Sustainability Has Outgrown the Materials Conversation

Say you’re a packaging buyer and you’re choosing between two options that tick all of the sustainability boxes but carry very different implications.

The first is a recyclable structure that may help reduce future exposure to extended producer responsibility (EPR). The second is a lightweight film that could potentially reduce freight and emissions. Which one do you choose?

Increasingly, packaging buyers face what looks like a material decision on the surface, but in actuality is also a decision about operations, compliance, consumer perception, and long-term profitability. Despite this, many packaging buyers are making purchasing decisions driven by unit price rather than total life cycle value.

This creates an opportunity for packaging manufacturers to help buyers understand how sustainable material and chemistry choices can deliver both environmental and economic benefits.

Total Versus Initial Cost

If you ask Robert Flores, Amcor’s vice president of sustainability operations and advocacy Americas, he’ll tell you the biggest mistake he sees packaging buyers make is failing to consider the total cost of ownership.

“The most common misconception is considering only the packaging cost versus the total cost of ownership,” Flores says. “This has always been important because packaging performs so many functions beyond simply protecting the product. For example, packaging also typically determines a product’s shelf life. Packaging choices can also affect throughput on filling lines. A brand’s choice of packaging substrate and form also determines their EPR fees. All of these factor into the total cost of ownership for packaging.”

Speaking of cost, Flores advises that even if a substrate costs more up front, it may pay for itself in the long run.

“Regarding value, though, packaging is a critical driver for how consumers perceive a product,” Flores says. “This starts with the initial look, then the touch, and finally, how consumers open and interact with the package. Premium packaging may have a higher upfront cost, but the true value comes from its ability to attract and retain consumers.”

Conversely, Michael Dillon, chief revenue officer at Meyers, says that more affordable options don’t necessarily mean a sacrifice in sustainability or quality. He explains that, because Meyers does a lot in the label and folding carton segments, buyers typically believe they should use a paper liner because it’s more sustainable. In reality, a poly-liner might be the best bet.

“Now you can often get those [poly liners] thinner, which means lighter, which means more cost effective, which means you’re paying less in the freight to get it here. So, it’s often literally cheaper, not only on a per sq. ft. basis, but in when you factor in the shipping, you have even more wins,” Dillon explains. “And those poly liners tend to manufacture very well, which means less downtime. So, it’s an ecological step forward because you’re using less fuel to make this happen, and it’s just as recyclable. So, when we talk about sustainability, it’s great to look at the ecological part.”

Sustainability as a Business Philosophy

Sara Osorio, environmental, health, and safety affairs coordinator for PRINTING United Alliance, agrees with Dillon’s notion that buyers should look more at the bigger picture and not just the product. She also believes sustainability is becoming more of a business philosophy rather than a buzzword.

“Sustainability includes things like energy and water consumption, waste management, safety, culture, workforce development, supply chain transparency. … I think it’s going to be more looking at things in terms of green practices rather than green products ...” Osorio says. “Don’t get me wrong, it is important to look at the sustainability, the recyclability of a product, but that’s only a small part of a bigger picture. It’s going to be a shift from what goes into it to how something is actually made.”

Dillon also expresses that sustainability is no longer an option with clients but a “table stake,” so having the right materials to offer is essential for brands and their goals.

“I think the thing that has allowed us to get really great alignment between us and the brands in those spaces is that the right sustainable materials become a great lever for cost control, for risk reduction, and the brand growth that’s there,” Dillon says.

Considering Life Cycle Assessments

As the shift from green products to green practices continues, Osorio believes the next big push in printing and packaging will be “recyclable by design,” meaning lifespan is taken into consideration when designing a new product.

“I think that’s going to be the really big focus, especially for printing and packaging, when we’re designing a new packaging, when we’re designing a new product, we’re thinking about end of life from the beginning,” Osorio says.

To truly understand a product’s recyclability, you may want to consider life cycle assessments (LCAs). However, they are not cheap, and Osorio says they can take a long time, but ultimately, they reveal a lot, including water usage, carbon emissions, and more.

“They reinforce that systems thinking, because it looks at products not just from creation, not just from the point of view of disposal or recyclability. What’s the entire environmental effect of this product?” Osorio says. “That really underpins what I think is going to be the trend when it comes to extended producer responsibility.”

Dillon agrees and shares he’s a fan of LCAs, but he understands, given their cost, why everyone doesn’t do them.

“Life cycle assessments are an interesting one. It’s a really great way to have something that’s quantitative and that’s in-depth,” Dillon says. “And I would say there’s a reasonable divide between the groups that have the time and the money to go to the depth of using an LCA. I love them. I think they’re great. I think more people should use them. I would also say if you’re working with somebody who’s looking at an LCA, you’re working with a very advanced group that’s really committed to doing it right.”

This quantitative data can also help reduce EPR fees in the long run.

“Now that EPR is going to start playing a role, and we have what is called eco-modulation — basically, the more recycle-friendly a product is, the lower the EPR fee is going to be,” Osorio says. “So, looking at that life cycle and understanding what the implications are throughout it is going to be really important.”

How Manufacturers Can Play A Role in Testing

Dillon is a firm believer in not leaving all testing to the brand; he says that if manufacturers can step in, the probability of ending up with a truly sustainable product is greater.

“You have to test how it manufactures in your environment … how it manufactures in their environment … and you have to understand how it performs in the consumer environment,” he says. “When you have all three of those things in place, then you can see sustainable packaging decisions happening quickly and sticking around for a long time.”

Ultimately, the choice between two “sustainable” packaging options is rarely as simple as it seems. What may begin as a material comparison quickly becomes a broader evaluation of performance, cost, compliance, and long-term viability. As sustainability expectations continue to rise, packaging buyers can no longer afford to view decisions through a narrow lens of upfront cost or single attributes like recyclability.