What About Living Without Plastic Packaging?

What about living without plastic packaging?

Transforming industries to reduce the use of plastic and single-use packaging

in collaboration with Introduction

Surfrider Foundation Europe is an This report aims to: NGO that has been working to protect the oceans, coastal environment and uses for over 27 years. As such, it pays parti- 1. cular attention to the marine pollution Assess the extent of pollution caused caused by manmade waste (packaging, by plastics and single-use packaging of microplastics, cigarette butts, etc.). manufactured goods. The packaging is harmful to the environment, dangerous for both human health and biodi- French Bureau is an agency that shapes versity, and expensive for businesses. the future with innovation — at the speed of a startup. We help businesses create products and services that address today’s economic, social and environmental challenges. 2. Show that recycling is an insuffi- We recognize manufacturers’ responsi- cient solution and that we need to bility towards the pollution of ecosystems. go further. It is necessary to reinvent As such, we want to help them transform consumer goods so that they reflect their business models to make them more both sustainable and desirable uses. sustainable. We want to implement the principles of the circular economy, where waste is seen as a resource rather than a loss. We want to trigger businesses’ 3. ecological transition by designing and Explore and imagine a city that could creating relevant, sustainable and exist today, a city that has eliminated economically positive innovations. all plastics and single-use packaging. Several innovations listed by French Bureau Produced by French Bureau in collabo- are already creating incredible oppor- ration with Surfrider Foundation Europe, tunities to reduce, remove or transform this report aims to show manufacturers that packaging to make it sustainable. they can transform their business models by reconsidering the role of packaging, particularly plastic and single-use packaging, to create virtuous and sustainable businesses.

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 2 Table of contents

Introduction...... 2

Recycling isn’t enough, let’s tackle the root of the problem!

1. Assessment: the urgent need to tackle the impact of packaging...... 4 2. The need to reinvent uses to transform models...... 11

Welcome to the city of sustainable packaging!

1. At home...... 16 Bathrooms...... 16 Kitchens...... 18

2. Shopping...... 20 Distribution and supply chain...... 20 Reducing packaging during sale to the consumer...... 22

3. The workplace...... 25 4. Outings and outdoor dining...... 27 5. Industry...... 31 Rethink production...... 31 New production methods...... 33

Want to find the right solution for your industry?

About us...... 41

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 3 1. Assessment: the urgent need to tackle the impact of packaging

In first part of the report, the analysis is sweet wrappers, food containers and cutlery.1 based on figures, data and analysis with the There is an absurd discrepancy between how contribution of Surfrider Foundation Europe. long packaging is used, its manufacturing cost and its negative impact. A 2007 study found #Packaging: a significant and that some products’ packaging could cost preventable source of waste three times more than the product itself.2

Vast continents of waste, dead birds suffocated by plastics, biodiversity under threat: the distressing images are widespread and the general public is increasingly 61% aware of consumerism’s impact on our of the plastic found on environment and health. The packaging beaches around the world is of products we consume generates a signi- single-use ficant proportion of the waste we produce. It is vital to address the waste generated by In France, packaging waste accounts packaging, as much could easily be avoided or for over 50% of what goes into our bins, reduced. Of course, packaging has an essential according to a 2004 estimate by the Ecology 3 role in protection, preservation and infor- Ministry. Every year, we use and throw away 4 mation, but too often manufactured goods the equivalent of our body weight in plastic. are overpackaged. With yogurts packaged twice in cardboard and plastic, unnecessary packaging is omnipresent in our daily lives. What’s more, the vast majority of packaging is only used for a ridiculously short time before being thrown away. 61% of the plastic found on beaches around the world is single-use, such as plastic bags, bottles, crisp packets,

1 https://www.zerowastefrance.org/fr/articles/438-un-nouveau-rapport-demontre-que-les-emballages-plastique-ne-permettent-pas-de-lutter- contre-le-gaspillage-alimentaire

2 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-468022/Product-packaging-cost-times-whats-inside.html 3 https://www.actu-environnement.com/ae/news/451.php 4 https://theconversation.com/dechets-plastiques-la-dangereuse-illusion-du-tout-recyclage-90359#link_time=1517176581

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 4 The waste most commonly found on European beaches by Initiatives Océanes, a participatory science programme organized by Surfrider Foundation Europe

It is astonishing to note that Although Asian and African countries since 1950, 42% of all plastics has have the largest share of mismanaged plastic been used for packaging, i.e. for waste (uncollected and unrecycled), the worthless perishable goods.5 main plastic producers are the U.S., Europe, Asia and China (49, 50, 41 and 60 million What’s more, most packaging is not tonnes produced respectively in 2015).9 recycled. In Europe, the plastic recycling rate is just 31%.6 Globally, that figure falls to 14%. 7 The remainder ends up in landfill, incinerators or directly in the environment. In total, over three quarters of used plastic 14% ends its life in the land, rivers and oceans.8 of plastic waste is recycled

5 https://www.plasticseurope.org/application/files/5715/1717/4180/Plastics_the_facts_2017_FINAL_for_website_one_page.pdf 6 http://www.journaldelenvironnement.net/article/recyclage-des-plastiques-la-france-fait-de-la-resistance,89521

7 https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/news/ellen-macarthur-foundation-and-the-prince-of-waless-international-sustainability-unit- launch-2-million-innovation-prize-to-keep-plastics-out-the-ocean

8 https://theconversation.com/dechets-plastiques-la-dangereuse-illusion-du-tout-recyclage-90359#link_time=1517176581 9 http://www.grida.no/resources/6923

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 5 #Plastic waste’s disastrous impact on the environment

Packaging has a major environmental impact. It is strewn across our land, rivers, beaches, seas and oceans. Plastic packaging is particularly responsible for environmental pollution. 700 tonnes of plastics are emptied into the Mediterranean every day.10 Globally, at least 8 million tonnes of plastics pollute marine ecosystems every year, or 21,000 tonnes a day.11 A startling figure that explains the formation of the widely publicized «plastic continents» which represents just 3% of the total plastic consumed around the world.12 The problem is only the tip of the iceberg, as National Geographic magazine recently illustrated.

