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Jacob:
For protective packaging, I found this brand that built their company on Eco-Friendly Sustainable options. So their brand protects the items inside the package AND it protects our earth by using recyclable and compostable materials!

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The Problem

Protective packaging is critical to ensure the safe and secure transport of goods. However, there are trade-offs in terms of environmental and economic performance. Protective packaging should prevent damage to the product during transport, while also performing well across a range of other sustainability criteria, however this type of packaging does not often perform well in terms of both performance and broader sustainability.

Reflecting the primary need to protect the product, oftentimes protective packaging relies on excessive quantity of material or use of bulky material, use of material that is not easily recyclable, or use of material that comes from unsustainable sources, which creates negative environmental impacts. The use of protective packaging is growing with the rise of e-commerce, amplifying these challenges. More now than ever, end consumers directly see protective packaging and often feel inconvenienced when products are damaged, or when they must dispose of packaging material. Novel protective packaging solutions are needed that perform optimally across a robust set of considerations.

The Design Challenge

This Challenge was open to start-ups, individual or university entrepreneurs and invited them to submit their innovations in protective packaging materials and systems that embody excellence in the following sustainable packaging pillars:

Overall life cycle environmental impacts of the package or package system

Responsible sourcing, such as the use of recycled materials or responsibly sourced, renewable materials

Optimized and efficient use of materials

Recoverability: e.g. Recyclability, reusability or compostability. - Compostable packaging is best suited for specific, targeted applications. Applications using compostable packaging should be explained and justified

Market feasibility, including cost and performance in product protection across different product types (e.g. electronics, liquids, hard goods)

Maximum points were awarded to innovations that perform well across multiple sustainable packaging pillars.

Finalists

Finalists will present from 1:00 - 1:30 pm ET on September 29, 2020 at Virtual SPC Advance 2020.

Flexi-Hex is a 100% recycled paper-based solution that works for a wide range of fragile products from the sports, drinks, industrial, automotive and marine sectors. The honeycomb geometry expands to create a sleeve 35 times wider than its compressed form and works by pulling over the object requiring protection. This compact nature saves space, distribution costs and packaging time for customers. The material has been tested to prove its ability to protect products, keeping them safe from impact during transit. The product is curbside recyclable and compostable.

ClimaCell® is produced by TemperPack who have patented a process for creating foam from paper and plant starch. ClimaCell is recyclable curbside and is a member of SPC's How2Recycle program. The technology provides both thermal protection and protection from vibration and shock, and TemperPack intends to grow beyond the cold chain space within other applications like void fill, cushioning, and blocking. Their manufacturing process allows them to vary the thickness of ClimaCell based on needs with pricing comparable to conventional materials.

CruzFoam creates a range of compostable packaging materials by combining the seafood industry waste stream (shrimp shells sourced from sustainable farming) with the overflow waste stream from paper recycling, transforming them into naturally sourced foam. CruzFoam has comparable mechanical properties and thermal insulation to expanded polystyrene and at scale has promise to be cost competitive.

Returnity manufactures customized reusable shipping and delivery packaging out of rPET fabrics that meets diverse shipping models for both B2B and B2C needs.They design both bags and boxes that can fold when returned empty, saving on cost and resources. Returnity has serviced customers from apparel, electronics, furniture and wine sectors, with testing performance shown to be superior to cardboard. The package is guaranteed for 40 multiple uses and once returned, recycling can be coordinated.

Evocative's Mushroom® Packaging utilizes mycelium as a self-assembling, biological binder to bind together organic agricultural byproducts, such as wood chips, to produce durable, bio-based and home compostable packaging. Ecovative is able to create custom shapes even at small volumes that are water-resistant and insulating. They are targeting a range of applications in blocking and bracing, retail, eCommerce, and insulation. Ecovative is Cradle to Cradle Gold Certified.

All five finalists are invited to present at Virtual SPC Advance on September 30, 2020, with the three top-scoring finalists, Flexi-Hex, TemperPack, and Cruz Foam, receiving o ne year of SPC membership.

Semi-Finalists

Luft Parcel - Inflatable returnable packaging

ReusePac - Reusable alternative to cardboard boxes

LimeLoop - Smart reusable packaging mailers

Marine Innovation - Seaweed based protective packaging

Submissions are now closed.

