

Now it's more sophisticated in the look, but it’s sophisticated Birkenstock—not sophisticated Madison Avenue. And that’s a tricky thing to get right. If anything is out of whack, it’s a house of cards and it all falls apart. People don’t believe it.

Kwan-Waski: I think all-natural products are thankfully walking away from the expected browns and greens. The packaging is becoming focused on aspiration. If you walk into a Whole Foods, the bright colors are grabbing attention. The trend is 16

december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

more toward appealing packaging then the “earthy” imagery these products used to carry.

Ziegler: On the recycled content side, I think that there’s still value in brown box/green graphics because I know as a consumer that it’s “made from recycled materials” and I can trust that what I’m consuming isn’t excessively depleting natural resources. Anytime that sustainability can also be coupled with cost reduction, it’s a good thing. Anytime it leads to a cost increase, it tends to be for a niche market. It just mirrors U.S. consumer behavior. If it’s sustainable and the cost is the same, I believe a majority of U.S. consumers will buy the more sustainable option. The lifestyles of health and sustainability (LOHAS) consumer is still a growing niche consumer; they’re not the majority consumer.

New: Sometimes that’s a challenge when you’re trying to do food photography on recycled board. You don’t get as bright a white and you might not get as appetizing a look. Purely from a product development standpoint, there’s also an impact. One of the promises of a seafood client called Three Promises is that they are not going to damage the oceans. The whole brand message is sustainable, so that’s exciting to see. What we found there is that it’s a brand issue and a corporate issue, and you need to be able to communicate that. All other things being equal, people will go for the more sustainable, earth-friendly product. I don’t think in this economy people are willing to spend a lot extra for that, but I think there’s a heightened awareness of it. The messages that the schools are teaching are getting through, and it’s becoming part of our culture.

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o you feel that sustainable packaging gains should always be called out on the package?

Newmaster: If we’re going to be use a more sustainable material, we’re definitely going to call that out. There’s really no nega-

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Sustainable Packaging issue

tive side to it, so I kind of push them to do it. With some of the materials we’re working with now, the consumer wouldn’t even know that it’s made of recycled material.

Tucker: Recyclable structures are important, but I don’t think consumers are going to buy a product just because it’s in a paperboard box versus a plastic bottle. Consumers, being what they are, still want their products’ graphics to look and feel the way they want them to, whether that’s clean, fresh or efficacious. I’m not sure if we’ve come to the point where a consumer will buy a product because it looks and feels “recyclable.” de Vlam: I’m of the opinion that consumers don’t necessarily need to see sustainability promoted on packaging. But it’s really important for them to know that the brand they’re investing their dollar in is a brand owned by a company that, hopefully, does good things for the environment and for the planet. There’s a corporate messaging element that is really important, and bigger companies are taking that very seriously, even though they’re not always shouting too loudly about it.

That’s because it’s always easy to have a counter-voice to sustainability efforts and be critiqued for them, and by being a little humble and doing the hard work in the background, you can also gain a lot of traction and consumer acceptance.

Ziegler: There are three primary ways of approaching packaging sustainability that have meaning to consumers: Reduce virgin material usage, produce using recycled materials, and produce products that are readily recyclable. It’s harder to get across other lifecycle components like energy consumption and emissions. de Vlam: With a brand like Stonyfield, on the other hand, it’s so much part of their brand essence and the whole Stonyfield company mission. So the messaging on the Stonyfield packaging can do a lot more promoting of their environmental goals

Shades of browns and greens are still effective at quickly indicating “greener” to consumers looking for new ways to live more sustainably.

and ideals. If we improve a Microsoft package’s eco-metrics 50% on Walmart’s scorecard, it’s not something that consumers get very excited about, but in other kind of news, media, or reports, it can become a significant message for Microsoft.

Ziegler: I think consumers are appreciative of source reduction, particularly when you’re talking about multi-component packaging. Many packages out there could become reduced- or single-component packages. Consumers will appreciate that, but they won’t necessarily know that they appreciate it. They’re just dissatisfied with over-packaged goods. Even if we shout about what we did, they wouldn’t jump up and down, they’d just no longer frown. So, I don’t think consumer awareness matters much in this kind of thing at the package level. But at the roll-up level—where we toot our own horns about how many millions of pounds of plastic were eliminated—the overall company brand image may improve your relationship with the consumer, and of course you’ve improved your bottom line margins.

I

s greenwashing an industry problem that will wash out in the future?

Goodwin: The pressure to out-market the competition pushes people to do things and say things that are just bending the truth. We struggle with this with some kids’ foods. If it’s not clear whether it’s a treat or not, we have a problem. And we’ll turn down the work.

Newmaster: It looks like consumers have gotten a little smarter.

They can see beyond claims. All-natural consumers in general don’t want the mainstream. So rather than make your mainstream brand natural and organic, CPGs are coming out with an organic or natural line.

The sustainability-minded Source toothbrush by Radius outlines all of the sustainability and effectiveness benefits on the back panel.

New: Everything has consequences, so you have to be careful sometimes. It’s a balancing act, but the good news is there are a lot of new technologies out. The recycled boards today look a lot better than they did 10 years ago. It seems to me that Walmart is using their power for good in this case. Whatever they do, the rest of the world is going to follow. No one is going continued on page 55 »

18

december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

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Sustainable Packaging issue

This package epitomizes the age of transparency to come in accountable, verifiable eco claims.

Clearing Up Transparency Green marketing claims need to be qualified and substantiated

by Wendy Jedlicka, CPP

I

n the U.S., the FTC Green Guidelines effort is trying to harmonize terms and give meaning to words that have no measurable value other than whatever the users feel they can get away with. As we attempt to redefine the things we make and do, can a product with only one positive eco-attribute (say, some recycled content, or biodegradability) really call itself “sustainable” when it’s produced using mountain-top-mined coal energy, and then burns thousands of miles of petroleum in transportation, to be used only once?

As we go further down the path of creating a more sustainable operating space for humankind, transparency and accountability are the cornerstones for remaking everything we do.

Many eco-efforts to date have been founded upon this: If you’re not sure if it’s bad or not, then don’t do it. This is the basic idea of the Precautionary Principle. More specifically, the Precautionary Principle says that even if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing harm, the burden of proof for being “harmless” falls on those taking the action. The European Union has led the world in this vein by applying the Precautionary Principle, in its essence, when developing its statutory requirements on corporate responsibilities.

It all seems very logical, doesn’t it? But in many countries, the U.S. included, the burden of proof is not on the polluter or environmental offender, but on those who want to stop a harm20

december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

ful activity. In general terms, it’s not hard to imagine that groups who decide to take an environmental gamble would also be groups who oppose operational transparency.

Solutions for see-through

Transparency is growing as a general barometer for good management practices. And it continues to grow not only as an important part of the decision-making process in finance and industry, but as a guide for consumers right at the store shelf.

Ethoapp.com, for example, is working to tie all kinds of information together and delivers it into the consumer’s hand at a touch of the smartphone.

On the industry side, we already know that by 2012, Walmart expects 95% percent of its production to come from factories with the highest ratings on environmental and social practices. Helping the effort are various scorecards with information designed to be shared among Walmart’s vendors in order to create faster and more comprehensive change.

Another example, Re-nourish (www.re-nourish.com), helps the graphic design community take control of its footprint. Working with partner organizations like the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada, the group is working to develop the Sustainable Design Auditing Project (SDAP), an opensource metric for measuring the environmental, social and

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Sustainable Packaging issue

This Green Seal Certified coffee filter product confirms that no chlorine was used during production.

economic impacts of the graphic design supply chain. Using a multi-stakeholder process, the project hopes to provide a more accurate and transparent way to manage sustainable decisionmaking across projects, companies, and industries.

No real numbers = no real progress

Like many eco-efforts, Re-nourish points to the idea that designers, along with their suppliers and clients, must be able to measure the on-the-ground impacts of their work on individuals, communities, biological environments, and economies.

“Without real numbers to back up sustainable design theories, our best efforts end up nothing more than a best guess,” notes Eric Benson, Re-nourish partner and outreach lead. “SDAP will finally bring designers and their suppliers to the same table in the interest of transparency.”

Leveraging the benefits of doing business in a more transparent way makes it much easier to see which suppliers are moving in the direction you want to go, too. Using third-party certifiers, designers and companies can quickly sort through the various players to find the right fit for their efforts.

The Forest Stewardship Council, Chlorine Free Products Association, UL-Environment, the Energy Star program, U.S. Green Building Council, Scientific Certification Systems, The European Union EcoLabeling Program, The Great Printers Project (pimn.org), The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership, Green-e, Green Seal—these are but a few of the third-party certifiers that deal with products and services used or impacted by the packaging industry. Additional certifications of interest are tracked by Ecolabel Index and the ISEAL Alliance.

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One of the most interesting developments to emerge from the reworking of the FTC Green Guidelines is the fact that now, both the companies that produce the goods and the creative firms working on the projects can be held accountable for claims made in packaging, print, and advertising. In a recent Tweetchat follow-up to a LivingPrinciples.org article (“How Proposed Changes to the FTC’s ‘Green Guides’ Can Impact You”), author Don Carli noted that the FTC intends to step up enforcement. He pointed out that the FTC “can take a range of actions: request substantiation, issue a warning, or bring a legal action.”