Plastic continents are only the tip of the iceberg. Plastics represent 85% of the waste on Cover of National Geographic, May 2018. 13 beaches around the world. Plastic bottles, By 2050, almost all marine birds will have plastic bags and food packaging are the swallowed plastic. Causing strangulation, three most commonly found waste on ingestion or entanglement, the plastic in the European beaches. The hundreds of thou- ocean threatens over 800 marine species.14 If sands of tonnes of plastic reaching the ocean nothing is done, there could be more plastic destroy biodiversity. They are ingested than fish in the ocean by 2050. The amount by fauna and have a considerable impact of plastic dumped in the ocean will be then on the health of marine populations. equivalent to four garbage trucks a minute. 15

10 http://www.amisdelaterre.org/IMG/pdf/gaspillage_alimentaire_en_europe_.pdf 11 https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/publications/NPEC-Hybrid_French_22-11-17_Digital.pdf 12 https://theconversation.com/dechets-plastiques-la-dangereuse-illusion-du-tout-recyclage-90359#link_time=1517176581 13 http://www.amisdelaterre.org/IMG/pdf/gaspillage_alimentaire_en_europe_.pdf 14 http://www.journaldelenvironnement.net/article/micro-plastiques-plus-de-800-especes-marines-en-danger,77370 15 https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/publications/NPEC-Hybrid_French_22-11-17_Digital.pdf

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 6 4 garbage trucks a minute emptied into the ocean in 2050

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 7 Packaging’s composition is damaging to commercial and agricultural activities, the environment upstream and downstream domestic origins, fly tipping or dumping of its production. It is often formed by on the roadside or in the street.19 That cardboard, plastic and other aluminium mate- waste is transported by the natural water rials, which are intensive in resources and cycle and ends up in the oceans. energy.16 Plastic accounts for 6% of global oil consumption, as much as the aviation What’s more, single-use food packaging industry.17 Manufacturing plastic packaging (plastic bags, cups, lids, etc.) is often made also uses huge quantities of water. A 2006 from very thin and light plastic, which study found that three litres of water were can easily fly out of bins and dumps when used to make one litre bottle of water.18 it is not deliberately thrown into nature. Carried by the wind, sewage networks or watercourses, plastic waste easily ends 3L of water its journey in the seas and oceans. are needed to make #The dangers of plastic for one 1L bottle public health

The massive use of plastic in packaging #Where waste found in the raises public health questions as it is oceans comes from thought to contain dangerous substances for the human body. There has been a Bottles, plastic bags, synthetic textiles, succession of similar scandals involving cosmetic products, polystyrene… But where various materials, such as phthalates or do they come from? They are lost, either bisphenol A, which could be endocrine deliberately or accidentally, during their disruptors or contain toxic agents. use, collection or logistical operations. 10% is dumped on the shorelines by individuals How can plastic affect human health? or coastal infrastructures. A further 10% Firstly, by particle migration from plastic is thrown straight into the sea by nautical, containers to their contents. Invisible plastic fishing or maritime transport activities. particles have been found in food products and bottled water. Then, by the propagation Finally, the major part, 80% of the of harmful substances: transporting bacteria waste, comes from inland areas: industrial, and viruses and absorbing persistent organic

16 http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Packaging_waste_statistics 17 https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/publications/NPEC-Hybrid_French_22-11-17_Digital.pdf 18 acific Institute, 2006. 19 http://fr.oceancampus.eu/cours/h3s/pollution-des-oceans-origine-des-dechets-aquatiques

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 8 pollutants and heavy metals. And finally, by contamination of the environment and food chain: when it decomposes, plastic splits into microscopic particles. It conta- minates the soil and water, then plants and animals, finishing in the human diet.

Although studies do not reach defi- nitive conclusions, plastic could be impli- cated in hormone imbalances, toxicity and various medical conditions. But generally, the effects of plastic nanoparticles on health are still very poorly evaluated.

#From industry awareness to action

The demand for plastic is set to double in the next twenty years, according to estimates of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.20 However, there is growing pressure on manufacturers to change their production model in order to use less and less plastic and reduce packaging.

Firstly, regulatory frameworks are changing internationally, forcing manufacturers to adapt.