Criteria

The criteria the judges used to determine finalists includes a point system that considers the following areas:
Environmental impacts

1. Responsible sourcing, such as the use of recycled materials or responsibly sourced, renewable materials

2. Optimized and efficient use of materials

3. Recoverability: e.g. Recyclability, reusability or compostability. - Compostable packaging is best suited for specific, targeted applications. Applications using compostable packaging should be explained and justified

4. Extra points awarded if more than one environmental category is addressed with this innovation

Market feasibility

Cost and scalability

Performance in product protection across different product types (e.g. electronics, liquids, hard goods

Submissions will be required to meet a minimum score in this category to advance to the finalist stage

Subjective criteria

Innovative 'wow' factor, for example: Appeal to end-user companies, marketability or powerful storytelling, other factors on a case by case basis

Judges

Judges each got a vote to determine the finalists who will attend SPC Impact 2020. They represent a key group of sustainable packaging experts from the SPC, investment experts from Closed Loop Partners, and additional experts in protective packaging and entrepreneurship from Academia.

Nina Goodrich is Director of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and Executive Director of GreenBlue. GreenBlue is a nonprofit that provides science and resources to make business more sustainable. It is dedicated to help industry: use materials wisely, promote material health and recover more.

Nina came to GreenBlue with an industry and consultancy background in R & D management, innovation and sustainability strategy. Nina believes that innovation and sustainability are linked as key drivers for our future. Nina has worked to develop a value proposition for sustainability and to share it with all who will listen.

Nina has held leadership positions in Sustainability and R & D with Alcan Packaging, Amcor, The Guelph Food Technology Center and Magic Pantry Foods.

She has done graduate work in technology management and holds a BA in Molecular Biology from Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Regarded as a thought leader in the field, Nina speaks and writes frequently on the convergence of sustainability, innovation, and technology.

Adam Gendell is the Associate Director of GreenBlue's flagship project, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. Adam's work with the packaging value chain touches on goal-setting, design considerations, and stakeholder engagement. Adam has developed and delivered training seminars for hundreds of packaging professionals, including the Coalition's Fall conference SPC Advance.

Since joining GreenBlue in 2010 he has brought together stakeholder groups to lead work on topics ranging from life-cycle-oriented design to substantiation data for FTC-compliant recyclability claims. Most recently, Adam spearheaded a collaboration between packaging trade associations, recycling-focused NGOs, and government agencies to conduct a robust nationwide study on consumer access to recycling systems.He coordinates several Industry Leadership Committees and is a frequent speaker and writer on sustainability topics. In 2013 Adam served on the PAC NEXT Leadership Council.

Danielle Joseph is responsible for managing Closed Loop Ventures - an investment fund focused on early stage innovations in the circular economy. Prior to Closed Loop Partners, Danielle worked on project finance activities with Invex Infraestructura and Queensland Investment Corporation. Prior to this, she worked with NewWorld on a range of growth equity and project finance related activities across environmental opportunities, including clean energy, energy efficiency, waste-to-value, water resources and reclamation, and environmental services. Danielle earned her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business where she led the GSB Impact Fund, an early stage investing platform for impact-driven companies. Danielle earned her BA from Pomona College.

Dr. Mark Sanders mentors cleantech companies across the portfolio and serves as the Director for Circular Economy. In this role, he mentors and advises portfolio companies, facilitates academic entrepreneurship programs, and works globally to cultivate relationships and foster a network of circular economy technology advocates. Prior to joining ATI, Mark worked at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where he worked to commercialize new innovations developed at U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories. Mark was the founder of a company that developed and employed novel environmental technologies and methods; the company was subsequently acquired by a national firm. He earned a PhD in Building Energy and Environment from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA in innovation and entrepreneurship from Babson College.

Dr. Jay Singh received his MS and Ph.D. in Packaging Science from Michigan State University. Considered amongst the top experts in the field of distribution packaging globally, Jay has published over 95 peer-reviewed articles, 73 articles in conference proceedings, 32 trade journal articles, 3 book chapters, co-authored 2 books and edited 1 book. A number of his publications have resulted in the development/modification of numerous globally acknowledged packaging test standards. Several of his research efforts have led to innovative packaging designs that have been implemented in the field. His expertise includes teaching, training, testing services and contract research in package design, distribution environment measurement and simulation, material and package testing, package design, product-package compatibility, and LCA. Jay currently serves as the President of the International Association of Packaging Research Institutes (IAPRI) and is a past Director on ISTA's Global Board. Having undertaken numerous funded grants from state, federal agencies and industry as well as currently holding four patents, Jay was recognized with the Distinguished Scholarship Award in 2017 by Cal Poly.

Advisors represent the end-users of protective packaging from key sectors. They played a key role in this challenge by providing guidance to submitting entrepreneurs on what end users are looking for in protective packaging innovations. Below, you can find key input from our advisors on their main priorities and considerations for protective packaging performance, economics and sustainability that challenge submissions should address. This information should be used as a reference for submitters to consider.