Good things in that “can of worms”

With so much on the line, transparency and certification become useful tools to demonstrate honest effort (by companies as well as individuals) and to build confidence in the brand or practitioner. Although moving toward a more transparent and verifiable way of doing things may seem like a huge can of worms no one wants to open, it’s turning out to be an opportunity to help clients, colleagues, and society in general move to a more sustainable operating model. We can enjoy its fruits today while we leave things in better condition for the future. n Wendy Jedlicka, CPP, is president of Jedlicka Design Ltd. (www.jedlicka. com) and affiliated with o2 International Network for Sustainable Design (www.o2.org and www.o2umw.org) and Minneapolis College of Art and Design’s groundbreaking Sustainable Design Certificate Program (www.mcad.edu/sustainable). She is also contributing editor of two books: Packaging Sustainability and Sustainable Graphic Design (www.PackagingSustainability.info).

Conversion from metal cans to glass jars proves to be game changing for Red Gold®

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hen Red Gold introduced its premium salsa to the market, a metal can was the packaging material of choice. One of the few brands marketing salsa in a can with a pull tab lid, Red Gold saw a gradual decline in salsa sales over several years.

As the company set out to search for the cause, customer feedback revealed the biggest hurdle for the brand was the packaging.

Glass became the clear choice Customers told Red Gold the salsa was difficult to reseal and the metal cans were mysterious, hiding the ingredients of the product. Red Gold responded immediately to customer feedback and decided to convert to a packaging material that would not only showcase the premium ingredients in the salsa, but strengthen Red Gold salsa’s reputation in the marketplace.

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“Glass containers were the best way to showcase the premium ingredients in our salsa,” said Greg Metzger, Director of Marketing for Red Gold. “Red Gold salsa has larger chunks of tomatoes, peppers and onions. Now consumers can see the difference in our salsa versus others on the shelf.”

Listening to customer feedback paid off for Red Gold. In addition to elevating the brand, the new glass jar solved obstacles conveyed by customers such as trouble opening the pop-top lid, the inability to view the contents inside, difficulty locating the product on store shelves, and resealing the product for future use. Consumers responded to the new glass packag-

ing immediately, driving annual sales up by 50% and today Red Gold is the fastest growing brand of salsa in the category.

“We were able to increase our retail price to reinforce the quality perception of the product,” added Metzger.

Red Gold chooses Verallia When setting out to find the best glass packaging for the brand, Red Gold selected the Verallia glass brand at Saint-Gobain Containers. “Human interaction is critical to any business partnership. That coupled with great service and a premium product made the partnership with Verallia a true success for Red Gold,” said Metzger.

“Human interaction is critical to any business partnership. That coupled with great service and a premium product made the partnership with Verallia a true success for Red Gold.” –Greg Metzger

Red Gold selected a standard glass jar with a die-cut label graphic application that resembles a custom package. The glass container was able to maximize the amount of product that is visible to customers and the color palate of the salsa provided an excellent background for the brands key equity color – bright yellow.

“As a leading supplier of glass jars to the U.S. food industry, we were thrilled to partner with Red Gold in converting their salsa package from cans to glass containers,” says Doug Hesche, Vice President, Market Development for Verallia North America.

“We strive to not only provide the highest quality of glass packaging, but to be a strategic partner in helping companies select the best container to showcase and promote their brand.

Red Gold truly understands the important role smart packaging material plays in strengthening their reputation with customers.”

the glass source offers many conveniences including the ability to build a strong relationship with Verallia.

“We chose glass for the visual benefits of the container, but being able to offer our product in a container that offers unmatched attributes for consumers just makes the choice that much smarter,” said Metzger.

rewarding to be a part of it,” said Hesche.

Red Gold salsa’s glass packaging, manufactured by Verallia, received the 2008 Clear Choice Award in the conversion category for Glass Packaging Industry.

Continually innovating since inception nearly 70 years ago, Red Gold

“We improved packaging and quality perception by converting from metal cans to glass.”–Greg Metzger Growing through innovation By choosing glass, Red Gold was able to improve the convenience and shelf life of its salsa with re-sealable jars that can be easily refrigerated.

“We improved packaging and quality perception by converting from metal cans to glass,” said Metzger.

“Once we converted, Red Gold salsa became one of the most complimented products that Red Gold offers.”

“We love to see our customers grow and succeed in business. It’s truly

now offers four products in the salsa category ranging from 15.5 to 16 ounce jars. “With the success of the new packaging, Red Gold was able to expand the brand in August of this year by adding a new black bean and corn salsa while also bringing back the hot salsa. As a result, Red Gold has realized increased movement in current distribution and new distribution gains for the salsa products,” added Metzger.

Locally grown, locally packaged In 1942, Red Gold began when Grover Hutcherson and his daughter, Fran, rebuilt a Midwest cannery right in the middle of “Tomato Country” in Central Indiana. The third generation family-owned business still operates all of its business locally with manufacturing, processing, distribution and headquarters all concentrated in Indiana.

“Although we have become a nationally recognized brand, our roots are very deep in Indiana.”

–Greg Metzger It’s not a surprise the company partnered with a local glass manufacturer to supply the jars. Verallia’s Dunkirk, Ind. plant manufactures 100% of Red Gold’s salsa jars just miles from the company’s operations.

“Although we have become a nationally recognized brand, our roots are very deep in Indiana,” said Metzger. He added that being close to

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Sustainable Packaging issue

A Greener Holograph Gillette taps a recyclable metallic effect for a high-end look and sustainability

G

illette has added a high-end holographic effect to the carton of its Fusion ProGlide razor without the use of metalized lamination. It was accomplished with the help of a process

by Diamond Packaging that combines Henkel Corporation’s MiraFoil metallic coating with new holographic technology.

The seeds for the ProGlide launch were planted two years ago when Dennis Drummond, senior key account manager of Henkel, suggested a coating to replace foil board laminating and hot foil stamping. The potential advantages were appealing, because the MiraFoil coating could eliminate an entire production step. “At that time, Gillette had a special board stock that was wet bond foil-laminated in the Northeast and then sent to their converters for printing,” explains Drummond.

“This took ten to twelve weeks, whereas MiraFoil coating can be on the shelf for the printer any time.”

The sustainability advantages were also attractive. According to Drummond, cartons produced with MiraFoil replace film and foil laminates, which are difficult to recycle at best. MiraFoil can be removed by the de-inking process, and it can be applied to precise areas, allowing creative designs and reduced waste.

board, or print-treated plastic film, Marcinkowski says that the substrate board was important during Gillette’s trials. “We found that the smoother the board, the better. A smooth board gives a more mirror-like finish with better light reflection off the surface. Once we ironed out those issues, we put together production-like comps and presented them to the marketing people, who were satisfied with what they saw.” Marcinkowski and his team then implemented MiraFoil coating in Europe and the U.S. with Gillette’s number one brands, Fusion and Embrace.

Sustainability was monitored in the change from foil-laminated board to the MiraFoil UV-based system. “The old technology could be recycled but had a different recovery value,” says Marcinkowski. “Plus, it’s harder on the carbon footprint because you have to send the board out to be laminated and then ship it back to the converter. With MiraFoil, you eliminate that entire process because you can print all in one pass, all on one station on one machine. The product lifecycle with associated carbon dioxide release is much better. When you do an analysis, such as with the Walmart Scorecard, the MiraFoil process gives you some wins.”

Pleasingly printable

EAS-friendly as well

The MiraFoil samples impressed Michael Marcinkowski, senior engineer, R&D, in Gillette’s global packaging division. “They looked really great,” he says. “We conducted trials, worked out issues such as vignetting, lay-down and blocking of the ink, and several types of printing effects to achieve optimal results.”

Although MiraFoil coating can be used on paper, paper-

MiraFoil also enables 100% readability of EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) tags, which protect merchandise from theft. According to Drummond, “Most foil board blocks the EAS signal, even when tags are placed on the outside of the package. But sheets coated with 100% coverage of MiraFoil were tested and did not interfere with the EAS signal—even when continued on page 55 »

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Sustainable Packaging issue

“Krafting” Shelf Appeal Kaytee’s new pet food line combines natural look of kraft with high-end graphic reproduction

W

hen it comes to projecting environmental friendliness and wholesomeness, kraft packaging seems a natural choice. However, a brown uncoated substrate is seldom the first choice for designers and printers when it comes to showcasing vibrant, compelling imagery.

Kaytee Products Inc. in Chilton, WI, wanted the natural look and feel of kraft without sacrificing high-end graphic quality in the packaging of nature’s BENEFITS, a new line of natural foods for pet birds and small animals.

“The tone and manner of the design needed to convey a very strong sense of wholesomeness on several levels,” says Aria Grant, art director with Directions Incorporated, Kaytee’s design agency. “We wanted to create a crunchy-granola feel that was also very eco-friendly. But we also wanted it to acknowledge the bond between consumers and their pets.”

Charged with sourcing the box material and printing for the package, Directions turned to Great Northern Corporation in Appleton, WI. The agency had worked with Great Northern’s StrataGraph operation in Oshkosh, WI, on other consumer packaging projects and knew it could combine high-end printing with a paperboard product made from FSC-certified controlled wood sources. The box is also 100% recyclable.