Secondly, public opinion is increasingly aware of the impact of plastic and packaging on health and the environment and is turning to more responsible products. Therefore, industries will need to transform to reflect consumers’ new expectations.21

20 https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/news/ellen-macarthur-foundation-and-the-prince-of-waless-international-sustainability-unit- launch-2-million-innovation-prize-to-keep-plastics-out-the-ocean

21 https://theconversation.com/dechets-plastiques-la-dangereuse-illusion-du-tout-recyclage-90359#link_time=1517176581

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 9 1 second to produce a piece of packaging 20 minutes average use 100 to 400 years to fully decompose

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 10 2. The need to reinvent uses to transform models

#The recycling myth cycles. Therefore, although one in two PET bottles in Europe is recycled, less than Currently, only some plastic packaging can one in ten will become another bottle. be recycled. Packaging that combines several Numerous limitations mean that recy- materials, such as plastic and aluminium, cling waste plastic is nothing but a modest is nonrecyclable. Another part is recyclable compensation of plastic’s damaging effects. but not collected. Therefore, in the best of cases, meaning in Europe, approximately a third of plastic packaging is recycled. 1 bottle Recycling all plastic packaging would clearly be a step forward - but a step in the wrong direction, as it would do very little in 10 to curb plastic’s environmental impact. becomes Recycling is far from a satisfactory end another bottle of life for our plastic waste. Firstly, of the 14% of plastic recycled in the world, #What to do? 4% is lost over the recycling process. 8% is «decycled», i.e. used to create a Removing oil from plastic is one promising product such as a pullover, which cannot avenue already being explored. Biosourced be recycled in turn due to degradation of alternatives, made from plants or plant mate- the polymer, the molecule forming the rials, are increasing. However, bioplastics 22 plastic. This makes it nonrecyclable. that reproduce the same chemical composition as petroleum-based plastic (such Of this 14%, therefore, only 2% is as sugarcane bioplastic) release the same recycled effectively, i.e. used to create plastic nanoparticles that are so damaging new plastic that could in turn become a to the environment when decomposing. new product. What’s more, the recycling Only both biosourced and biodegradable process degrades the plastic, making it biopackaging would be a solution, albeit necessary to combine it with virgin plastic, at the cost of increased agricultural efforts while the risks of contamination lead to the necessary for its production. As farmland highest possible number of decontamination is limited, land allocated to biopackaging

22 https://theconversation.com/dechets-plastiques-la-dangereuse-illusion-du-tout-recyclage-90359#link_time=1517176581

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 11 production will be ‘taken away’ from food or are available to guide consumers, forcing forests. Most biodegradable biopackaging also businesses to follow exact specifications. requires industrial biocomposting solutions, which are still far from widespread today. Very often, eco-design leads to a paradigm shift. One of its triggers is for example In reality, the real solution lies at the minimizing the impact of a product’s use source of the problem. It is necessary to do by encouraging sharing and pooling. more than replacing petrochemical plastic with more sustainable alternative mate- This is the functional or access economy, rials and address product design. We need which involves paying for use and not to rethink consumer goods so that they ownership of a product. Use of the product contain little or no packaging, or at least is sold rather than the product itself. Shared so that the resulting waste can be reused bicycles, cars and scooters are part of that in a circular system. In other words, the system, as are music streaming services and limits of recycling and alternative mate- SaaS (Software as a Service, subscription rials encourage us to change our production access to software rather than purchase). The and consumption paradigm: we need to manufacturer remains the product’s owner, rethink the use and function not only of therefore, and makes money by selling its our packaging, but also of our products. use. The model works with the fact that a product’s value for the user lies in its function, #The necessary transformation and not in owning the product in question. of production models

This very real necessity implies a profound transformation of manufacturers’ production models. Industrial norms must change so that every product is designed to have a minimal or neutral environmental footprint. This is known as eco-design, a preventive initiative that involves rethinking the product whilst considering its entire lifecycle, and not only its production.

Every stage of the product’s life is considered to minimize or neutralize its impact on the environment: raw material sourcing, production processes, logistical organization of the sale, use and end of life. Certifications such as ecolabels

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 12 Representation of the circular economy, by ADEME

In the case of music streaming services, the manufacturer greater control and the main value lies in listening to tracks, retains customers over the long term. not physically owning the albums: it is The result is reduced use of more attractive for users to pay for unli- resources and packaging. mited access to a huge catalogue of songs, rather than buying a few ones individually. Similarly, the circular economy is Accessing more whilst having less: such even more relevant to the aim of reducing is the mantra of the functional economy. waste and packaging. It has been formed in antithesis to the traditional, linear economy, The benefits of this approach are which is based on a finite approach: extract, numerous. Firstly, the volume of production manufacture, consume, then throw away. needed to meet demand is reduced, as the In contrast, the «circular» economic model supply is optimized: each product serves advocates the constant reuse of resources, several consumers rather than just one, waste recycling and maximum product making it possible to reduce the unit cost reparability. It is called a circular approach of use and maximize the manufacturer’s as it is infinite. The products are designed margin. Then, the fact that the manufac- to last and transformed when they stop turer remains the product’s owner encou- working. In the circular economy, waste rages it to maximize its durability and repa- does not exist: it is a resource. “Cradle- rability in order to optimize the unitary to-Cradle“ (C2C) accreditation takes the profitability. Finally, this approach gives approach even further by certifying that

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 13 a manufactured product must be able to within all manufacturers’ reach. It is a reproduce the same product once recycled. responsibility, but also an opportunity: Whilst society as a whole is organizing reinventing production models to make them its transition towards a circular economy, more economical in resources, more sustai- packaging is still largely overlooked. Much nable, more desirable and more profitable. is, by essence, single-use; it is thrown away There are already numerous examples to after use. Little is recycled. Therefore, it inspire businesses that want to commit to is necessary to create a circular packaging ecofriendly transformation of their models. economy, incorporating innovative and sometimes radical solutions, which we In second part of this report, French explore in the second part of this report. Bureau explores and presents some of these inspiring examples and businesses. The functional economy and circular system are inspiring paradigms to create more sustainable and ecofriendly economic models. These new models imply a transformation of consumer uses. They change habits, which can appear restrictive, but gradually become part of our daily lives.