In addition, advisors also provided feedback on submissions during the review phase to the Challenge Judges. They provide important feedback on how much they like the submission, in terms of their key priorities, as defined here.

Advisors

Josh Samples is a Manager at the Packaging Lab in Customer Packaging Experience at Amazon. Since graduating from Ohio State with a degree in Logistics in 2008, I've spent the better part of the last decade focused on fulfillment solutions to reduce waste. I spent my first 5 years out of school focused on Warehouse Management Systems and was a consultant for Manhattan Associates, one of the world's leading WMS providers. After implementing Manhattan WMS at Starbucks, I switched over to more broadly focused supply chain savings initiatives that spanned packaging, logistics, and seasonal promotions. In 2014 I left Starbucks for Amazon to join the Ops Integration team, with a focus on customer experience in Heavy/Bulky products, which is what lead me to the packaging team. Since joining the packaging team, I have focused on damage prevention and took over our Packaging Lab in Q2 2018.

1. Describe your pain points in protective packaging. What types of products do you use it for and what are your main challenges in safely and sustainably protecting these products in your supply chain and creating a good experience for customers?
There are so many Amazon customers and so many different products. It is difficult to create consistent rules for brand-owners to create packaging when not all products or customers are created equal.

2. What are your main priorities and interests for protective packaging sustainability that challenge submissions should address? (i.e. recyclable solutions, reusable systems, recovery systems, lightweight solutions, exciting new formats and materials)
Scale and simplicity. Our packers have only seconds to interact with a pack design and can only have a handful of designs at their station. How do we find simple solutions that scale to many products.

3. What roadblocks have you faced in implementing more sustainable protective packaging solutions in your organization?
Cost versus scale.
There are many great ideas floating around for innovative packaging solutions, but very few that can scale to Amazon's needs without coming at an extreme cost.

Jennifer Gootman is the Vice President of Social Innovation at West Elm, where she oversees the brand's commitments to local and global makers, Fair Trade, and sustainability. Jennifer also serves as the Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for West Elm's parent company, Williams Sonoma, Inc., leading social labor compliance and programming across the company's eight brands. Prior to West Elm, Jennifer spent more than a decade working with non-profits and social enterprises in New York, Nicaragua and India, working within design-driven industries to create social impact through supply chain innovation. She has been invited to present her work at the Aspen Institute, United Nations, Fast Company Innovation Festival, Columbia Business School Social Enterprise Conference and Fair Trade Federation Conference and serves on the board of Chicago-based ethical fashion company Mata Traders and as an advisor to NYU Stern's Center for Sustainable Business.

1. Describe your pain points in protective packaging. What types of products do you use it for and what are your main challenges in safely and sustainably protecting these products in your supply chain and creating a good experience for customers?
Our products range from decorative accessories, to tabletop ceramics, to lighting to furniture so we have a large range. Many of these items have unique geometry that is likely to change from season to season. Protecting these products during small parcel transit such as UPS without using petroleum-based materials is the biggest challenge.

2. What are your main priorities and interests for protective packaging sustainability that challenge submissions should address? (i.e. recyclable solutions, reusable systems, recovery systems, lightweight solutions, exciting new formats and materials)
Our main goal is to design packaging that can be easily serviced at the customer's home. This translates into home compostable or curbside recyclable materials. Additionally we are interested in new formats and materials, reusable systems, and lightweight. We've come across many innovations that are in pilot phase or available in limited geographies, but we need solutions that are scalable and globally available.

3. What roadblocks have you faced in implementing more sustainable protective packaging solutions in your organization?
One challenge is finding alternatives to EPS/EPE foam and PE polybags for product cushioning and abrasion/dirt prevention that have the same protective properties and are as widely available in those materials. While PCR materials and compostable materials are easily sourced in the European and North American markets, they can be difficult in Southern, Southeast, and East Asia.

Cassandra Fuhrmann is the Director of Private Brand Services at Lowes where she oversees the packaging production of 22 private brands across 350 product groups and 400 product suppliers. With nearly two decades in the technology, aerospace and retail industries, Cassandra has managed international production teams in support of multiple Fortune 50 companies.

Cassandra has implemented shared-service work models for the NA, EMEA, and APJ markets to support sustainability, cost efficiency, and speed to market. With a keen eye for streamlined workflows, process improvements and sustainable practices, she has saved tens of millions in production and material costs over the course of her career. Cassandra seeks sustainable solutions that not only appeal to consumers but are also feasible across hundreds of manufacturers with no impact to speed-to-market.

