Jurriaan Kamp was posted 4 days ago. Approximately 6 minutes to read. Sponsored content

Brands have a strong voice and influence; by leading by example in digital packaging innovation, they can not only reduce the impact on the environment, but also become heroes of change and inspire others to take positive actions.

About 200 years ago, the French government offered bonuses to inventors who could make the best containers for food preservation for Napoleon's army. The competition showed tin cans, which can be said to introduce the concept of "packaging" to the world. From Napoleon’s tin cans to today’s milk cartons and bubble films, packaging has developed into a huge industry worth 900 billion dollars (McKinsey, 2019), which uses a lot of resources-energy and raw materials.

"Packaging is necessary. It is an important part of our safe and hygienic transportation of products around the world. But we can and must take more measures to reduce its impact on the planet," HP Graphic Arts brand, agent and company Said Jose Gorbea, Global Head of Continuous Innovation.

According to a report by the Center for International Environmental Law, packaging accounts for 40% of global plastic demand-and plastics are ultimately ubiquitous. Packaging waste is polluting coastlines and clogging waterways. According to the World Economic Forum, it causes up to 120 billion U.S. dollars in losses to the global economy every year.

Where there is waste, there are opportunities. New technologies are revolutionizing the packaging industry and achieving significant environmental savings.

"The secret to reducing packaging waste is to only produce what you need without unnecessary excess," Gorbia said.

Digital printing uses technology to change the outdated and awkward process of analog printing and packaging. By digitizing the printing process, it eliminates cumbersome stages, significantly increases speed to market and eliminates the need for minimum order quantities.

Gorbea mentioned that International Data Corporation's research shows that digital printing can reduce supply chain waste by up to 26% and reduce the carbon footprint of printing by 65% ​​to 80%.

The list of benefits of digital printing is impressive. Compared with traditional offset printing using rubber or polyester printing plates, this process requires less ink and paper; each copy or design change requires a new printing plate. Every time a new version is installed, the printing press needs to be realigned. In traditional print jobs, at least 15% of paper was wasted during the test run. Digital printing reduces this waste to 5%, and the impact of design changes on materials is very limited.

Traditional printing uses oil-based inks, which require chemical solvents to clean the printing press. Digital printing also uses less ink. In addition, solid toner is water-soluble and requires no cleaning chemicals. The chemicals and inks in offset printing also release gases (volatile organic compounds, or VOCs) that may harm human health.

Digital printing also improves the color quality of printed matter. Offset printing uses a combination of four primary colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and black or CMYK) to match any color in the spectrum. Digital printing uses five to seven different toners and provides better color coverage. HP's digital Indigo printers can achieve 97% of Pantone (industry standard for color recognition) colors.

However, perhaps the greatest contribution of digital printing is that it conforms to the "just in time" concept that drives today's manufacturing and distribution processes. Traditionally, packaging has been mass-produced to benefit from economies of scale. The boxes are stored in the warehouse, waiting for product manufacturing and transportation. Usually, due to changes in products, regulations, or marketing activities, most of this inventory will eventually be destroyed or recycled. Imagine the impact of the authorities requesting any additional information on food labels.

Digital printing is fast and flexible. No need to print excess inventory in advance. Compared with the cost of mass offset printing, the price of each product may still be slightly higher, but the cost has been fully compensated by the reduction in material and energy usage. Studies have shown that in the long run, the company can reduce its packaging manufacturing costs by as much as 50%.

Gorbea observes that digital printing can also combine internal company marketing with sustainability priorities: “Brand marketers sometimes feel disconnected from the sustainability dialogue. But packaging innovation is good for the planet, people, and profits.”

Packaging is no longer just a container. It allows content marketing and storytelling. Chocolate maker Hershey launched an interactive #HerShe campaign to celebrate women and encourage important gender conversations through the ever-changing digital printing packaging. This activity increased consumer participation while reducing the company's environmental impact.

In South Africa, Amarula, a liqueur maker known for labelled elephants, used digital printing to conduct a special event to raise awareness of the dangers faced by elephants from ivory poachers. Consumers can design personalized labels to express their support.

Digital printing allows personification. Coca-Cola is launching a special "Share Coke with Friends" campaign, using 150 of the most popular names in different states in the United States. The flexible process can also adjust the packaging according to the season-for example, the same candle can be packaged differently on Valentine's Day or Christmas.

At HP, the ultimate goal is to make packaging a completely personal experience. Today, the package arrives at our door like a Russian doll—a box in a box, a box in a box. The shipping box and the product box can be combined into one and contain messages specific and relevant to the recipient. Imagine that your new hiking shoes are packed in a box with recommendations for popular hiking trips near your residence, including trail descriptions and maps.

Technology is rapidly changing the packaging industry. "Packaging is where brands and key sustainability goals can be achieved to drive real change and impact," Gorbea said.

The secret to reducing packaging waste is to speed up printing-you only produce what you need. Digital printing is efficient in terms of cost and time. It may vary from brand to brand, but a typical example is to reduce the analog printing cycle of six to eight weeks to one to two weeks, simply because you do not need calibration or production for packaging printing.

Take Hershey as an example, #HerShe. The confectionery giant used digital printing to create a truly creative and engaging marketing campaign to celebrate women-while digitally printing its packaging in a more sustainable way and reducing the company's environmental impact.

The role of brands in meeting the sustainability challenges we face is indeed all-encompassing. It involves all aspects of the enterprise. Packaging is where many of these leaders can come together to drive real change and impact.

Brands have a strong voice and influence; by leading by example in digital packaging innovation, they can not only reduce the impact on the environment, but also become heroes of change and inspire others to take positive actions.

This interview first appeared in the Sustainable Brands'21 San Diego Project and was printed on stone paper by Kamp Solutions. Get a free sample period of Kamp Solutions magazine here.

Published on November 12, 2021 at 10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time / 7 a.m. Pacific Standard Time / 3 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time / 4 p.m. Central European Time

Jurriaan Kamp and his wife Heléne de Puy co-founded The Intelligent Optimist magazine (formerly Ode). Prior to this, Kamp was the South Asia editor and correspondent and chief economics editor of the Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad. He is the author of "Small Changes-How 50 Dollars Change the World, Because People Are Important-Building an Economy for All" and "A Smart Optimist's Guide to Life"; currently, he is the curator of Kamp Solutions magazine people.

This article was produced in collaboration with the editorial team of sustainable brands and has been paid for by one of our sponsors.