Longstanding uses have changed very quickly: the ban on plastic bags in France’s supermarkets was introduced in a few years and sustainable alternatives were esta- blished very easily, as with replacing disposable cups with reusable ecocups. Therefore, although it is essential to question a product’s intended use, it is important not to underestimate users’ ability to change if the new use has proven direct benefits. The change’s desirability plays a vital role here: it is an essential aspect that proves to be more effective than restriction.

Drastically reducing the volume of packaging, which is responsible for a significant proportion of manmade waste that pollutes the environment, is an initiative

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 14 Welcome to the city of sustainable packaging!

This city could exist today. It is a city where industry, economy and uses are transformed to address the problems of waste packaging and plastic. It is a city with no single-use or plastic packaging.

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 15 1. At home

Household waste accounts for a significant proportion of the waste found in the oceans. New more ecofriendly consumption modes are increasingly being developed.

1. Bathrooms Lamazuna solid cosmetics Many of the products and plastic packaging we use daily are found in our bathrooms. For example, the brand Lamazuna has What are the sustainable alternatives? developed a range of solid toothpastes available in several flavours (mint, fruit, spices, # Solid cosmetics etc.), whilst Lush has created two alternatives: a toothpaste powder and toothpaste Almost all cosmetic products used daily tabs with various benefits, including by billions of consumers, such as soap, teeth whitening and gum protection. shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste, makeup As well as being ecofriendly, requiring remover and deodorant, are packaged in almost no packaging, solid cosmetics are more plastic. Liquids require solid and waterproof concentrated and so have a longer lifespan packaging, making plastic the ideal material than their liquid equivalents, which are for their use. To move away from this limited largely formed of water. Solid shampoos, for format, one possible alternative is to rethink example, could last two to three times longer.1 the very structure of these products and For consumers, these alternatives would turn to solid alternatives, which are being lead to slightly different uses and a higher developed by numerous cosmetic brands. purchase price, although the longer lifespan Some brands propose wide ranges provides better value over the long term. of solid, organic and natural cosmetic products, which can satisfy a huge variety of consumers with the choice of product properties (combination, sensitive skin, etc.), flavours and formats.

1 « La révolution des cosmétiques solides », L’Express, 2018

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 16 # Cosmetics without microplastics

Alongside plastic packaging, many cosmetic products contain plastic microbeads and microparticles. They are added to products to give them various properties, such as exfoliation, the release of active ingredients or regulation of the product’s viscosity. Plastic microparticles ingested by fish larva, Dr Oona Lonnstedt In 2018, many products contain microplastics: deodorants, shampoos, Following awareness of this issue, many shower gels, shaving creams, sunscreens, brands have pledged to reduce the use of moisturizers, face masks, lipsticks, hair microplastics in their products and turned dyes, eyeshadows, mascaras, etc. to more ecofriendly and natural alternatives. They include Nivea, which removed Unlike packaging, microplastics cannot microplastics from its products in 2015, be collected and recycled. Once used, replacing them with plant fibres and silica products containing these particles are or ricin wax particles, giving the creams rinsed and transported in the sewage the required texture. Many brands have network. Water treatments do not break also adopted alternative natural exfoliants down the plastics, which are then released made from sea salts, jojoba seeds, nutshells, into the environment by untreated or fruit stones or fruit enzymes. They include treated sewage networks, the sewage Kiehl’s, Neutrogena, Lush and Weleda. sludge used as fertilizer on farmland or sea In addition, plant-based ingredients with dumping, polluting the entire food chain. attractive properties, such as cocoa and shea butters, coconut oil, aloe vera, plant waxes and beeswax, are also widely used.

There are numerous alternatives to microplastics, therefore, although their environmental and social impact is significant due to their rarity, need for importing, risks of overexploiting natural resources and cheaper subcontracting. Using these alternatives would also increase the amount of carbon in waterways. The carbon’s subse- quent breakdown by aquatic bacteria could take water oxygen below the level that fish

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 17 and marine animals need to survive.2 Secondly, brands such as PLIM provide However, these alternatives appear washable sanitary towels in organic cotton to have less environmental impact than that can be used for several years. The two microplastics. It is vital, therefore, to alternatives make it possible to reduce waste ensure that the ingredients used come significantly, as well as consumer spending. from sustainable sources and form part Despite their higher initial cost, these alter- of a positive ecofriendly initiative. natives are cost-effective after a few months.

#Sanitary products 2. Kitchen

Sanitary protections (towels, tampons Another significant proportion of and applicators) are a major source of plastic products and packaging used single-use plastic waste, representing daily comes from our kitchens. approximately 150 kg of waste over the average woman’s life.3Alternatives to # Hydration without plastic disposable products are already available bottles and becoming increasingly popular. Firstly, several brands, such as Liberty Cup The conflict between bottled water and tap and Intimina, provide reusable menstrual water has been changing for several years. cups. These medical silicone cups can easily Firstly, many consumers have cut their be rinsed and reused for several years. use of bottled water for environmental or financial reasons. Many are also wary of the traces of medical substances in tap water.

The alternative solutions proposed by several manufacturers include tap water filters and purifiers. For example, the company Aquasana sells jugs and flasks with filters, as well as filtration systems alongside kitchen sinks and in showers. The devices can be used for several years if the filters are changed every two to six months, depending on use. They reduce Liberty Cup mensutral cup the chlorine content by 97%, as well as the levels of heavy metals (lead and mercury), pharmaceutical residues and pesticides.