1. Describe your pain points in protective packaging. What types of products do you use it for and what are your main challenges in safely and sustainably protecting these products in your supply chain and creating a good experience for customers?
Lowe's Senior Packaging Engineer, Curtis Henquinet, and I know the challenges of protective packaging all too well. All Lowe's product is required to meet ISTA 1A/1B standards to withstand the product distribution process. With hundreds of product groups across our stores - including toilets, vanities, lighting and ceiling fans - Lowe's requires a substantial amount of protective packaging. Of course, these currently include inner packing of bulky, non-sustainable foam that negatively impact the supply chain, environment, and customer experience.Packaging development time constraints and limited access to inexpensive, biodegradable materials continue to cause missed opportunities by our product vendors in providing sustainable, right-sized packaging. In addition, "Due to our varied product assortment and supply chains, our test methods are not specific to any one shipping method," Henquinet adds. "This means our testing may be overly stringent or not stringent enough." This limits our ability to minimize the packaging footprint in many cases.

2. What are your main priorities and interests for protective packaging sustainability that challenge submissions should address? (i.e. recyclable solutions, reusable systems, recovery systems, lightweight solutions, exciting new formats and materials)
The Lowe's Private Brand team seeks all of the above. We want to employ every sustainable solution possible for the betterment of our environment. Lowe's headquarters is situated near the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. We love nature and sustainability and packaging efficiency is top of mind on a daily basis. Our customers also expect sustainable packaging solutions. Product Development Trend Senior Analyst, Liz Rui, is passionate about Lowe's millennial customers and acts as our in-house voice of the customer. As the largest living generation, millennials are also the most committed to implementing sustainable goals. Their tastes and preferences support our effort in creating more environment-friendly solutions. The Lowe's Private Brands packaging team supports hundreds of product groups produced by hundreds of international vendors. We seek adaptable solutions that can be used around the globe - and challenge submissions should as well. The least amount of packaging to protect the product throughout the supply chain is optimal.

3. What roadblocks have you faced in implementing more sustainable protective packaging solutions in your organization?
Speed to market is our biggest challenge. We aim to find the right product at the best cost for our Lowe's customers - and when we find that product, we move quickly to get it into our stores. While cost-effective products satisfy many of our customers on the front end, the cost to the environment, in turn, isn't so satisfying. As brand owners, we must constantly strive to increase awareness and accessibility of sustainable product packaging earlier in the supply chain to increase recycling and right-sizing opportunities.

Suzanne Fisher is the Head of Packaging Innovation at Wayfair.
Education: BS, Packaging - Michigan State University. Achievements: Hall of Fame inductee in Michigan State University's School of Packaging Hall of Fame, Member of the Year and College of Fellows member at the Institute of Packaging Professionals, and strong supporter of packaging education. Suzanne has spent 35 + years in the packaging profession leading teams at Herman Miller, Sam's Club, and presently at Wayfair. Packaging education - passing on key learnings and experiences to the next generation of leaders - is one of Suzanne's top priorities.

Erin Hiatt is the Senior Director of Sustainability & Innovation at the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), the US trade association for retailers that have earned leadership status by virtue of their sales volume, innovation or aspiration. She manages the association's environmental and social sustainability committee portfolio and supports its Retail Innovation Center (RIC) and Diversity & Inclusion Leaders Council, helping retailers benchmark and advance their programs in these areas.

1. Describe your members' pain points in protective packaging. What are the retail industry's main challenges in safely and sustainably protecting products in their supply chains and creating a good experience for customers?
As the leading retailers in the U.S., RILA members' main challenge is finding scalable solutions that satisfy all their needs. They need scalable packaging that (1) provides excellent product protection, (2) is made of sustainable materials/has a sustainable end of life, (2) can be procured at a competitive cost, (4) is easy to move through the supply chain, and (5) provides a seamless user experience for the customer. Right now it is hard to check all of those boxes for an industry with such extensive operations and product offerings, which is why this challenge is so important.

2. In general, what are retailers' main priorities and interests for protective packaging sustainability that you believe challenge submissions should address? (i.e. in addition to preventing damage: recyclable solutions, reusable systems, recovery systems, lightweight solutions, exciting new formats and materials)
A main priority for retailers is navigating which of the more sustainable solutions is the "best" one. Lifecycle assessments are incredibly important, but because our customers are so core to this conversation (particularly as eCommerce grows), an essential element is end of life/use once packaging enter a home. If our average customers aren't able to easily properly handle end of life or end of use steps once they're done with primary and secondary packaging, there is still room for improvement regardless of all other considerations. This is why practical curbside recyclability had driven a lot of decisions to date.It will be important for submitters to consider what packaging has garnered the most widespread customer attention because that's where retail organizational leadership buy-in is strongest in the short term. We absolutely need radical ideas, but to work for retail they need to be empathetic to the customer and the industry's core business functions.