The “cure” is UV

“Kaytee wanted the earthy, organic look you get with kraft, but to get that green-looking package you usually have to sacrifice some print quality,” says Don Schroeder, president of StrataGraph. “Putting wet ink on top of wet ink makes printing lifelike graphics on an uncoated substrate nearly impossible. “ Great Northern circumvents that challenge by using a process built around UV inks and UV dry trapping of inks and 28

december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

coatings. “For the nature’s BENEFITS boxes, we first printed a thin coat of white as a silhouette of the image to seal the uncoated substrate,” Schroeder says. “The white makes the ensuing colors really pop out. The StrataGraph process allows us to produce graphics with brilliant whites and skin tones.”

As each color of ink is applied, the substrate moves through a fast-acting UV curing station. The cured ink forms a polymer that sits on top of the paperboard rather than being absorbed into it, and acts as a base for the application of the next layer of ink. After printing, the top sheet is laminated to the paperboard.

The web-based StrataGraph process combines the quality of process printing with the structural integrity of folding carton paperboard completely in-line and in one location. From a shelf-impact standpoint, the streamlined process also is able to retain the emotional impact of the imagery and design.

Communicates “good for pets”

“Stores typically merchandise these products by type of animal rather than by brand or manufacturer,” Grant says. “So our goal for shelf impact was to combine a range of visual cues that worked in concert to create a strong position of all-natural and environmental awareness with the idea of doing something good for pets.”

“The brown, kraft box isn't merely a package printed to look natural, it truly is natural,” says Kay Thomson, senior marketing manager, Kaytee Pet Bird. “The color and style of the package tells consumers, even before they see the brand name, that this is a natural product. It provides the natural-food shopper a quick way to identify a product that appeals to them because it will appeal to their pet.” n For articles on similar topics, visit the Paperboard and Sustainability Channels on PackageDesignMag.com.

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Sustainable Packaging issue

AFTER

BEFORE

Lightweighting, or right-weighting, a fast-moving consumer good package will always be a driving force for sustainable package design, and the right design tools can make that process less laborintensive and time-consuming.

costs and environmental impact significantly—from product design, to materials parameters, to methods of production—while adhering to strict industry performance standards.

Realism = responsiveness

Lighten up!

Amcor uses realistic simulation to stay on top in plastic container market

A

mcor’s Rigid Plastics division (renamed from Amcor PET after its parent bought Alcan in late 2009), is the world’s largest supplier of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) containers. With 63 facilities in 12 countries, the company provides packaging for many of the world’s leading brands of carbonated soft drinks, juices, teas, water, condiments, salad dressings, sports drinks, soaps, shampoos, pharmaceutical, and health care products.

The Michigan-based division produces about 25 billion units of bottles, jars, cans and other product configurations per year. Multiply that number by even a few grams saved per unit, and the sustainability impact is staggering.

“A container made with too much, or too little, material can be very expensive 30

december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

and have a negative impact on the environment,” says Suresh Krishnan, Amcor’s Advanced Engineering Services group manager. “Too little material can lead to containers failing, and too much can cost us a fortune. Either way, materials are wasted and thrown away. ‘Lightweighting’ our products is one of the key things that has sustained Amcor against our competition during these tough times, and computer-aided engineering (CAE), within a product lifecycle management (PLM) environment, has been critical to achieving that.”

Amcor uses PLM solutions to integrate 3D virtual design, finite element analysis (FEA), and collaborative product development software into their product design and development process.

This has enabled the division to reduce

At the core of the approach is Abaqus Unified FEA software from SIMULIA, the Dassault Systèmes (DS) brand for realistic simulation. Amcor employs Abaqus to generate simulation data that can guide design modifications, material thickness parameters, and even manufacturing processes to reach the lightest possible result that satisfies both customer and regulatory requirements.

Using multiple iterations between CATIA, the DS brand for designing virtual products, and Abaqus, the parties can collaborate to arrive at the best solution that validates the appearance, performance, and functionality of a particular container. This process also enables Amcor to make its development lifecycle more sustainable, eliminating the need for multiple real-world mockups and letting it anticipate and manage the social and environmental impacts of its products—from product design to end-of-life recycling.

The results: a 50% drop in design cycle times, enhanced communication between designers and engineers, less physical prototyping, and faster time-tomarket. Quicker, more creative response to customer requests for new ideas led to lighter-weight, high-performance product solutions that lowered everyone’s costs all along the supply chain, significantly reducing the company’s overall environmental impact. n For articles on similar topics, visit the Rigid Plastic and Sustainability Channels on PackageDesignMag.com.

Maggie Turner has been a member of IoPP since 2003 and was awarded the designation of Certified Packaging Professional (CPP) in 2008. She is currently Vice President, Membership, for IoPPÕ s Golden Gate Chapter.

More recognition.

More success. ÒClorox does a great job of encouraging its packaging engineers to become active in IoPP. Completing my CPP was an important accomplishment for me because it was proof that I had put forth the extra effort toward professional development and also showed my passion for the packaging community. Involvement in IoPPÕ s Golden Gate Chapter has helped me network with other packaging professionals while providing opportunities to stay on top of packaging trends. One of my goals is to promote IoPP to students preparing for careers in packaging the Institute is an excellent way to see whatÕ s going on outside the classroom!Ó Maggie Turner CPP Packaging Scientist Clorox

For more information about IoPP and its educational programs, call 800-432-4085. Or visit www.iopp.org.

Sustainable Packaging issue

IPL Reinvents the Tamper-Evident Seal with Its Trustpack Container

I

PL Inc.’s new Trustpack tamper-evident container system has a unique integrity indicator, located on all four corners of the lid, to ensure that foods are free from contamination and tampering. The new “skirtless” flange design eliminates the risk of contamination on the production line and increases consumer confidence in product safety.

A visual inspection of Trustpack’s tabs will give consumers who purchase it confidence that no one has tampered with the contents inside. The container is film-seal ready for extended shelf life, and it continues to be leakproof even after it is opened the first time.

Designed with both the consumer and retailer in mind, the Trustpack incorporates a distinctive shape, a lid that is intuitive to use, and in-mold label (IML) decoration capabilities. Previous tamper-evident containers used a break-tab system that was confusing to use and prone to contamination. IPL’s new,

more intuitive design makes the container easy to open or close with a single motion.

The square shape offers a large surface area for labeling and is easy to manipulate. It also uses space on square pallets more efficiently than round containers. In fact, says IPL, it’s possible to deliver up to 40% more product in the same amount of space by using Trustpack containers, depending on the arrangement.

Because it requires less energy to produce and transport than HDPE, PET, and PLA, the polypropylene Trustpack container is a better ecological choice. The Trustpack is 100% recyclable, and consumers immediately recognize its reusability.

One of the leading North American producers of molded plastic products through injection and extrusion, IPL Inc. (www.ipl-plastics.com) manufactures and markets over 400 products for the packaging, materials handling, and environmental sectors. IPL also provides value-added custom molding services for the packaging and transportation industries. Trustpack is currently available for IML decoration development and testing, with a full production launch scheduled for 2011. n For articles on similar topics, visit the Rigid Plastic and Sustainability Channels on PackageDesignMag.com.

Sustainable Packaging issue

Aliph and Eastar Reduce Plastic Materials

By Two-Thirds for Jawbone ICON Package

BEFORE AFTER

A

liph has introduced the Jawbone ICON Bluetooth headset with redesigned packaging made with Eastar copolyester.

The packaging uses 68% less plastic than the original Aliph Jawbone packaging and reflects Aliph’s emphasis on environmentally responsible packaging designed to reflect the sleek, premium quality of the Jawbone brand.

The use of Eastar copolyester allows Aliph to reduce its plastic requirements from 126 grams of polycarbonate (PC) to 40 grams of copolyester per package. The new package also provides a 360º, museum-like view of the product inside. The durability, clarity, and design flexibility of Eastar enabled designers from fuseproject, the San Francisco-based design agency, to achieve near-zero draft angles for square, sharp edges while reducing the wall thickness of the package.

Aliph worked closely with fuseproject and Eastman to develop the packaging. By selecting Eastar copolyester, Aliph was able to package the Jawbone ICON using a recyclable 32

december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

material that creates a strong visual experience for the consumer and high package rigidity demanded by retailers.

Eastar copolyester is used for the design and manufacture of consumer and medical packaging. The near-zero draft angle of a medical syringe made of Eastar served as inspiration for fuseproject designers in developing the ICON package.

“We think it’s a great statement for our brand as we continue to preserve that wonderful premium experience while creating something that is very sustainable in its architecture,” says Hosain Rahman, Aliph founder and CEO. n For articles on similar topics, visit the Rigid Plastic and Sustainability Channels on PackageDesignMag.com.

Sustainable Packaging issue

Digging in Deep SoilWrap® breaks new ground in plant containers

G

rowers, say goodbye to the potted plant. Meet the planted pot.

It’s called SoilWrap®, an innovation from Ball Horticultural that uses Mirel biodegradable container material from Telles, a joint venture of Metabolix and Archer Daniels Midland. SoilWrap takes the form of a 100% compostable, bottomless pot that can be placed directly into the ground, letting the young plant it contains take root as the pot begins to break down into nutrients that are good for the surrounding soil.

When the SoilWrap pot—a wraparound sleeve—is planted in the ground, “it is actually seen by microbes as a food source,” says Greg Trabka, product development manager for Ball Horticulture. He also notes that the plantability of the pot ensures greater product success and more satisfaction for customers of nurseries, greenhouses, and garden centers.

