Respack panel: Sustainable packaging needs design language revamp

Design exists in everyday objects: pouches, cartons, labels, metal cans, glass jars, and paper bags. Things that seem so ephemeral that we barely notice their design. As consumers, there’s a reason to re-look these things. GV Sree Kumar put forth this question to the panellists, "What are the primary design considerations and material selection criteria you follow for creating new packaging? Are there any industry-wide guidelines specifically for designers for the area of sustainability?"

Pratik Rane cites two issues in terms of sustainability — the use of non-renewable sources to produce the packaging and the plastic waste and its impact on our environment. He emphasises the adoption of a circular approach towards plastics.

Rane says, "The key aspect when we talk about sustainability in packaging has to be reduction." He shared an example of a carton design with wrappers whose function was tamper-evident. Rane believes, "If the tamper-evident quotient can be incorporated into the carton design, the need for plastic or any additional packaging can be drastically reduced."

Rane highlights if material reduction is not possible, the material can be replaced with renewable alternatives. For example, virgin plastic can be replaced with PCR. 

The second aspect which Rane highlights is reusability. “One of our products is a moisturising gel, which is packed in a jar. Once the jar is empty, the consumer need not purchase a new jar. The consumer can take a refill pod, which fits into the jar, and can be reused multiple times." This refill pod helps in 80% reduction of plastic weight.

Deepak Manchanda says, "The element of sustainability has been present since the 1960s and 1970s. Somewhere along the way, we have lost that vision." According to him, sustainability is the oft-forgotten element of design. He says this happened because of the race to make products or packaging brighter. He points out how the scramble for branding and design to build visual equity for a product gave rise to MLP structures.

When asked about the relationship between design technology and manufacturing in the context of responsible packaging, Satish Chamyvelumani says, “At Pakka, we consider design in multiple stages. The first is design for aesthetics. This plays an important role especially when it comes to sustainable packaging, because the customer does not switch when a sustainable packaging looks not up to the mark compared to the conventional packaging."

The second aspect according to Chamyvelumani is creating a sustainable performance design. He says, “Sustainable packaging should perform better than your conventional packaging. Then the most important one is designed for scaling and manufacturing." He adds that the company’s water consumption used to be 50 kilolitres per tonne four or five years ago. Today it is at 33 kilolitres per tonne.

Manoj Kochar later talks about how authentication solutions should be designed and integrated into packaging to prevent counterfeiting, and how to incorporate sustainability into them.

"There are several technologies which are available and these can be integrated as an authentication feature onto the product that needs packaging," he says. There are holograms with features, as well as lenses and flipping images, de-metallised effects, special performance inks like colour-shifting inks, plus inks that light up under specific lighting conditions. Kochar adds, "Then there is also the digital technology, QR codes which are often deployed as an authentication feature. Also, these can be used to promote consumer engagement by enticing consumers to enrol into their loyalty programs."

Kochar believes that new-age technologies can lend themselves to the creation of captivating and interactive design elements that have the power to engage with the customer and enhance brand recall. He says, "With each of these technologies, no new material needs to be added, thus not negatively affecting the sustainability of the environment."

According to Kochar, this secures the brand and promotes the engagement between the brand and the consumer. He says, "These make the brand commercially sustainable. Therefore, responsible design is a must to make the brand more sustainable commercially."

The message from Respack was crystal clear:  Today's packaging designs need to be sturdy, practical, stylish and above all sustainable. As Prof GV Sree Kumar says, "This will require a change in design language that ensures a wider appeal. Less of a design trick and more of real sustainability."