3. What roadblocks have the retail industry faced in implementing more sustainable protective packaging solutions at scale?
Unsurprisingly, the persistent challenges in recycling markets and the patchwork availability of certain recycling, composting, etc. services across the U.S. inherently inhibit scalability. Another roadblock, as mentioned before, is deciding between sustainability tradeoffs. Retailers know they can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good as they continuously improve the sustainability performance of their packaging, but they have to be able to explain the decision they reach in an accessible way. Packaging performance is often also the strongest factor behind resistance to change. Once a product is damaged, you're impacting retail's core promise to its customers and often nullifying the sustainability gains from the packaging switch. It's non-negotiable.

Robert Guerrieri Jr. is a Market Development Manager for Dow's Packaging & Specialty Packaging Business. In this role, he manages Dow's North American (NA) strategy to supply resin technology into protective packaging which includes air pillows, foams, and air bubbles. He is also the e-commerce focal point for the NA packaging marketing group. He is responsible for identifying key trends in the segment, and developing a pipeline of new resin technologies to meet current and future needs in protective packaging. Additionally, Robert is creating and managing partnerships at key brands, e-retailers, and machine manufacturers to drive insights and technologies across the value chain. Prior to this marketing role, Robert served as a Dow Account Manager servicing direct customer relationships across a number of market segments including Food & Specialty Packaging, Pipe, and Industrial Packaging.

1. Describe your pain points in protective packaging. What are the packaging manufacturing industry's main challenges in developing protective packaging that safely and sustainably protects products in complex supply chains and creates a good experience for customers?
There are two key issues that face protective packaging, especially in e-commerce. The first challenge is trying to balance providing robust protection with right weighting. With so many products of varying shapes, sizes, and durability going through warehouses and distribution networks, it is difficult to know the best way to package and protect every product. In addition, brands, retailers, and 3PL's are looking for ways to avoid placing a very small product in a very large box with layers of protective components leading to consumer "wrap rage". We need to continually reevaluate new secondary and tertiary formats that can provide as much protection as possible with the most optimized amount of material. Secondly, as more shipments get unpacked in the consumer's living room vs. the back of the store, we need to ensure consumers can simply and sustainably dispose of all packaging included in their delivery. Protective packaging materials need to clearly state to the consumer how they are to be disposed of, and those disposal options should ideally include curbside or front of the store recycling channels.

2. In general, what are the packaging manufacturing industry's main priorities and interests for protective packaging sustainability that you believe challenge submissions should address? (i.e. in addition to preventing damage: recyclable solutions, reusable systems, recovery systems, lightweight solutions, exciting new formats and materials)
First, submissions should address how the new protective packaging format or concept has a smaller footprint and environmental impact across the whole Life Cycle Analysis versus what is currently being employed. Second, the submission should be able to outline what the end of life options are for the packaging and how it will be communicated to consumers, so that action is actually taken during disposal. Third, the package must be able to incorporate the first two points without sacrificing its ability to protect the product being shipped. If the new package provides less protection and increases damage, returns and re-shipments will have a large impact environmental that may outweigh any sustainable modifications made to the packaging. Lastly, a challenging but creative benefit is protective packaging that considers how it can be used in alternate applications once it has served its purpose in delivery such as a storage box that can be neatly displayed in the consumer's home and serve another purpose.

3. What roadblocks have the packaging manufacturing industry faced in implementing more sustainable protective packaging solutions at scale?
Within the past two years, many firms within the packaging value chain have released sustainability goals aimed at increasing incorporation of recycled materials into their packaging. One challenge the industry faces is having the supply availability of recycled material to source the growing demand in the market. As an industry, we need to protect the viability of current recycle streams like those at the front of the store but also grow them to keep up with the growing demand for these materials. To do this, the industry must drive education at the consumer level so they can clearly understand the means they have available to recycle packaging today and the impact their actions have on creating circular economies. Secondly, new technologies need to be created to enable increased incorporation of recycled materials into packaging. When recycled materials are integrated into packaging, the performance of the structure may be negatively impacted. R&D at the polymer level all the way down to the packaging design needs to be completed to account for this change. In the case of protective packaging, the design must ensure that the blocking, bracing, or cushioning performance does not suffer when recycled material is introduced, due to the high environmental cost of damaged products and returns.

Dan Healey is a Sustainability and Marketing Director for Sealed Air, where he leads efforts to expand and communicate the substantial environmental and economic benefits that come from reducing waste across the fulfillment supply chain.

