A Slice Of... What does sustainability actually mean? (No. 42)
From A Slice Of - Packaging Design by Slice Design
May 15, 2026 · 10 min · Season 1 · Episode 42
About this episode
The episode explores the complexities and misconceptions surrounding sustainability in packaging design.
When it comes to packaging design, what does sustainability or being sustainable actually mean? So, what exactly does 'sustainability' or to 'be sustainable' actually mean when it comes to packaging for consumer goods? Is it about the carbon footprint? Is it about the energy consumed at manufacture? Is it about how the products are packaging, recycled and disposed of, or is a mixture of all? If you asked most consumers, or even experts in the industry what it means to 'be sustainable', they’d be hard-pressed to answer. The simple truth is, if you pin down a consumer on actual carbon data and overall 'carbon saved' on one packaging format versus another they would have no idea whether this was a significant or moderate improvement. I suppose this comes down to brands and especially manufacturers to educate consumers and explain exactly what some of these figures mean in real terms and also some of the trade-offs when it comes to trying to achieve them. This conundrum was brought to light recently when the curiosity got the better of me and I decided to open up one of those snazzy paper wine bottles. The truth I found out is that its not strictly a 'paper bottle' but a clam shell…
Topics covered
- sustainability
- packaging design
- consumer goods
- carbon footprint
- recycling
- education
Keywords
- sustainability
- packaging
- carbon footprint
- consumer education
- recycling
- manufacturing
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Slice Design, LinkedIn, Slice Design Company
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