This is because SoilWrap enables gardeners to put plants into the ground with less hazard than is risked with pots made for transplanting. “From our experience, a lot of plants are destroyed by people who don’t know how to remove the plant from the pot,” Trabka says. “With SoilWrap, you avoid damaging the root system.”

Ball Horticultural says that the superior drainage and gas exchange permitted by the bottomless SoilWrap design allows many plant species to grow more quickly than they do in conventional pots. Although SoilWrap degradation begins as soon as soil is placed in the pot, the process accelerates only after the pot is planted, allowing plenty of time for display and sales in plant retailing environments. Once in the ground, the pot is said to completely biodegrade within 12 months.

Sugar-based resin

These properties derive from SoilWrap’s use of Mirel, a family of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) sugar-based resins. The bioplastic PHA materials have physical properties comparable to those of petroleum-based resins, yet are biodegradable in natural soil 34

december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

and marine environments, home composting systems, commercial composting facilities, and anaerobic digestion where these facilities are available. Mirel also is said to provide a more durable container than other natural-fiber potting materials.

The Mirel-based bottomless pot design eliminates 100% of the environmental impact of the package and reduces related fuel emissions, according to Ball Horticultural. Both Mirel and SoilWrap are listed on the USDA Biopreferred program, which designates biobased products that are preferred for purchase by federal agencies and their contractors.

Another sustainability advantage of SoilWrap cited by Ball Horticultural is the space it conserves on pallets. The company says that two and a half times more assembled SoilWrap packages can fit on a pallet compared with traditional 3.5-in. petroleum-based plastic pots.

“With 60 pallets of SoilWrap on a truck, that results in 243% more SoilWraps per truck, which reduces the number of trucks to less than half,” Trabka says, adding that this means less carbon dioxide emissions. The space savings, he says, also extends to storage and warehousing.

SoilWrap also was developed to address the massive landfill waste associated with horticultural plastic. According to data cited by Ball Horticultural, every year, 350 million lb. of horticultural plastic is used in the U.S., while only 4% is recycled. Unlike natural fiber pots, which are also plantable, the Mirel SoilWrap package can be preprinted with marketing material and UPC bar codes for an attractive, on-shelf appearance. Ball Horticultural plans to increase SoilWrap distribution through its grower customers in North America and to independent garden centers and mass-market retailers beginning in spring 2011. The container currently is available in a 3.5" size and soon will be released in a 4.5" design. n For articles on similar topics, visit the Rigid Plastic and Sustainability Channels on PackageDesignMag.com.

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Sustainable Packaging issue

Eco-friendly, politically correct

To produce Ecoterah packaging, PCG uses EarthFirst PLA (polylactic acid) film, an earth-friendly alternative to petrochemical-based films. This clear, compostable lining is a carbon-neutral biopolymer manufactured under the trademarked resin trade name of Ingeo. Because PLA is FDA-compliant for food contact, Ecoterah packaging offers consumer and pet food manufacturers a number of benefits: • By offering a better barrier than traditional plastic liners, it keeps foods fresh longer.

• Because it does not contain petrochemicals, it is safe for recycling, composting, and landfills.

• EarthFirst PLA Film consumes less energy during production, resulting in less greenhouse emission.

• Because it is grown, processed, and produced domestically, PCG has more control over the supply chain.

A natural growth industry

It’s Feeding Time Wisconsin company develops safe packaging for food and planet

P

recision Color Graphics (PCG), located in Franklin, WI, noticed that conscientious consumers committed to green initiatives have moved beyond recyclable packaging to seeking out packaging derived from renewable sources. PCG is introducing an industry-first line of pet food packaging that does not use petrochemicals. The patent-pending food bags have a paper exterior and biopolymer film lining made from corn.

Minnesota-based Tuffy’s Pet Foods Inc., a 45-year-old company, is PCG’s first customer to use Ecoterah packaging. Tuffy’s decided to introduce the Ecoterah packaging for its line of Natural Planet Organics dog foods.

“We felt this packaging was the right thing to do for the environment,” says Jim Farrell, sales and marketing manager at Tuffy’s. “But we also expect it will help boost sales. Customers who want organically grown dog food are the same type of customers who are attracted to earth-friendly packaging.”

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“We’re very excited to be the first to introduce compostable, earth-friendly pet food packaging to the market,” says John Goeden, PCG president. “I tell my customers that they won’t have to sacrifice on their design or printing to use environmentally friendly packaging,” he adds. Ecoterah products are suitable for various printing processes and inks, including soybased inks.

Goeden encourages customers to showcase their dedication to the environment with their packaging and POP displays.

“Consumers who are committed to green initiatives actively look for businesses that share their values,” he explains. “By providing this information, you help boost your reputation—and your bottom line.”

Compared with the new packaging, the previous flexible film pouch package was actually more expensive to produce.

PCG tested and retested the new packaging format for durability and for the shelf life of the product inside. The new format equaled or surpassed the shelf life of the old packaging, there was no wicking or spotting from the fat content of the dog food, and it actually provided a better moisture barrier. The final touches were finding a water-based adhesive to seal the package and reducing a 10-color print run to seven colors, with a final pass of water-based varnish for the matte finish.

Plans are to use the new packaging for cat food next, and then market it for packaging with human food for retail. “We don’t have two levels of packaging,” explains Dan Brulz, v.p. of packaging at PCG. “Everything we do is human grade.”

Tuffy’s introduced this packaging on their branded dog food to make a strong first statement about the new packaging, and retailers have shown great interest. In addition to the eco advantages, all materials and production occur domestically in the U.S. “Their packaging is giving them a new story to tell,” Brulz concludes. n For articles on similar topics, visit the Flexible and Sustainability Channels on PackageDesignMag.com.

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Sustainable Packaging issue

Bringing Up Baby Food Ampac’s retortable, resealable pouch protects Sprout’s organic goodness

S

prout Foods Inc. has been making all-natural, 100% organic baby foods since 2004, and from day one, a key objective has been to use packaging that respects and protects the purity of the painstakingly prepared meals inside. For the last two years, Sprout’s menu—overseen by celebrity chef and cofounder Tyler Florence—has gone to market precisely this way in specially constructed packaging provided by Ampac, a supplier of rollstock, film, pouches, and bags.

Ampac partnered with Sprout to develop a more sustainable (and much less breakable) alternative to standard baby food products packaged in glass jars or rigid cups. Sprout also wanted the packages to be reclosable in case the product was not consumed in one sitting. An easy-open feature to improve access to the product for convenient feeding was another strict specification.

All of these requirements are met by Ampac’s retortable, reclosable, stand-up zipper pouch, now the 2.5-, 3-, or 5-oz. container for every selection in Sprout’s baby-food line. Its laminate construction safeguards the food, permits warming, ensures safe and easy handling, and delivers environmental benefits. At retail, the handsomely decorated surface of the pouch provides an improved brand billboard that strengthens shelf appeal by highlighting the fresh/organic message.

Layers of efficiency

To achieve the barrier properties and heat resistance that Sprout wanted, Ampac designed a four-layer, BPA-free laminate consisting of foil, polypropylene (the layer in contact with the food), polyester, and nylon. A notch cut into the laminate at the top of the package assures a straight, clean tear that can 40

december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

be securely reclosed by the zipper underneath. Sal Pellingra, Ampac’s director of innovation, notes that very few retortable pouches feature reclosable zippers, owing to the difficulty of maintaining a strong, watertight seal.

Because of its metal layer, the pouch isn’t meant for microwaving, a heating method that Sprout rejects because of its adverse effect on the freshness and the nutritive content of the food inside the package. All of the dishes can be served at room temperature, but if heating is desired, Sprout recommends immersing the meals in warm (not boiling) water, which heats gently without compromising food quality or deforming the structure of the pouch.

A logistical benefit of a self-sealing standup pouch is the fact that unlike a glass jar with its separate lid and label or a plastic cup with its peel-off lid and overcap, the pouch represents just one packaging SKU. But where Ampac sees one of the biggest physical advantages of flexible pouches over rigid glass jars is in the latter’s proneness to breakage.

Carried in a tote bag that’s set down too roughly, a glass jar of baby food can turn into a gooey mess and a cutting hazard.

The same thing can happen, notes Ampac account manager Dan Weil, in tumbles from shelves in supermarkets, where shock-absorbing carpeting sometimes is installed in the babyfood aisles to minimize the risks inherent in stocking glass jars.

Prioritizing the product

Not only are glass jars fragile, they’re heavy—much more so than pouches. According to Pellingra, a glass jar for baby food weighs 70% of the product being sold, whereas an Ampac retort pouch accounts for only about 6% percent of the total weight.

This represents, he says, “a tremendous improvement in the product-to-package ratio, with a focus on shipping the product versus the product and packaging.”

Pellingra notes that pouches have still another edge over glass jars in that besides being lighter, they are also more compact. This means that they can be shipped flat to the filling line in only about 10% of the pallet space that would be needed by glass containers, with an obvious potential for cutting fuel consumption during transport.

Sprout’s gravure-printed pouches offer richer graphic possibilities than glass jars decorable only with labels, Pellingra adds.

The entire surface area of the pouch is printable with photoquality images for a “graphic billboard” effect, and as a result, Pellingra says, there is “a much larger footprint to look at.” That visual real estate makes the pouch “look more contemporary” and should help Sprout differentiate itself at retail. Weil says that Sprout’s adoption of retort pouches signals an important category change for this type of packaging, which now will be perceived as suitable for baby foods just as it has been for adult food items like tuna and rice. n For articles on similar topics, visit the Flexible and Sustainability Channels on PackageDesignMag.com.