2 « Ditching microbeads: the search for sustainable skincare », The Guardian, 2014 3 Flow: The Cultural History of Menstruation, 2009

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 18 They have also devised a reverse-os- mosis filtration system combined with selective remineralization, OptimH2O. It removes the maximum number of contaminants whilst retaining the benefits of the healthy minerals found in tap water.

HoneyBee Wraps: beeswax food packaging

These waterproof beeswax wraps can easily be washed and reused. They can be used to package fruit, vegetables and sandwiches, or to cover a dish containing meal leftovers.

We then need to find a sustainable way Aquasana filtration system to source beeswax or identify other sources, such as soy or rapeseed waxes. Glass jars and containers also appear to be credible #Food presevation alternatives to their plastic equivalents. Due to the heat, the substances contained in Approximately 43% of food waste is some plastic containers, such as bisphenol generated by households, versus 39% by A, are likely to migrate into the food. the agri-food industry and 14% by the food There are numerous scientific debates 4 services industry. Yet there are numerous on the risks of exposure and impact of products available for food preservation at these substances on human health. home. These include single-use cellophane, Ziploc plastic bags and plastic boxes. Therefore, as well as being more ecofriendly, glass containers could However, there are more sustainable, also be a safer alternative. but little known, alternatives to cellophane. They are food wraps covered in beeswax, developed by brands such as SuperWrap, Bee Eco and HoneyBee Wrap.

4 Commission Européenne, Les Echos, «Chaque Européen gaspille 179 kilos de nourriture par an »

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 19 2.Shopping

Shopping and supermarkets, as the main markets, farmers’ markets and farm shops vector of household consumption, are a such as Plaisirs Fermiers, Frais d’Ici and major source of packaging and plastic. Naturenville, which sell fruit and vegetables According to a 2007 study, two thirds of from local producers. Other supermarkets packaging comes from food products.5 such as La Louve or the retailer Bien try to Yet much of this packaging can be reduced buy local goods, usually within 200 km. or removed, and several «zero packaging» or «zero waste» certified supermarkets Taken to the extreme, this system ideally are already showing that it is possible to merges the production site and sales point make significant progress. That necessi- by producing instore. This is possible for tates rethinking the action at every stage some of the products sold, such as herbs. The of the value chain, from supply to sale. retailer Metro took the initiative to produce inside its stores on a trial basis in Berlin: 1. Distribution thanks to the company InFarm, greenhouses and supply chain have been installed inside some sale points.

Although product delivery from the Therefore, a developing concept production site to the point of sale is becoming a growing trend with requires packaging, efforts are possible to the boom in urban farming. minimize the environmental impact. #Reusable returnable #Shortening distances and packaging connecting production to sale It is then possible to work with the repe- In reducing the distance between the titive nature of the supply chain to introduce production site and sales point, and deve- sustainable packaging, which is reused for loping a short-circuit supply system, we every delivery in a circular system. Eight can reduce the amount of packaging. The years ago, Carrefour made foldable transport shorter the transport distance, the less the crates available to producers. They use them need to package the products. There are to deliver their products to the store and already several short-circuit sale points, in return collect the empty crates of the including AMAP, “La Ruche Qui Dit Oui!“ previous delivery. The initiative has replaced single-use trays and cardboard boxes.6

5 http://www.ift.org/knowledge-center/read-ift-publications/science-reports/scientific-status-summaries/editorial/food-packaging-and-its-environmental-impact.aspx

6 http://www.casuffitlegachis.fr/node/95

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 20 Auchan has also developed a system However, the skin of fruit and vege- for renting reusable crates with its tables provides sufficient natural packaging partners (in an approach consistent to protect them during transport with the functional economy previously between the producer, supermarket explained). RFID tags track them and home. Why not use it as such? throughout the distribution chain.7 Rejecting this resource-intensive Several specialist companies now provide branding process, several suppliers and standardized reusable packaging for hire. supermarkets propose “natural branding“, i.e. laser marking information directly on #Labels the skin of fruit and vegetables.8 Natural branding marks the skin of fruit and vege- One interesting innovation makes tables like a tattoo. But unlike tattoos, it it possible to avoid another source does not alter the product: it simply depig- of unnecessary packaging: the labels ments the skin. The shelf life is unaffected. identifying fruit and vegetables. Today, some distributors are going Natural branding is now aimed at so far as to package their fresh produce solid-skin produces such as avocados, upstream, taking the opportunity to protect butternut squashes, nuts, bananas, it but also to affix information labels. The apples and certain types of cheese. process is not carbon neutral. As well as The process can replace paper labels and the environmental impact caused by the encourages us to see the product’s skin as use of plastic, it involves a large amount packaging. Branding also uses less than of adhesive, ink and paper (or even plastic 1% of the energy required for a sticker.9 in the worst cases) to create the label.

Example of natural branding on sweet potatoes Example of labels affixed to certain fruit and vegetables

7 https://packagingrevolution.net/french-food-retailer-optimizes-reusable-plastic-crate-management-with-rfid-based-solution/ 8 https://www.troteclaser.com/fr/applications-laser/marquage-naturel/ 9 http://actualites.reponse-conso.fr/fruits-legumes-marquage-laser-remplacer-etiquettes-collantes/

