Perspectives: It’s Not Easy Being Green
However, taking small steps can help.
By Jane Tarallo, President, Jane Tarallo LLCKermit the Frog said it best when he sang, “It’s not easy being green.” Every brand wants to be green. It’s the right thing to do. But when you try to design packaging while maintaining a brand’s identity and trying to be eco-conscious, it’s not easy.
In his song, Kermit bemoaned, “It’s not easy being green/It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things.” Just because a package is green, however, doesn’t mean that it has to be ordinary looking.
Change need not be drastic. It’s unrealistic to say, for instance, that Christmas gift set packaging will no longer utilize foil decoration. Luckily, suppliers are coming up with a good range of options to make the transition to green packaging easier. You can still have an attractive package that is eco-friendly without forsaking the beauty in packaging.
We need to look at all of the alternatives available. We’re not going to find any quick fixes overnight. The point is to start thinking. There is a whole slew of options to consider, such as renewable resources, recycled materials, new types of resins and materials, and innovative ways to reduce waste and energy consumption.
I don’t believe that it’s necessary to worry about making a package 100% green right away. Even the smallest step will make a difference in the long run. n
Jane Tarallo is president of package design firm Jane Tarallo LLC. Before starting her own company, Tarallo worked for Coty Beauty US for 16 years, most recently as global group creative director. While at Coty, she was in charge of new product development, as well as licensing initiatives and package design.
Simple Green Solutions
Looking for simple ways to go green? Here are a few suggestions for making your next holiday gift set—or any other package—more sustainable, without drastically changing your brand’s identity.
1. Switch to recyclable nonlaminated paperboard. Instead of metallic foil laminations, try these recyclable alternatives. Curtis Packaging’s (Sandy Hook, CT) recyclable, biodegradable CurtChrome ink simulates the look of foil. Unifoil Corp. (Fairfield, NJ) can produce nonlaminated papers and boards with holographic and metallized looks.
2. Use eco-friendly ribbons. MNC Stribbons Inc. (Miami) produces ribbons using renewable resources such as organic cotton, flax, recycled fibers, raffia, jute, and stone.
3. Choose suppliers that use green manufacturing processes. Mohawk Paper Mills (Cohoes, NY) produces paperboard using wind-powered factories. Monadnock Paper Mills (Bennington, NH) uses hydroelectric energy. Johnson Printing (Minneapolis) converts paperboard cartons using wind power.