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Sustainable Packaging issue

Counting Your Carbons Greenhouse gas accounting informs sustainability decisions

By Karen Utt

I

f your organization doesn’t already account for and report its carbon emissions, it probably will soon. More than 3,000 organizations in over 60 countries currently measure and publically disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and climate change strategies through the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). CDP acts on behalf of 534 institutional investors holding $64 trillion in assets under management and some 60 purchasing organizations such as Cadbury, PepsiCo, and Walmart. In addition, retailers such as Tesco, ConAgra, and Intuit have voluntarily announced reductions to the carbon footprint of their packaging.

Organizations use greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting to: • attract institutional investment • develop sustainable brand identity • meet customer requests for it • meet B2B performance specifications • prepare for future regulation • reduce costs Modeled after financial accounting, GHG accounting practices provide a way for an organization to credibly inventory and report the GHG it emitted directly to the atmosphere and indirectly by its purchases of energy, products and services. Sometimes you will hear people talk about carbon accounting, but don’t worry—GHG accounting and carbon accounting are the same thing.

How is it conducted?

Determine the applicable greenhouse gas accounting standard. GHG accounting can be done entity-wide or on a project basis. As with financial accounting, GHG accounting has its own standards to ensure credible reporting.

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Just about every GHG accounting standard and program in the world uses guidance from The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative, a long-term partnership between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) that began its process of GHG accounting standardization in 1998. (See http://www.ghgprotocol.org.)

WRI/WBCSD GHG protocol standards have achieved nearly universal acceptance because they have been developed using broad, global stakeholder consensus processes that have included business, government, and environmental groups. Of course, if you plan to publicly register your GHG inventory or you are under a regulatory requirement to report your GHG, you will need to use the specific accounting and verification standards or regulation defined by your registry or regulatory body.

Identify the GHGs to include.

Generally, GHG accounting covers the accounting and reporting of the six greenhouse gases specified by the Kyoto Protocol—carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydroflurocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).

These six gases are converted into carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) using a specified IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) conversion table for accounting purposes.

Inventory emissions by their “Scopes.” For GHG accounting purposes, emissions of these six gases will be further divided into direct and indirect emissions. Direct and indirect emissions are analogous to a debit and credit in financial terms. While every organization will have Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, it is unlikely that a single organization will have all three Scopes in its inventory for the same emission. For example, if an organization emits a Scope 1 emission, it is unlikely that it will also book all related Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions in its own GHG inventory.

Overview of Scopes and Emissions Throughout an Entity’s Operations WRI/WBCSD Greenhouse Gas Protocol, Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard (Revised Edition), Chapter 4

Direct emissions are called Scope 1 emissions. Indirect emissions are further subdivided into Scope 2 (purchased electricity, heat, steam, and chilled water) and Scope 3 (upstream and downstream emissions related to the energy, products and services an organization purchases that are not included in Scope 2).

Anticipate the development of standards for Scope 3. For the last 10 years, GHG accounting of Scope 3 has been largely optional. This practice is changing as major supply chain-oriented business such as Walmart, Costco and Procter & Gamble take a greater interest

in the GHG-related financial and operational risks that may be associated with their supply chains. The WRI/WBCSD Protocol is once again leading the processes to develop two new standards: the Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard and the Scope 3 Accounting and Reporting Standard.

These standards are being developed using the same broad, multi-stakeholder process used in the previous WRI/ WBCSD standards. These new standards will provide a common method to account for the emissions associated with individual products across their

full life cycles and corporate supply chains, taking into account impacts both upstream and downstream of the organization’s operations. The use of these standards will give organizations the information they need to make more sustainable decisions about the products they buy, sell, and produce. n Karen Utt is a carbon management expert and is a current member of the WRI/WBCSD Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scope 3 Standard and Product Standard Technical Working Groups.

December 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

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Sustainable Packaging issue

Q

What are other options besides soy?

Ferguson: Soya beans are not the only vegetables we grow. We also use linseed, canola, rapeseed, tung, oiticica, and many other vegetables and seeds. These are all renewable resources that lower VOCs and are totally non-toxic. Most Van Son oil-based inks average between 40% to 60% vegetable oil.

Q What about the Soy? Sorting out misconceptions regarding vegetable-based inks

M

ore and more sustainable packages point out that the package was printed with soy-based inks as a benefit to the environment and to the consumer.

But what about other vegetable inks or water-based inks? Is soy the leader because soy sounds most eco-friendly?

Ken Ferguson, technical director, USA, for the Van Son Holland Ink Corporation of America helps sort out some answers.

Q

Why is there so much confusion over soy inks?

Ferguson: Soy Oils have been portrayed as the only environmentally friendly choice for printers. In fact, many other oils can be used that can make the customer, the printer, and the government happier. People ask for it because of a successful marketing campaign that touted its green benefits. It is true that soy-based inks have zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which make using them less harmful to the atmosphere.

But so are other vegetable oil based inks

Q

Where are the critical differences in vegetable and water-based inks?

Ferguson: Vegetable-based oils work well in litho ink, but are not used in flexo inks. Water-based inks can be used in many applications, but they have petrochemically based resins, and they contain some VOCs.

Q

What basics about soy oils should package designers know?

Ferguson: Soy oil is just one type of vegetable oil that can be used in the production of a sheet-fed lithographic ink. The U.S. Government adopted the Vegetable Oil Act of 1994 to eliminate discrimination against other vegetable oil producing farmers. All government agencies must use ink with at least 20% vegetable oils, despite the relentless efforts of the soy oil lobbyists in Washington.

Are there clear advantages to soy over other vegetablebased inks?

Ferguson: Soy oil does give a more vibrant appearance of color in news inks, but it does not enhance the appearance of color in commercial sheet-fed printing. In addition, the drying index is poor when compared with linseed, rapeseed or oiticica. The drying index is a number that represents the speed and hardness of a drying oil. Soy oil picks up more water than most vegetable oils, making it more prone to emulsification or ink/ water balance problems on press.

Q

What are the bottom line benefits of vegetable-based inks to companies looking for sustainable package gains?

Ferguson: Inks that contain vegetable oils reduce emissions or VOCs in all sheetfed inks; use a renewable resource; are readily disposable, efficiently biodegradable, and recyclable; create less toxic waste; and contain only trace amounts of heavy metals.

Q

So then how do petroleum oils compare to vegetable inks?

Ferguson: Petroleum oils are not all bad.

High boiling point petroleum oils are inexpensive and set the fastest into substrates. In sheetfed printing, petroleum continued on page 53 Âť

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Sustainable Packaging issue

By converting from metal cans to Sonoco's less expensive and more environmentally responsible, high-performance composite cans for its Brown Gold, Martinson, and private label coffee, Mother Parkers increased the recycled content of its packaging and reduced its material weight by 27%, energy inputs by 34%, and greenhouse gas emissions by 20%.

Sustainable Sonoco Environmentally sound packaging solutions benefit all company stakeholders

By Noel Jeffrey

F

rom package design to end of life, Sonoco is shrinking its own environmental footprint and helping its customers do the same. Its efforts have earned it a listing on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the second consecutive year, and it was named to Newsweek’s 100 Greenest Companies in 2009. Top management sees its sustainability accomplishments as building value for customers, shareholders and employees.

As a multi-billion dollar global manufacturer and provider of packaging services, Sonoco is also one of the world’s largest recyclers. Headquartered in Hartsville, SC, it has more than 300 operations in 35 countries, produces packaging for a variety of industries and many of the world’s most recognized brands, and serves customers in 85 nations.

Designing for the end of life

“We are trying to take a cradle to cradle approach,” says Jeffrey Schuetz, vice president for global technology consumer packaging. To get there, designers consider cost efficiency, environmental performance and designing for the end of life when creating a new package. “We have an internal tool, an environmental impact calculator that’s quick and easy for everyday use. We work with that and come up with the best two or three options for a design. Then we move to a more detailed lifecycle assessment.”

Schuetz says that Sonoco has invested heavily in simulation capabilities in order to create the lightest packages to meet 46

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specific needs. He notes that the largest consumer goods companies, like Walmart, Target and Kroeger are focused on less wasteful packaging. “Walmart has been driving retailer focus nationally since it first developed its scorecard in 2006,” he says.

“Sonoco participated in that from the beginning.”

Changes in sizes of products and packages create new challenges for designers. “Right-sizing packages does mean a loss of billboards on the shelf,” Schuetz says. “Designers have to work with the shape and graphics to maintain shelf presence.” He notes that there are other factors as well, like product protection.

As an example, Schuetz points to the need to densify drygoods products such as dry cereals and snack bags, which have huge head space. Even with a light weight, something still has to be done to make sure these products remain fresh.

“A single-component container is better for the end of life,” he notes. “For example, widely recycled PET used in water bottles can go directly to the recycling stream, but it doesn’t deliver the protection needed for dry goods. Now we’re beginning to add oxygen scavengers as active barriers instead of other components within the well of a package.” Since the company also has a recycling division, it has the expertise and resources to continue toward closed-loop packaging.

“Real passion” for the cause

Marcy Thompson, vice president and general manager of Sonoco’s recycling division, describes company-wide sustainability efforts as grass-roots. “Employees have a real passion,” she says.