With over 18-years in the packaging industry, Dan is able to combine past experiences in both R&D and business development to uniquely align a customer's business objectives with its sustainability goals.

His commitment to advancing a holistic, balanced approach to assessing environmental impact is helping change the way companies think about packaging and shipping their products.

A challenge for today's protective packaging is the role it plays not just in product protection, but the impact it has on the overall customer experience. E-commerce has moved the customer interaction with brands and retailers from storefronts to living rooms. 1. Describe your pain points in protective packaging. What are the packaging industry's main challenges in developing protective packaging that safely and sustainably protects products in complex supply chains and creates a good experience for customers?

A damage-free unboxing experience is critical to customer retention, but the customer interaction with the brand or retailer doesn't end in there. It ends with the breaking down of the box, the crumpling of the packaging or the popping of the air pillows. It ends with the trip to the curb, or the drive to the local store-drop-off recycling location. And the only way that happens is with simple, clear and actionable instructions that increase the likelihood that consumers will route that material to its proper disposal (or ideally non-disposal) method feel good about doing it.

So in addition to product protection, today's protective packaging needs to enable brands and retailers to "wow" their customers with a unique unboxing experience, and that experience must extend all the way until the packaging is sent on its way.

2. In general, what are the packaging industry's main priorities and interests for protective packaging sustainability that you believe challenge submissions should address? (i.e. in addition to preventing damage: recyclable solutions, reusable systems, recovery systems, lightweight solutions, exciting new formats and materials)
Every industry, packaging included, is under pressure to minimize its impact on the environment with the two biggest drivers being climate change and pollution, notably ocean plastic. Thus, reducing carbon footprint and improving circularity are the two biggest challenges (and opportunities) for today's protective packaging. New innovations should aim to minimize the tradeoffs between these often competing drivers while also ensuring economic viability.

3. What roadblocks have the packaging manufacturing industry faced in implementing more sustainable protective packaging solutions at scale?
Whether is recycling, re-use, or composting, one of the biggest roadblocks has been the lack of economically viable logistics. Many of the materials used in packaging today can be reused, recycled, or composted but they aren't collected because the demand isn't there to justify the cost it takes to do so.

One way to drive demand for more sustainable packaging is to add value outside of the traditional packaging "wheelhouse." We must re-think the role packaging plays beyond just protection, it's not enough to just make packaging "more sustainable." How can we design packaging to enhance the customer's experience with the product? What new features can packaging help enable, or what other problems can packaging solve? Novel solutions to questions like these will help drive demand for more sustainable solutions, which in turn, is likely to help drive more economically viable end-of-life options.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is protective packaging?

Protective packaging is any packaging unit that provides protection to goods during handling, storage, and transportation. The term includes all business-to-business packaging and consumer-facing packaging in both traditional retail and e-commerce channels. In general, protective packaging refers to secondary or tertiary packaging used to transport products, as opposed to primary packaging that more often serves for containment versus protection. However, there may be exceptions.

Some key terms:

Primary Packaging contains the product unit. In traditional retail, this type of packaging is what the customer selects from the store shelf and takes home with them and serves more as containment rather than protection.

Secondary Packaging contains one or more primary packages for use during transport and storage. Conventional examples include bags, envelopes, and boxes.

Tertiary Packaging is used to group secondary packaging together to aid handling, unitization, and transportation to distribution and retail outlets, often providing the function of flat unit load support in transport. Conventional examples include pallets and skids, slip sheets or trays.

Dunnage - Interior dunnage in secondary packaging can reduce friction and contact between the primary packs during transport, providing additional protection. Conventional examples include airbags, foams, paper systems, or product separators. Tertiary packaging can also use exterior dunnage to reduce friction between units and support load stabilization during transport. Conventional examples include stretch wrap, strapping, protective covers, or other cushions placed in between secondary units.

What are the main challenges with protective packaging sustainability?

Damage prevention: In transport, every "touchpoint" increases risks of product damage and so packaging plays a central role in protecting the product on its journey through the supply chain.

Replacing damaged products tends to account for a much higher greenhouse gas emissions and resource usage than does packaging itself. Damage prevention also reduces unnecessary extra shipments due to returns and replacements. Working across the value chain to ensure damage prevention at these different levels helps bring products safely to market.

Material efficiency: The emphasis placed on product protection can lead to overpacking products, such as using unnecessary amounts of dunnage materials. More and more, consumers are perceiving excessive packaging firsthand through e-commerce packaging deliveries to their home. This can negatively impact companies' reputations, particularly when the material is not recyclable or reusable. Sustainable protective packages should aim to find that 'sweet spot' between protection and material reduction. To this end, companies must understand their damage rates and invest in continuous improvement and material optimization for their packaging.