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 21 A natural branding machine is a Although the initiative is laudable, it major purchase for a supermarket and does not tackle the root of the packaging can affect the product price. However, problem: how can we reduce the amount several machines are available, which can of packaging in sale points at the source? mark up to 54,000 items per hour.10 In this case, this process is aimed at #Reuse bag supermarkets rather than suppliers, to ensure sustainable product traceability. The plastic bag revolution is striking: in a few years, supermarkets have gradually The Swedish chain ICA, the national leader scraped disposable plastic bags. But with 1,350 stores, has been testing the process despite the widespread regulations, the on squash and sweet potatoes since 2017. European Union remains one of the biggest consumers of plastic bags, with 100 With this technology, ICA estimates that it billion used every year, i.e. an average has saved the equivalent of a 200 km x 30 cm of 280 bags per European citizen.13 roll of plastic.11 The Delhaize store chain in In France, 17.7 billion plastic bags Belgium recently adopted it. Natural branding were used in 2014, including 12 billion to is applied to twenty products, saving an esti- package fruit and vegetables in store.14 mated 13 tonnes of packaging a year.12 The initiative to ban plastic bags is laudable and should be expanded. But 2.Reducing packaging they are still too often replaced by equally during sale to the consumer disposable paper bags, whether for fruit and vegetables or for all shopping. Many supermarkets have recently However, there are several reusable alter- pledged to eradicate single-use plastics natives: fabric bags, trolley bags, tote bags, in their product packaging. In the UK etc. The solution is, here too, a question of for example, forty retailers have intro- habit: consumers must become used to taking duced the UK Plastics Pact that aims their own reusable bag and supermarkets to make all plastic packaging reusable, must encourage their purchase and use. recyclable or compostable by 2025.

10 http://laserfood.es/index.php/fr/produits 11 http://www.up-inspirer.fr/33746-marquage-laser-lalternative-aux-etiquettes-fruits-legumes

12 https://www.rtbf.be/info/societe/onpdp/detail_marquage-naturel-sur-les-fruits-et-legumes-bio-chez-delhaize?id=9562256 13 https://www.lesechos.fr/10/01/2018/lesechos.fr/0301129021279_polemique-en-italie-autour-du-paiement-des-sacs-en-plastique-dans-les-su- permarches.htm

14 https://www.planetoscope.com/dechets/319-sacs-plastiques-distribues-en-france.html

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 22 #Bulk buying and refilll to wash the bottle at home: they simply take it to the store and swap it for a clean one. Bulk buying and refills are clearly There are several companies specia- very satisfactory solutions but require lizing in selling bulk-food distributors, a change in consumer habits. which are constantly enlarging the possi- Several retailers have expanded unpac- bilities: coffee, confectionary, cereals, kaged sales in the last few years: organic mineral water, yogurt, honey, jam... stores such as Biocoop and Bio’C’Bon Some supermarkets have pledged to be as well as traditional supermarkets like entirely packaging free, or 100% unpac- Auchan and Monoprix. In general, dry kaged: Day By Day in Paris, Bulk Market goods such as herbs, rice, pasta and and Earth. Food. Love in the UK, and grains are available. But some retailers Original Unverpackt in Berlin. It is a go much further by selling unpackaged growing trend, supported by strong demand household products such as washing up from consumers. Buying unpackaged is liquid, cleaning products and handwash. quite a simple way to cut our consumption “Franprix Noé“ even has distributors of disposable packaging significantly. Very of spirits such as whisky and rum. In the often, these supermarkets add organic, UK, the Morrisons and Tesco chains local, transparency and community spirit are encouraging customers to bring benefits to the “zero waste“ argument. containers to take home their meat, making it possible to reduce disposable These supermarkets’ customers are plastic packaging in the butchery aisle. generally more loyal to their retailer. The solution benefits both seller and In these cases, consumers are encou- consumer, which both avoid unnecessary raged to bring their own bags, jars or waste but benefit from a better margin containers, or to buy reusable containers for one and a better price for the other. onsite, which can be restrictive. The startup According to several surveys, most unpac- Jean Bouteille has developed a practical kaged products are 10% to 50% cheaper solution to overcome these difficulties. It than their packaged equivalent.15 provides returnable and reusable bottles to stores, which are collected and replaced with Bulk buying is still a small part of sales clean ones when used, with the possibility channels, but it is easy to imagine its wides- to wash them onsite. The service is accom- pread availability in the next few years. panied by fountains for a variety of unpackaged liquids: oils, vinegars, wines, sodas and shortly beer. The solution has the merit of being easy to adopt by users, who do not need

15 http://www.leparisien.fr/vie-quotidienne/conso/conso-acheter-en-vrac-ca-vaut-le-coup-28-09-2017-7291740.php

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 23 16 The bulk shop business model: circularity

# New sales models then come directly into the home to fill the empty containers with unpackaged goods. Creating new ways to sell products Amazon and Walmart are already testing can make it possible to meet consumer smart refrigerator technologies that automa- expectations whilst reducing packaging. tically order products that have run out.17 Distributors can organize systems for returning containers, as happens in Germany and some independent stores in other countries. But they can go even further and create home delivery and refill services for missing products. This service, coupled with the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT), portends solutions where deliverers are automatically informed of a household’s product needs. They could

16 http://www.ecosdesign.it/en/blog/display/bulk-shops-buying-packaging-free/ 17 http://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-in-fridge-delivery-beat-amazon-2017-9 & https://www.theverge.com/2017/1/18/14308352/amazon-echo-refrigerator-reorders-groceries

