‘Environmentally-Responsible Packaging’ - Is This Possible?

Are you looking for the right material to package your product at the lowest possible cost to the environment? Metal tins could be the answer- and they offer innovative, effective branding for your product, too. This article explores issues surrounding the challenge of balancing successful product packaging with environmentally responsible materials, and the benefits of using materials such as tin in this process.

Whether we consider multi-media packaging, food containers or giftware packaging, it’s immediately clear that products are frequently packaged using materials such as plastic or cardboard. Getting the design and manufacture of product packaging right is often integral to the success of a product in the consumer market.  However, the pressure to achieve this whilst using a material that is environmentally responsible, recyclable and reusable has increased, in the last ten years particularly with the ‘green consumerism’ boom.  Many products in the UK are packaged in plastic or Tetra-Pak, which are very difficult to recycle because of their mixed components and chemical composition; Waste Watch, the environmental charity, has called for companies to consider moving away from these packaging choices due to their detrimental impact on the environment.

In the sustainability-focused manufacturing centres of the 21^st century, the entire ‘footprint’ of product packaging is now considered for its environmental impact, including:

the life-cycle of the packaging

recyclability of the packaging

reusability of the packaging

the overall impact of the product on the environment.

So what packaging materials are the most environmentally friendly, all things considered?

The most cost-efficient, environmentally responsible and effective materials to use in product packaging are primary products, according to Waste Watch. Primary products such as metals are highly recyclable and reusable due to their intrinsic chemical properties as well as their economic value, and this reuse can take place with little or no loss of quality.  The Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association in the UK notes that metal is the most easily sorted material at waste centres; and cheaply and effectively recycled into new products. In the UK, over 57% of cans are recycled; and tin and metal itself is 100% recyclable.

Tin packaging, therefore, offers an ideal solution for the manufacturer who is conscious of their responsibility to reduce waste, without wanting to compromise on appearance or functionality. Metal packaging is not only highly protective but gives products extra prestige and an ‘edge’, tins not only look special on the shelf, but metal packaged products often command a higher price. Tin boxes, particularly bespoke promotional tins, enhance brand value, whilst ensuring the environmental footprint of the product’s packaging is kept to a minimum.

Confectionary tins and cosmetic tins are examples of how tin can be used to enhance and add value to a product’s utility and appearance. Metal tins, since they are attractive, are much more likely to be kept and re-used, thereby reducing the waste which packaging would otherwise create. This means the brand image on the metal tin will also gain much more exposure for your product. Tin boxes are also a sound packaging solution for a wide range of food products including coffee, tea and cake, because of their durability, and their robustness. Metal packaging makes a product stand out and is environmentally responsible and extremely versatile.

The use of metal cases or tin containers in packaging a product can be successful in both design and manufacturing terms while also satisfying the growing demand for the use of environmentally responsible materials when it comes to the crucial marketing process of product packaging. So when you’re thinking about the packaging of your product, consider the life-cycle of the packaging; the sustainable and quality choice for packaging your product may well be metal.

About the Author

Rob Christmas has been working in the tinplate industry for over 30 years and is now Managing Director of Tinplate Products Ltd. Founded in 1990, Tinplate Products is a UK company specialising in the production, design and delivery of tin packaging. The company is now recognized as the market leader for DVD, CD and other multi-media packaging in metal. Their innovative designs have won multiple industry awards.