Volumetric efficiency: Lack of customizable boxing options can also lead to over boxing and inefficient use of space where excess air is being transported. Efficient box and container space allow for more product to be shipped in a single load while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from unnecessary extra shipping and weight. Open communication between brands, suppliers, manufacturers and distributors helps to facilitate this system-wide optimization which also reduces costs of shipping.

Responsible material sourcing and end of life: While volume and weight optimization are central sustainability considerations for transport packaging, it is also important to consider sourcing and end of life. Materials with favorable characteristics from the sourcing perspective include responsibly sourced renewable resources and recycled materials. From an end of life perspective, favorable packaging is those that are reusable, recyclable (with access to collection and an end market), or compostable (where access to composting exists).

Who will see the information I submit?

All information provided will be reviewed by SPC and Ubuntoo. Shortlisted submissions will be reviewed by Challenge judges and advisors. Participants should exercise judgment when submitting confidential and/or sensitive intellectual property in their submission. No submitted information will be made publicly visible or shared with other Challenge participants.

Can I request an NDA?

We ask that participants only submit information needed to evaluate their innovation. If confidential information is necessary to evaluate the innovation, either during the initial submission or after submission during the evaluation period, then participants may request to enter non-disclosure agreements (NDA).

Are my intellectual property rights safe?

All information participants choose to submit to the Challenge remains their own IP and there are no requirements or conditions to transfer this knowledge to the SPC, Partners, or other third parties. As stated in the Terms and Conditions, 'each participant will retain intellectual property ownership-including rights, trademarks, service marks and/or logos-of all of his, her, or its Challenge submission ideas, including, but not limited to, methods, materials, technologies, and other know-how related to the Challenge criteria and technical overview.' Any further steps between the participating entrepreneurs and companies involved would require a separate agreement between the companies individually."

How will finalists be selected?

Finalists will be selected by Challenge Judges, with input from Challenge Advisors, and Partners. Submissions will be assessed against:

Responsible sourcing, such as the use of recycled materials or responsibly sourced, renewable materials

Optimized and efficient use of materials

Recoverability: e.g. Recyclability, reusability or compostability (please note - Compostable packaging is best suited for specific, targeted applications; applications using compostable packaging should be explained and justified)

Overall life cycle environmental impacts of the package or package system

Market feasibility, including cost and performance in product protection across different product types (e.g. electronics, liquids, hard goods)

Maximum points will be awarded to innovations that perform well across multiple assessment categories. For more information, please see the Challenge scoring criteria on the main page of the website.

Who is the Sustainable Packaging Coalition?

The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) is a membership-based collaborative led by an independent non-profit that believes in the power of industry to make packaging more sustainable. Using an objective, life-cycle based approach, the SPC works in a constructive atmosphere to provide thought leadership and bring SPC members together to strengthen and advance the business case for more sustainable packaging.

Who is Ubuntoo?

Ubuntoo is an Environmental Solutions Platform to address the UN SDGs, starting with solutions to plastic waste. It is like an Airbnb for sustainability innovation. You can very easily search, follow and connect with solutions and their founders. Or you can use our forum section to tap into the crowd expertise of members. The Ubuntoo platform hosts more than 600 solutions to plastic pollution and boasts a community of 1,500 professionals: innovators, academicians, experts at corporations and research institutions.

Who is Closed Loop Partners?

Closed Loop Partners is an investment firm focused on building the circular economy. They are reimagining the current linear system, in which billions of dollars are spent annually to landfill valuable commodities, to create circular supply chains that reduce costs, generate revenue, and protect our environment. Investors include many of the world's largest consumer goods companies and family offices interested in investments that provide strong financial returns and tangible social impact.

Who can I contact to learn more?

Email inquiries can be directed to spcinfo@greenblue.org. Please note that the Sustainable Packaging Coalition will not respond to participant phone inquiries or requests for phone calls due to the high volume of requests. Please thoroughly review the Challenge FAQ, Terms and Conditions, and other Challenge communications before submitting an inquiry.

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SPC Protective Packaging Design Challenge

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Protective packaging is critical to ensure the safe and secure transport of goods. However, there are trade-offs in terms of environmental and economic performance. Protective packaging should prevent damage to the product during transport, while also performing well across a range of other sustainability criteria, however this type of packaging does not often perform well in terms of both performance and broader sustainability.

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Jacob:
For creative packaging, I stumbled across a mens clothing store who takes plain and simple PAPER bags and turns them into unique and boho packages for their clothing! I really like this companies packaging because it is eco friendly and unique!