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 24 3. The workplace

Papers, cups, supplies: the average French #Eliminating employee produces 120 kg of waste a disposable containers year at work.18 Less than half of this is recycled. Until now, awareness campaigns For coffee breaks, lunch or water foun- about waste reduction have tended to tains, many workplaces only offer dispo- target households, somewhat overlooking sable containers such as plastic cups and workplaces. What are the solutions? everything that goes with them: pods, individual packs of sugar, etc. Yet the #Informing employees ecofriendly solutions are obvious: all that is lacking is an incentive to change. Workplace waste is often seen as minor, That is the aim of several initiatives that as it is ‘invisible’ to employees: unlike are working to popularise reusable flasks domestic waste, the bins are emptied every or containers, such as Gobi bottles. These night and so the waste disappears without are specifically designed for use in profes- anyone having to think about it. This gene- sional environments: easily transportable, rates irresponsible individual behaviour. customized and identifiable, in an appro- One solution to reduce the amount of priate size. When coupled with a water waste is to better inform employees. This fountain, this simple investment can save is the mission of Joyeux Recycleurs, a hundreds of plastic bottles and cups. startup that installs stylish containers in workplaces. The service collects refuse regu- larly, weighs it and sends the company a report on the amounts and progress since the previous period. Joyeux Recycleurs has reported a change in staff behaviour following the service’s launch.

Gobi flask

18 http://www.ademe.fr/ecoresponsable-bureau

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 25 #Rethinking office consumables

Single-use items are used daily in the office: cups, pens, bottles. Many office tools also work with consumables. They include printers, for example, most of which use disposable ink cartridges. The use of these cartridges is not neutral. Every second, 54 ink cartridges are Impro printer produced and used around the world, i.e. 1.1 billion cartridges a year. One of the main innovations has been to replace ink cartridges with trans- Cartridge production is energy-intensive: parent and rechargeable reservoirs. approximately 3.5 L of oil is needed to create Users take control of their consumption a 90-mL inkjet cartridge. Used cartridges and see for themselves when the ink tube is are also considered as hazardous waste: empty. That also offers a concrete alternative they contain very toxic components for the to printers from major groups, where we never environment (aluminium, nonbiodegra- know what the cartridges actually contain. dable plastic, iron oxide, ink residues, etc.). The plastic used in a standard cartridge is manufactured with a treated polymer that can take 1,000 years to decompose. In France, therefore, used cartridges represent 60,000 tonnes of polluting waste. It is estimated that if all printer cartridges were reused once, however, we could halve the waste generated by printing consumables.19

Transparent and rechargeable reservoirs The designer Paul Morin proposes to go even further with the Impro project, a sustainable, easily reparable and open- source printer that aims to tackle the planned obsolescence that dominates the sector.20

19 https://www.planetoscope.com/electronique/1286-consommation-mondiale-de-cartouches-d-encre-pour-imprimantes.html 20 http://www.impro-printer.com

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 26 4. Les sorties et la restauration en extérieur

Outdoor dining and events are major There are several initiatives proposing sources of waste, particularly disposable edible packaging that can be eaten packaging. So how can we reduce them? with the product that it contains.

#Edible packaging They include Wikicells, edible films wrapping the food. The wrap is made from Disposable plastic tableware accounts for chitin extracted from crustacean shells or a significant proportion of the waste found alginate, which is an algae-derived product. in the ocean. Beakers, plates, glasses, trays, The wrap can cover all food types, including cutlery… from events to picnics with friends, ice creams and juices. The product can not forgetting the coffee machine, dispo- then be eaten directly with its contents. sable tableware has become omnipresent It is similar to a cheese crust or sausage in our lives. France uses five kilograms per skin except that it has a defined taste.. head per year of disposable cups alone.21 Their lifespan is often reduced to a few minutes, the length of a meal, but they are thought to take several hundred years to decompose. Given that aberration, why not create a container whose lifespan reflects the length of use? Better yet, why not design a container that can disappear after its use?

Comestible packaging appears to offer Ready-to-eat Wikicells a relevant solution. Although providing a container to eat with its contents may be The product’s main benefit is its customi- difficult for supermarkets — due to hygiene zability. Wikicells are designed to be made, standards — this mode of consumption is distributed and enjoyed on a specific site (a entirely appropriate for events-related use. Wikibar) where each customer can determine what they eat, choosing the flavour, colour and texture of the contents and container.

21 https://www.zerowastefrance.org/fr/articles/180-impacts-climatiques-du-tout-jetable-l-exemple-de-la-vaisselle-jetable

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 27 This project offers more than edible packaging. It uses the innovation to propose a new taste experience, where every customer will be able to put together their own food.22

Edible Tassiopée cup

Tassiopée has been created for a specific purpose: the combination of a coffee break and indulgence. Today, 40% of the world’s population drinks coffee at least once a Examples of combinations of flavours and textures day. That represents 40 billion cups every year in France.23 Replacing the traditional In contrast, the startup Tassiopée plastic cup appears to offer an incredible has opted to enhance a well-known opportunity to make a tangible difference. user experience whilst removing the plastic packaging: the coffee break. As well as disposable tableware, the waste most commonly found in the Founded in 2016, the startup produces oceans remains plastic bottles, particu- and markets a unique temporary and edible larly bottles of less than 50 cl, which are cup. It is made of a crispy waterproof biscuit three times more common than bottles and is designed to withstand the heat of of more than a litre. Most are mineral hot liquids, such as coffee, throughout water bottles.24 They take approximately the tasting. It contains the equivalent of a twenty minutes to drink. A PET bottle standard coffee cup and is the result of a takes over 400 years to decompose. year of research and development to obtain a biscuit that remains waterproof at all times. Several initiatives have been launched The product is aimed primarily at business recently to address that inconsistency. buffets. It is packaged in boxes of 100 units for They include Skipping Rocket Lab’s Ooho non-domestic catering and in packs of six for capsule. It is a waterproof capsule made home use. Its optimal shelf life is six months. from algae which is filled with water. It can either be pierced to drink the liquid

22 http://www.designindaba.com/articles/creative-work/wikicell-nature-inspired-edible-packaging 23 http://www.processalimentaire.com/Emballage/Tassiopee-cree-la-tasse-ephemere-a-croquer-30385 24 https://www.initiativesoceanes.org/2017/BILAN/bilanenvironnemental2017_web.pdf

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 28 or swallowed whole. Once thrown away, Once again, the project’s appeal lies it will decompose in a few weeks. in its ability to be incorporated into our current lifestyles. In targeting marathon runners in particular, Ooho is addressing the problems of use associated with plastic bottles (weight and bulk) by introducing a new method of consumption.