“At Hartsville, for example, they have a Sustainability Council.

The Council sponsors two annual events on Earth Day in April and on America Recycles in November. They include mini trade shows, educational events, and recycling drives. Environmental responsibility is part of our corporate culture, starting with new employee orientation.”

Thompson says that the Council also randomly audits everyday work habits, checking on things like switching lights and computers off at night and printing duplex. Sonoco recycled six tons of office waste from Hartsville during the second half of 2009 and saved $90,000 in annual energy costs through HVAC setbacks and employee conservation programs.

Company wide, it also diverted 53% of potential landfill waste through beneficial use such as reuse, recycling, upcycling and fuel for its manufacturing processes.

The growing trend called “upcycling” turns waste materials that normally are sent to landfills because they cannot be recycled into new products. “These are products that can be used in their existing state,” Thompson says. “For example, flexible pouches for juice can be turned into handbags. Films become kites.”

The in-house program worked out so well that the company formed Sonoco Sustainability Solutions, LLC, or S3, with the goal of helping customers become “landfill free” through the diversion of at least 95% of their waste. Thompson explains that through S3, the company’s waste reduction experts conduct audits of customer locations to assist in identifying materials that can be diverted from landfills. They also identify alternative uses for previously landfilled material. “We convert waste streams into revenue streams,” she says.

Sonoco has 30 recycling facilities and three full-scale material recovery facilities (MFRs), according to Thompson. The regular facilities secure products from customers and either use it internally or market it externally throughout the world.

The MFRs handle curbside residential recycling collections where mixed materials—newsprint, plastic, cans, cardboard, glass, etc.—are all in a commingled stream to be sorted into single streams. “This kind of service is very helpful to municipalities because the cost to gather separate streams at homes is higher,” Thompson says. Sonoco also partners with local recycling companies.

“We have a companywide mandate that all of our plants have some type of recycling program in place by Q1 2011,” she adds. “At a minimum, aluminum cans and plastic bottles. Some

parts of Asia lack large recycling infrastructures, but we’re not meeting any resistance on this. Sustainability is an issue around the world.”

Less energy, less GHG

Besides its recycling mandate, Sonoco implemented a global, web-based environmental management system to collect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data from its 300-plus international manufacturing facilities. This data was used to establish baselines and set a goal of reducing GHG emissions from the facilities by 15% by 2014. To date, the company has reduced energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions at its U.S. and Canadian paperboard mills by 3.3% and 13%, respectively; and achieved a 13% reduction in water withdrawal by these plants.

Marty Pignone, vice president of global manufacturing, says that the database, developed by Sonoco IT, is user friendly.

“Each plant inputs information monthly using specific dropdown menus,” he says. “For example, ‘How many kilowatt hours did you get billed for?’ It gives us an aggregated look at what we’re doing, and we use it to drive improvements.”

Pignone notes that using renewable energy sources results in almost zero emissions. Burning natural gas yields about half the emissions of a coal-fired plant. “Paper mills use lots continued on page 55 »

December 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

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Sustainable Packaging issue

Hiring Eco-Pros Don’t let a non-qualified “expert” greenwash your company

by Wendy Jedlicka, CPP

I

n a July blog post for The Chronicle of Higher Education, David Evans voices a concern that many schools and firms are having now: hiring the right eco-professionals. He writes, “It would be easy to hire in one of the ‘traditional’ sustainability-related areas (say, ecology or environmental ethics), but what I’d really like to do is leverage this hire by seeking someone who has truly new disciplinary expertise…But the problem then becomes how to articulate the position in such a way as to cast a wide net…without making it so broad as to be either impossibly vague or irresponsibly capacious.”

As part of its “EcoResponsibility in the Classroom” campaign (www.o2umw.org/ ecoinedu), and in support of its ongoing advocacy efforts for sustainable design, o2 has been helping institutions and those new to sustainability to craft job postings for more than 20 years. For information or to find a local o2 liaison, contact Wendy Jedlicka, CPP, at 651-6360964. Also, the Upper Midwest chapter of the o2 International Network for Sustainable Design offers tips on where and how to start your sustainability journey at www.o2umw. org/WhereDoIStart.

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Crafting a job posting for sustainability isn’t difficult if you know the language.

But if you’re just starting your sustainability program or a business-model change, how do you attract quality candidates with solid track records instead of finding yourself drowning is an ocean of tender light-greens?

As they try to find qualified candidates, recruiters must also take into account the fact that, nowadays, not only the companies producing the goods but also the creative firms working on the project can be held accountable for product or package claims made in pack-

chapter on eco-operations (“Working Smarter”) and an expanded section on carbon accounting.

Have a strategic goal. You may be hiring someone to help you solidify and flesh out your long-term eco-strategy, but if you have no clue at all, you will be easily taken in by anyone painting a utopian picture covered with fields of easy buttons. Look at what your competition is up to. Look around for initiatives in your industry. Having a good idea of who the eco-leaders are and what they’re up to will give you a basic idea of where you also need to start heading. Then, you can

"If you have no clue at all, you will be easily taken in by anyone painting a utopian picture covered with fields of easy buttons." aging, print, and advertising. This means that companies need to be sure that the people responsible for the final form of marketing claims know what they’re really saying. Here are a few tips to help you find experts who can walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

Do your homework. I've been contributing editor on two books that look at design and business in a holistic way will give you a good overview of language, systems thinking, and ecostrategic methodologies currently being used by sustainability leaders. Packaging Sustainability: Tools, Systems and Strategies for Innovative Package Design (www.PackagingSustainability.info) serves consumer goods industries on a variety of levels. Sustainable Graphic Design: Tools, Systems and Strategies for Innovative Print Design (www.SustainableGraphicDesign.info) serves print and media focused firms with an additional

better identify what sort of candidates can best help you achieve your goals.

Look for targeted experience and certification. Unfortunately, anyone can wake up one day and say, “I’m an eco-pro,” and then go out and peddle their wares. Look for candidates with a proven track record. You want those who can talk in detail about the work they’ve done over the years or those who have gone back to school to earn credentials in applied sustainability. These candidates will be ready with real and actionable solutions—not just a bunch of greenish maybes. n Wendy Jedlicka, CPP, is president of Jedlicka Design Ltd. (www.jedlicka.com) and affiliated with o2 International Network for Sustainable Design (www.o2.org and www.o2umw.org) and Minneapolis College of Art and Design’s groundbreaking Sustainable Design Certificate Program (www.mcad.edu/sustainable).

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SmartWeight Bottle by Sidel Achieves Quality and Stability lines, which makes it possible to increase speeds. During packing and stretch wrapping, film shrinkage exerts forces between the bottles. But even when pressed together, the bases of SmartWeight bottles retain their shape, which ensures bottle integrity.

During transport on palettes, the pivot effect (bottle twisting, which exerts stress on the base) is considerably less, which preserves better package quality.

In the end, on supermarket shelves, the consumer gets a perfectly intact and stable bottle for everyday use.

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On supermarket shelves, ultra-lightweight water bottles increasingly suffer from deformations of their base, which alters not only package appearance but also stability. Sidel’s solution for this issue, called SmartWeight, is a lightweight 500-ml PET water bottle weighing less than 10 g, with a much stiffer base that ensures better mechanical performance and appearance.

Due to the overstroke base technology, these benefits open the door for the lightweighting of premium water bottles. The overstroke base technology consists of synchronizing the blow molding process with the rise of the bases. It increases the lengthwise stretching rate of the PET preform. This helps decrease the quantity of material used for the base of the SmartWeight bottle and to ensure more uniform distribution. The savings made on base weight can therefore be redistributed throughout the bottle body.

In addition, the most fragile part of an ultra-lightweight bottle, its standing ring, is located between the base and body. With the overstroke base, this area displays better mechanical resistance, since the lifting of the base leads to the formation of a fold with smaller radii of curvature than those obtained with a traditional blow molding process.

The bottle base diameter is about 10% greater than standard, so the bottle stability is greater on conveyor

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The “INNOVATIONPARC Bioplastics in Packaging” concept launched at interpack 2005 has been so successful that bioplastics packaging will be an integral part of the regular exhibit categories at interpack PROCESSES AND PACKAGING 2011. interpack will take place from May 12 - 18, 2011 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. The trade fair will also include packaging made from glass, metal and aluminum, paper and paperboard, as well as plastics.

At its debut in 2005, the INNOVATIONPARC Bioplastics in Packaging featured 20 exhibitors on 2,700 square feet of exhibit space. Three years later, 40 companies showcased their bioplastics products on 10,700 square feet at interpack 2008. For interpack 2011, the European Bioplastics Association expects another doubling of participation from companies in the bioplastics sector.

With the Metal Packaging Plaza, interpack creates a new meeting point for the international metal packaging industry and its suppliers. The center of the special show will be an information platform providing background details about current issues.

Another new section, Save Food!, will demonstrate how each stage in the packaging value chain— including food transportation and logistics—can help in the worldwide fight against wasting of food. For more on interpack 2011, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America at 312-781-5180, info@mdna.com, or www.mdna.com.

Toray Plastics Introduces Ecodear Biobased Compostable Barrier Films

Toray Plastics (America) Inc., the only United States manufacturer of precision-performance polyester and polypropylene films, presents new Ecodear advanced compostable bio-based films made with renewable resources. Manufactured with polylactic acid (PLA) resin, the new, thin biaxially oriented Ecodear films include a metalized heat-sealable film that delivers good moisture and oxygen barrier protection and a clear film for use as an inner seal layer or a printweb.

