Summer has a way of making us reassess what we really need. Whether you’re packing a suitcase for vacation or loading the car for a weekend away, there’s always that moment where you look at everything laid out in front of you and think, Do I actually need all of this?
Packaging deserves the same question.
Elizabeth Wimbush, CAS
Director, Sustainability & Responsibility, PPAI
When people hear the word circularity, it’s easy to picture sweeping redesigns, futuristic materials or complex recycling systems. Those innovations certainly have their place, but circularity often starts much earlier and much more simply. At its core, circularity is about designing waste out of the system, keeping materials in use for as long as possible and making thoughtful decisions about what happens after a product has served its purpose.
Packaging is one of the most practical places to put that thinking into action.
Of course, packaging exists for good reasons. It protects products, communicates important information and shapes the recipient experience. In the branded merchandise industry, it also helps prevent one of the biggest barriers to packaging reduction: cosmetic damage. A polybag might not change whether a tumbler functions perfectly, but it can prevent the small scratches or rub marks that turn into customer service calls. Circularity isn’t about pretending that risk doesn’t exist – it’s about understanding it well enough to make intentional decisions instead of default ones.
The goal isn’t to eliminate packaging at all costs. It’s to make sure every piece of it is earning its place. A good place to start is by asking five simple questions.
1. What purpose is each component serving?
Every sleeve, insert, polybag, twist tie or protective layer should have a clear job to do. Does it protect the product? Keep multiple items together? Meet a regulatory requirement? Improve the recipient’s experience? If the answer is “because we’ve always done it this way,” you’ve probably found an opportunity worth exploring.
2. Could we achieve the same result with less?
Reducing material use is often one of the most effective circularity strategies because the most sustainable material is frequently the one that never had to be produced in the first place. That might mean eliminating unnecessary tissue paper, removing redundant inserts, right-sizing cartons or determining whether individual polybags are actually needed for a particular product.
3. Can we simplify the materials?
Packaging made from fewer material types is generally easier to recycle than combinations of mixed plastics, laminates and coatings. Simplifying materials can make it easier for recipients to understand what to do with the packaging once they’ve opened it while also reducing complexity throughout the supply chain.
4. What happens after the product is opened?
Think beyond delivery. Can the packaging be reused? Is it widely recyclable where recipients are likely to live? Can different materials be easily separated? Small design decisions made long before a product reaches its destination can have a significant impact on what happens next.
5. When was the last time anyone challenged the design?
Packaging decisions often outlive the reasons they were originally made. Customer expectations evolve, sometimes shipping methods change and new materials become available. Revisiting those assumptions every few years can reveal opportunities that weren’t practical – or even possible – the last time the package was designed.
Of course, these aren’t questions that any one company answers alone. One of the strengths of the branded merch industry is that distributors, suppliers and manufacturers all have opportunities to influence better outcomes simply by asking better questions.
If you’re a distributor, consider asking your clients:
- What role does the packaging need to play for this campaign?
- What is your tolerance for minor cosmetic imperfections if reducing or eliminating packaging helps reduce waste? For some campaigns, a small scratch or rub mark may be perfectly acceptable. For executive gifts or premium retail-quality presentation, it probably isn’t.
- Does your organization have sustainability or packaging reduction goals we should consider?
- If we have to make trade-offs, what matters most to you: presentation, product protection or reducing material use?
For distributors speaking with suppliers, you might ask:
- Are reduced-plastic or reduced-material packaging options available?
- Can any packaging components be eliminated without compromising the product?
- Have you recently redesigned packaging to improve recyclability or reduce material use?
- What packaging innovations are you seeing customers adopt?
If you’re a supplier, you can help move the conversation upstream as well. Ask distributors:
- What level of cosmetic risk is your client comfortable with if we reduce or eliminate protective packaging?
- Is premium presentation essential for this project, or would a simpler packaging approach meet the client’s objectives?
- Are there sustainability commitments we should consider when recommending products?
And suppliers, with your own manufacturers, you should ask:
- Which packaging components are truly necessary?
- Can we reduce material without increasing damage rates?
- Can multiple materials be consolidated into one?
- Are there opportunities to increase recycled content or improve recyclability?
None of these questions are revolutionary. That’s precisely the point.
Circularity doesn’t always begin with breakthrough technology or major product redesigns. Realistically, it begins with curiosity. It begins with someone taking a few extra minutes to ask whether every piece of packaging is still serving a purpose and whether there might be a better way to achieve the same outcome.
If these questions have your wheels turning, you’ll find many more practical ideas in PPAI’s recently published Circular Thinking Playbook. The playbook explores practical strategies for reducing waste, extending product life and applying circular thinking throughout the product lifecycle, depending on if you’re in a sales or operations based role. Like circularity itself, it’s not about chasing perfection – it’s about making better decisions, one project at a time.
As our industry continues to respond to evolving customer expectations, changing regulations and growing interest in responsible sourcing, those small conversations add up. One fewer unnecessary layer. One package that’s easier to recycle. One project where less truly becomes more.
Circularity isn’t a destination we arrive at overnight. It’s a series of better questions, better conversations and better decisions – and those can start with the very next package that lands on your desk.
