Packaging Industry Trends in 2021

The packaging industry has been observing many transformations throughout the past decade. People are requesting more economical and nature-friendly packaging options.

Millennials recognize that the weight of packaging material is directly related to the amount of energy required to produce it, emitting CO2 into the environment. The application of sustainable packaging material helps reduce the carbon footprint in the environment.

This has led to consumers demanding sustainable packaging options since it has a considerably less adverse impact on the environment and living beings. The local brands and large companies: all are adopting these eco-friendly practices to respond to customer demand.

There are various applications and kinds of Sustainable Packaging options to choose from.

• Mushroom Packaging: This is a convenient, portable, sustainable, and custom protective packaging option. The solutions comprise packaging materials that are produced from agricultural waste and mushroom roots such as fungus roots and residues from farming. The result is a fully natural composite material and after use, this can be broken down in the compost at home. It can be grown within a week which fulfils the demand side requirement.
• Biodegradable Packaging: This is made up of elements that are not harmful to the environment and can be decomposed using micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi. The ability of such packaging materials to be decomposed and recycled make them eco-friendly than most of the other packaging materials such as plastic, metal, and glass.
• Corrugated Packaging: This is an entirely renewable and recyclable option. It is efficient environmentally, recyclable and compostable. It carries a huge portion of recycled elements, which demands less energy for manufacturing.
• Green Packaging: This uses materials and production methods that have a notable moderate impact on both energy consumption and the environment. Most businesses apply this packaging to eliminate the substances that contaminate the water, soil, and climate of the planet.
• Molded Pulp Packaging: This packaging is not only environmentally friendly and cost-effective but also durable. Its process has no wastage, as all the excess remains and water are recovered and reused. Thus, this is obtaining wide approval in various industry verticals such as healthcare & pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, automotive & aerospace, consumer goods, electronics and many others.

This industry has been revolutionized in this decade. 2021 has been an experimental year for people to try different sustainable packaging options. Not only do the large companies, but also the small scale start-ups have inculcated these packaging options in their business operations.

Businesses have been realizing the opportunities to cater to the changing consumer preferences, and are coming up with innovative, eco-friendly, and sustainable alternatives to conventional packaging methods.