New Ecodear films meet ASTM D6400 standard specifications for compostable plastics. Food packaging applications include frozen foods, snacks, cookies, cereal and nutrition bars, and confectionery items. Packaging for nonfood items includes personal care items, fashion accessories, promotional items, toys, office supplies, and other retail goods. “Interest in compostable films made from renewable resources continues to grow,” says Franco Chicarella, product development manager in the Torayfan Polypropylene Film Division of Toray. “Toray is well-known for its traditional high-performance thin barrier films that support product development, product enhancement, and sustainability goals, such as source reduction and lightweighting. Now, with the addition of our new Ecodear bio-based films, customers have even more innovative options available to help them with their sustainability programs.”

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MicroGREEN Polymers Expand Physical Volume of Recycled PET

MicroGREEN Polymers Inc., has unveiled InCycle, a revolutionary transformation of recycled PET into a lightweight, insulating, grease- and moisture-proof, and printable sheet. The company promotes the material as a cost-effective, sustainable alternative for print, packaging, and container applications.

InCycle sheets are made from recycled PET, which is then expanded using MicroGREEN’s patented Ad-air technology.

This expansion reduces the amount of plastic required in the final application and significantly lowers the environmental footprint of products made from them. For example, the amount of source material recycled from one 20-oz. PET beverage bottle can produce seven 12-oz. hot beverage cups made from InCycle.

In addition to lowering a package’s materials and carbon footprint, InCycle sheets actually improve recycled PET’s 50

Bioplastics Packaging Are an Integral Part of interpack 2011

december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

functionality in terms of useful temperature range, insulation, flexibility, and impact strength, making this increasingly prolific recycled material available to a broader range of applications.

InCycle sheets are lightweight and can be engineered to meet the various performance requirements for different types of print, packaging, and container applications. For more, visit www.microgreeninc.com.

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FTC Green Guides Revision Process Reveals Several Consumer Insights

In 1992, the FTC issued its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims to address confusion surrounding the meaning and proper use of proliferating “green” marketing claims. In 2007, they began a comprehensive process of developing proposed revisions to address new concerns about terminology and marketing claims. The proposed revisions were released in October at www.ftc. gov/green.

Laura Koss, senior attorney at the FTC, explained that the proposed revisions enhance the previous version by either expanding guidance or clarifying guidance. The main thrust of these definitions is to qualify claims and be more specific about materials and sources, which fosters accountability and transparency. “What we learned was that when you have an unqualified claim, it’s very difficult to back those claims up,” explains Koss.

The consumer research conducted by the FTC about renewable energy showed a large disconnect between marketers and consumers regarding renewable energy claims. But more relevant to consumer product goods packaging is the disconnect they discovered between common sustainability claims and how consumers interpreted them, as general claims were interpreted very specifically.

For instance, 65% of consumers felt the word “green” on a package meant “made from recycled materials.”

The FTC recommends that qualifications should be clear and prominent, and claims should be limited to a specific benefit. Also, there’s an expectation of increased accountability by whoever is making a particular claim.

For instance, the FTC says that third-party certification does not eliminate marketer’s obligation to have independent substantiation.

In the end, the FTC’s goal is to protect U.S. citizens from deceptive ads and unfair practices. Most complaints come from businesses that believe competitors are overstating claims. Recent cases brought against companies have involved unspecific biodegradability claims. The guidelines can be quite instructive to CPGs and packaging professionals, but as Koss points out, the purpose of the revisions at this point is not to change existing laws, only to help companies avoid deceptive practices.

december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

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news

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Earthcycle Introduces New Line of Trays for Produce and Commodities Earthcycle Packaging Ltd. believes that being sustainable does not mean you cannot be stylish as well. The company has introduced a line of backyard compostable trays available in two colors.

The contemporary and functional new tray line was specially designed for the agriculture industry, with optimal protection and merchandising in mind. They will appeal to retailers with true environmental programs, as these high impact trays not only come in the traditional natural-earth color but also in a new sleek black for eye-catching displays. They are ideal for fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, avocados, kiwi, stone fruit, mangos and apples, as well as any commodity that needs a higher level of protection in shipping between packing and the store.

While other products on the market today may be certified compostable but not readily recyclable, all of Earthcycle’s products are 100% recyclable and compostable (within 90 days). Made and molded to hold almost any fresh product, a wide variety of trays and designs are available, covering the gamut of product applications.

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december 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

Polenghi Develops Europe’s First Extrusion-Blow-Molded Ingeo Bottle

Polenghi LAS and NatureWorks LLC, manufacturer of Ingeo bioplastic, have developed Europe’s first extrusion-blow-molded biobased bottle. By switching from polyolefin resin to Ingeo bioplastic for packaging 10 million bottles of its new Bio organic lemon juice, Polenghi will conserve 1,000 barrels of oil and reduce CO2 emissions by 126 tons compared to an equivalent oil-based plastic squeeze bottle.

Polenghi’s achievement demonstrates the first European commercial introduction of a proven, low-environmental impact and renewably sourced bioplastic substitute for polyolefin resins in extrusion-blow-molding applications.

Polyethylene and polypropylene are the polyolefins typically used in the extrusion-blow-molding process to produce the “soft” plastic packaging often used for food and personal care squeeze bottles. The resin manufacturing process to produce Ingeo bioplastic emits 38% less CO2 and consumes 45% less energy than the resin manufacturing process for an equivalent weight low-density polyethylene (and 31.6% less CO2 and 42% less energy than PP).

“We are extremely proud of the technical achievements that led to the development of this low-carbon-footprint Eco bottle,” says Marco Polenghi, sales director of Polenghi LAS. “This bottle and shrink-sleeve label, both made from renewably sourced Ingeo bioplastic, presents us with the opportunity to differentiate our Bio organic lemon juice.” For more, visit www.natureworksllc.com.

Boulder Canyon Launches Compostable Chip Bags Incorporating NatureFlex Film

Boulder Canyon Natural Foods has introduced a renewable, fully compostable package for its line of All Natural Kettle Cooked Potato Chips. The innovative package is gaining attention because it looks, feels, and sounds the same as traditional, non-compostable bags. The bag is the first of its kind on the market to be made from a structure that incorporates metalized NatureFlex NKM from Innovia Films.

NatureFlex is a cellulose-based flexible film manufactured from renewable wood pulp, which is sourced from plantations that have Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) or similar certification. The product contains over 90% renewable content as measured by ASTM 6866 and is also compostable in both home and industrial settings, meeting the requirements of ASTM D6400 and EN13432 standards by composting within six weeks.

“We are driven by a strong commitment to provide natural foods that are free of additives and artificial ingredients, while also being good to the planet,” says Steve Sklar, senior vice president of marketing for Boulder Canyon. “Our new com52

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postable packaging ensures that we maintain that commitment by setting a positive example for the industry, educating consumers on key issues and enabling them to play a role in improving the environment by diverting waste away from landfills.”

NatureFlex is not only compostable but also confirmed as suitable for emerging “waste to energy” techniques such as anaerobic digestion. Genpak, the Canadian-based packaging converter that spearheaded the research and development of the Boulder Canyon bag, called on long-time partner Innovia Films to supply the film used in the structure.

Genpak development manager Bill Reilly explains: “First and foremost, the film performs well technically and has excellent moisture, gas, and light barrier properties that enhance shelf life and protect the product. Secondly, NatureFlex is very well aligned with Boulder Canyon’s sustainability goals.” For more, visit www.innoviafilms.com.

Sustainable Packaging issue » continued from page 44

oils do not present an environmental problem. Due to the lack of higher temperatures in the sheetfed printing process, less than 5% of the listed volatile chemicals are escaping into the air because 95% are absorbed by the substrate. This makes the petroleum oil a vital component of a good printing ink.

cleaner for breathing and living.

The combination of higher boiling point and lower vapor pressure solvents with increased percentages of vegetable oil makes some vegetable-based inks eco-friendly for all sheetfed operations.

The fact that less than 5% VOCs listed

are evaporated is ultra-green for the environment.

Also, there’s no odor and nothing is toxic in vegetable-based inks, so indirect food contact is not an issue. The more vegetable oil percentage, the less odor an ink will have. n

Mimaki JFX1615_PD0111_Layout 1 12/6/10 1:15 PM Page 1

Q

What toxic wastes are reduced when using vegetable-based inks?

Ferguson: Vegetable-based inks are formulated from pigments whose chemistry excludes lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, cadmium, and phthalates. These metals and chemicals have been intentionally withheld.

Thus, these inks comply with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (Rohs) Directive 2002/95/EC prohibiting the use of heavy metals and chemicals. The also comply with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) 2008.

Q

Are most vegetable inks very similar?

Ferguson: It should be noted that vegetable oils are all different due to the drying index, water pick percentages, and how well they transfer and carry pigment on press. Van Son inks use a combination of the various vegetable oils mentioned above with a high percentage of linseed and rapeseed oil for the fastest setting speeds.

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What are some secondary and tertiary benefits of these inks?