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Personal brand for men clothes and apparel

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My example that I chose for protective packaging is the packaging for watches. I picked this because I know how these are made to protect the watch and keep what's inside from being damaged. This packaging is comparable to the packaging of jewelry because both are made to protect and are similar in shape and size. The cost of both boxes are low but it really depends on what it is being made of.

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My example of creative packaging is Lee's packaging for their slim-fit jeans. It's simple but eye catching because of the uniqueness of it. The eye catching aspect of the packaging is good for the brand Lee because of it brings in consumers. I think the packaging is cool because I haven't seen anything like it and I like how it takes up little space and is easy to carry. I think the price is reasonable because you're paying for the jeans and materials put in.

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Andrew:
This is my example of protective packaging. It’s simple but very effective. They lightbulb is stripped down very lightly and kept in a small box so it’s insured it isn’t going anywhere. It seems pretty safe to me and is a really good idea.

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Andrew:

This is my example of a creative packaging. It’s a pistachio in a pistachio box made out of cardboard. It’s pretty cool if you ask me. It’s not all the protective because if that box gets stepped on the pistachios are a goner. And I think the price is somewhere around $5-7 not too bad.

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Sydney
This is an example of creative packaging because it isn't the normal box of tissues it is a box made to the shape of a fruit with colorful cardboard. This style isn't necessarily bad it just seems like it would be a little inconvenient once you need the tissues from the bottom of the box especially if you have big hands.

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Sydney
This is an example of protective packaging because the box is filling in all the extra space where the product could shift and break. This packaging style works really well and it's easy to open and access the product as a consumer. Although to purchase packing boxes like these the minimum order quantity for custom inserts is 500 units or a total box order size of $1000.

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this is a great example of protective packaging. it is easy to stack, yet has corners that make it drop proof. It is just card board so it wont be very expensive.

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Nicole
This is an example of protective because it shows how the eggs are tight in the cartoon and will not break with this packaging.

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Nicole
This is an example of creative because it is very attracting to the eye and would make people be interested in the item and purchase it just because of the packaging

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Sharon
This is an example of protective packaging because it can keep the shirt safe and I don't this is expensive because it's made out of a box

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Sharon
An example that I found for creative packaging would be a package that looks like a paint. It's really cute and cheap

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Ari
This is an example of creative packaging, It resembles an orange to make it look like each perfume in the orange is a slice of the orange

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Ari
This is an example of protective packaging it is made of via pulp casting and it is shaped like the cups body, it reduces the damage rate of ceramic cup in transportation process.

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this is the example I found of creative packaging, it resembles a hanger but is easy to hold. Ive never seen anything like it. It is just card board so it wont be very expensive.

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Campaigns & Grey _ Patalastas Shirt Packaging - Hanger

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This is an example of creative packaging because it uses recycled goods to make it . Also it has a unique shape. i think it would do a bad job protecting the oranges. And i think it would be expensive because it seems like something that organic oranges would be sold in.

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This is an example of protective packaging because it has foam on all sides of the box. I think it would do a pretty good job protecting whatever was being put inside and it would be more expensive than a regular box but it shouldn't be that expensive.

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Faith
This would be an example of protective packaging because on the inside it has foam like material to keep the product safe. I think that it overall would do a good job of keeping the product safe. I think this still shouldn't be too expensive but probably more expensive than the other. It isn't that creative though.

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Faith
This is an example of creative packaging it is styles like a hanger for you to hang it up. This is creative because it can be use to hang up your shirt in your closet as well as packaging. I think they could still make it cuter and correspond with its target market. It should be pretty cheap since it is just cardboard but it is creative.

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A protective example i found is this image of shirt inside the box it keeps the shirt safe but you can still see the shirt but still keep the item safe making it a protective package

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An example that I found for creative packaging would be a package shaped like a donut because most people like donuts so it would appeal to a lot of people. This is creative because it is taking something most people like and turning it into a package. This would probably not be too expensive because it is not too big.

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a creative packaging is this blood bag that serves no real purpose like protective but its a different more creative way to package some putting it into category of creative packaging

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one example of protective packaging is this box and the plastic over top. this will prevent the light from breaking.

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An example of protective packing that I found is packaging turned into a bento box. This is creative because it incorporates food into a package to sell goods. Also, this is protective because it separates the different items so that they will not get damaged. I do think that this is expensive because it will take a lot of work to make.

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this packaging protects the bowl, it protects the bowls fall from 5 meters above ground!-jc

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one example of something creative for packaging I saw was a bag that looked like shoe laces to hold your new shoes. this isn't protective but its very creative and cute. id assume its expensive though.

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this packaging shows the new recycling technology because not only did the company use the plastic bottle as packaging but also the shirt is made from plastic-jc