Ferguson: Unique vegetable oil combinations increase the productivity of printers and reduce the needs for additives and chemicals, which pollute the environment. Reducing the need for chemicals and specialty products to improve drying or set-off makes the pressroom much safer and ecologically

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» continued from page 8

Earlier this year, the founder of PortionPac was speaking before the Chicago Sustainable Business Alliance. Luckily, Stets was there and connected with a Distant Village representative in attendance who asked a pointed question about sustainable packaging. They found that they shared a common mission.

“We very much believe in people, planet, profit,” says Stets.

“That’s a level we hold ourselves to.” PortionPac was established in 1964 on a foundation of environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

Stets explains how consumer perceptions have changed to accommodate sustainable thinking. Whereas 20 years ago, PortionPac’s approach to cleaning might have needed explaining, now end-users and consumers get it pretty quickly. In a similar way, Stets wanted the impact of the Distant Village element of the recent promotional packaging to have an intuitive appeal to the recipient.

The outer package is made of 100% recycled material and printed with water-based inks. The package is actually more compact than the previous design and more durable. Finally, the package is now more inline with the sustainability message of the company, which is communicated both non-verbally and verbally.

No end game

Practicing his own version of “kind capitalism” to combat the faceless, unaccountable corporations, Cohen would love to introduce an American-made product. However, a living wage

in the U.S. is usually too high to make affordable products for his clients. Besides following international fair trade standards in Southeast Asia, Distant Village supports the artisan community through regular scholarship sponsorships from Distant Village and their clients, annual community events, and disaster relief support when needed.

“We are absolutely and completely transparent about our sustainable operations,” Cohen explains. The company is certified by Green America, the Chicago Fair Trade Association, and the Chicago Sustainable Business Alliance. Cohen feels his company has been vetted thoroughly and is standing ready to obtain further certifications based on client requirements, but due to Distant Village's extensive transparency approach clients have not made certifications a point of contention in doing business. He feels part of the reason is that his clients know the public is more interested in authentic sustainable commitments, and not necessarily impressed with a certification seal.

“We seek to eliminate or reduce the need for packaging,” explains Cohen. “Our intention as minimalists is to design and produce only what is absolutely essential for the brand.

Although we are developing a line of mass market sustainable packaging solutions, our reputation has been built on presentation and gift packaging. Our solutions don’t cover every packaging need for all of a client’s product lines, and I’m fine with that.

Clients come to us for best-in-class, authentic sustainable packaging to differentiate their sustainable brands.” ■

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS page

page

49

Allen Field

21

7

AlliedFlex

5

3

Alpha Packaging

IBC

Ares Packaging

47

Boutwell Owens

OBC

54

advertiser

Brushfoil

17 (insert) 41 33 (insert) 38-39

advertiser

page

advertiser

Disc Graphics

37

Paperworks

Georgia-Pacific

19

Printpack

Hazen Paper

27

RMS Packaging

HBA Global Expo

23

Roland DGA

HLP Klearfold International Paper

24-25 IFC

Saint-Gobain Sonoco

29

Clearwater Paper

31

IoPP

11

TricorBraun

9

Curtis Packaging

53

Mimaki

51

Unisource

13

Dana Industries

35

M-real

45

WestPack (Canon Comm.)

15

Diamond Packaging

17

PackageDesignMag.com

DECEMBER 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

Sustainable Packaging issue » continued from page 18

to make a package for Walmart and make a less efficient package for someone else. It’s making things better for everyone, even though it’s a little tougher.

Ziegler: Perhaps the biggest win is creating packages that are both made from recycled material and can be recycled, and making consumers aware that what they’re doing is feeding back into a system. They can see evidence of it in the same package they’re about to recycle—that’s fantastic. That messaging gets across to consumers and they’re like “Wow, this is really cool” because then they believe that they own it. They have ownership in their own effort, contributing to the greater good.

And that’s a pretty neat feeling. n

The proposed revisions to the FTC Green Guides (www.ftc.gov/ green) indicate that marketers and designers are responsible for backing up claims made on packages, and FTC recommends qualifying each claim with more specifics real-world expectations.

Sustainable Packaging issue » continued from page 26

sandwiched between multiple sheets.”

After Gillette’s success with MiraFoil, says Marcinkowski, “we wanted to achieve a metalized holographic effect in combination with MiraFoil for the launch of our premium ProGlide Fusion product. I was aware of technology that could do this and worked closely with Diamond Packaging to implement it.”

“The holographic technology is an extension of Diamond’s greenbox sustainability initiative,” says Peter Cecere, director of business development at Diamond. Because of it, he says, “the

ProGlide package meets very high standards. It reduces packaging, reuses material, and promotes recyclability.”

There are other differences that the consumer can’t see. The combination of technologies at Diamond’s location supports shorter lead times and cost effectiveness. And eliminating multiple steps with outside companies makes changes easier and response times faster.

ProGlide was the first product Diamond ran with the new holographic process. “Visibility was huge,” says Cecere, “and the margin for error was minute.” But the effort was a success. “We produced production-ready sheets on the very first press proofing that Gillette attended,” Cecere says. n For articles on similar topics, visit the Paperboard and Sustainability Channels on PackageDesignMag.com.

Sustainable Packaging issue » continued from page 47

of energy, and we’ve been working on using 2.5% a year less for the last ten years,” he says. “We’ve converted a number of our coal-fired sources to natural gas. However, coal is cheaper and capital intensive to change out, so it’s not feasible to change out boilers until end of life.”

Pignone says that Sonoco also uses manufacturing byproducts for fuel: recovered materials from the recycling centers such as tree trimmings and old pallets. For example, in Hartsville, a multiple-fuel boiler uses coal and other recoverable

fuels—some 70 tons of recovered materials daily. Another plant in Menasha, WI, burns organic sludge not made into paper but converted into pellets and used as a fuel instead of coal.

Depending on the megawatts required, says Pignone, a boiler that takes mixed fuels can cost anywhere from $20 million to $200 million.

“We’re proud of what this team has done, and we continue to ramp up and push sustainability even harder and faster across our system,” Pignone concludes. n December 2009 | PackageDesignMag.com

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SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ISSUE

Starting at Home Scott Naturals brand helps to save 2,000 gallons of water per year

T

he Scott Naturals sub-brand debuted in 2009 with a confident “Green Done Right” tagline and products that contain 40% recycled content or have other unique benefits, like the tube-free product pictured above. Earlier this year, parent company Kimberly-Clark began looking at new ways to promote sustainable behavior in consumers’ homes.

In their exploration, Kimberly-Clark discovered both dire predictions of future water shortages in the U.S. and consumer misconceptions about water use. For instance, in a survey of 1,000 consumers, 45% believed bathing or showering consumes most household water. In fact, toilet flushing is actually the number one use of water in the home.

To raise awareness of the water conservation issue, the Scott Naturals brand gave away thousands and thousands of an innovative Smart Flush bag on their normally priced 8- and 12-pack Scott Naturals bathroom tissue. When placed in the toilet tank, the material in the bag absorbs water and expands, reducing the amount of water consumed in each flush by up to one liter.

Estimates indicate a family of four could save 2,000 gallons of water per year by using the Smart Flush bag.

Starting conversations

“We’re kicking off the conversation about water,” explains Doug Daniels, brand manager for Scott brand strategy and innovation. “The biggest challenge is the education that needs to go on with consumers.” Though 80% of consumers might express interest in buying green, few act on that interest.

The Scott Naturals brand approach is to make it as easy as possible for environmentally aware consumers to take a green step at home without changing their normal routines. “The ‘Green Done Right’ promise is about finding the right balance,” 56

DECEMBER 2010 | PackageDesignMag.com

says Daniels. “Our green products, from a quality standpoint, are virtually indistinguishable from our main product line.”

The heritage of Scott paper products is a value brand, where consumers get the maximum number of bathroom tissue sheets at a fair price, and the Scott Naturals message stays confined to one or two specific benefits. “Consumers get overwhelmed when you’re throwing a number of messages at them,” Daniels explains. “We’re staying true to our core brand.

Attaching sustainability

The three-month Smart Flush initiative ran through the fall with a wide release through existing channels, especially with distribution in Walmart and Target stores. One aspect that took some trial and error was figuring out how to attach the Smart Flush device to the outside of the 8- and 12-packs.

The device is not small, and it has some weight to it. There was a balance to be struck between securing the device and providing easy access to it for consumers. The solution was a hand-applied square sheet of plastic glued to the top of the package. The combination of the weight of the plastic sheet and the adhesive strength was such that an easy pull from the consumer freed the Smart Flush device.

Internal, informal testing with both the packaging solution and with the direct “Save Water” branding were all that were necessary for Kimberly-Clark to move forward with the campaign. “We were very confident we were hitting the right points,” Daniels concludes. “We’re addressing the issues that consumers are reacting to. Delivering on sustainability is the whole package you’re giving to them.” ■ For articles on similar topics, visit the Flexible and Sustainability Channels on PackageDesignMag.com.

✦ PAPERBOARD, E-FLUTE, & B-FLUTE CARTONS & DISPLAYS ✦ INNOVATIVE PACKAGE DESIGN

9

SINCE 197

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✦ SUSTAINABLE “GREEN” PACKAGING ✦ SOY INKS & SOLVENT FREE ✦ RECYCLED & RECYCLABLE MATERIALS ✦ PROMPT TURNAROUND ✦ ASSEMBLY & FULFILLMENT SERVICES ✦ COMPETITIVE PRICING

Forest Stewardship Council

6/17/10 2:38:49 PM

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4:16 PM

Page 1

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