# Returnable tableware

Edible or biodegradable tableware is not the only solution to reduce the number of plastic items. There are other initiatives, such as returnable tableware. Ooho capsule

Each capsule contains a mouthful of water. Reusable cups, known as ecocups, have for It is ideally suited for outdoor hydration: example been adopted by almost all festivals. picnics, festivals, sports events, etc. Today These objects have a bigger environmental Ooho is evaluated at £3 million.25 impact than cups in disposable plastic. The startup plans to distribute its However, several studies show that the ratio product at the 2018 London Marathon. is reversed after seven uses of the ecocup. On Edible packaging can be produced in a average, a reusable plastic cup generates domestic kitchen with no complex apparatus two times fewer greenhouse gas emissions required. Its manufacturing process is very than a disposable plastic cup and three 28 easy to replicate and uses very little energy: at times fewer than a biodegradable cup. equal volumes, it takes nine times less energy For this solution to be sustainable, it is to create an algae capsule than a PET bottle.26 essential to work on making the ecocups The technique is not new. It was and more generally all reusable tableware patented in 1942 by the chemist William returnable. That is the mission of OuiKit, Peschardt, who then worked for for example, an initiative launched by Unilever.27 It can contain any liquid and the associations Zero Waste France and is widely used in molecular cuisine. OuiShare. They provide a stock of reusable tableware to all event organizers.

25 https://www.crowdcube.com/companies/skipping-rocks-lab/pitches/qrrkzq 26 http://www.skippingrockslab.com 27 Physique de la matière molle, Françoise Brochard-Wyart, Pierre Nassoy, Pierre-Henri Puech, 2018 28 http://developpement-durable.sports.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/comparaison_gobelets_acv_mountain_riders.pdf

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 29 Originally bought for the OuiShare Fest, #Food waste cups, plates, cutlery, jugs, etc. are loaned to hundreds of locals throughout the year. In Some restaurants allow their consumers 2016, 8,000 items were borrowed by indivi- to take the leftovers of their meal home. That duals, group, schools and even town halls.29 helps to limit food waste, but it also generates more packaging to be thrown away. In addition, Starbucks cafés recently launched a win-win ecofriendly concept, a A service in a North Carolina city has reusable cup with an immediate discount introduced an ecofriendly alternative to that for consumers.30 It involves a sturdy recy- system. The service, named GreenToGo, clable plastic cup costing €1.50. Starbucks provides over 25 restaurants with reusable offers a €0.30 discount every time the and returnable containers for their customers. cup is used. The purchase becomes cost-effective after the fifth use. They can then take the leftovers of their Customers can also bring their own flask.. meals in member restaurants home in these containers. Once used, they return the empty containers to the restaurant, where they are cleaned and reused. To use the service, customers pay a $25 annual subscription.

Reusable Starbucks cup

These systems could be copied to create more reusable and returnable tableware and so reduce the use GreenToGo: reusable containers for takeaway restaurants of disposable single-use tableware.

29 https://www.zerowastefrance.org/fr/articles/382-creez-votre-stock-de-vaisselle-reutilisable-a-preter 30 https://www.argentdubeurre.com/actualite/decouverte/alimentation/3939-starbucks-gobelet-reutilisable-reduction.html

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 30 5. Industry

1. Rethinking production Based on that conclusion, the company repeated the trial with different parameters: # Reducing plastic packaging in the distribution chain a Replacing plastic packaging with a paper bag. Plastic packaging can also be reduced Too flimsy: the products arrive damaged. from the product manufacturing a Removing the plastic packaging phase, on the production chain. manually just before delivery. That can lead to a change in the Additional workload for the company company’s logistics strategy. totalling over 5,500 hours. In 2011, Patagonia tested and documented various ways to reduce the plastic packaging Although the trials failed, they showed the on its distribution chain. The company company that its packaging was considerably started by moving its products around its oversized. The products were delivered flat, factory with all packaging removed. The which increased the volume of packaging result was conclusive. Without packaging, required. Patagonia then opted to deliver its the products arrive damaged, dirty and torn. products folded, which reduces the amount The environmental impact is significant: a of plastic packaging required by 50%.31 garment unfit for consumption has a greater environmental impact than plastic packaging. The company’s review of its distribution method and tried-and-tested approach made it possible to identify areas of innovation in its product distribution. Although the initial aim was to remove plastic packaging on the distribution chain, the trial still halved the weight of plastic packaging used.

Trialling the movement of unpackaged garments on the distribution chain

31 https://www.patagonia.com/blog/2014/07/patagonias-plastic-packaging-a-study-on-the-challenges-of-garment-delivery

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 31 The cardboard packaging is made in a single piece. It is available in four sizes to reflect the volume of the available garments. A different label is affixed on the packaging to reflect the product content. Its format is designed to be transported on the conveyor belt of the company’s distri- Comparison between two methods bution chain without damaging the clothing. of packaging a Patagonia product The packaging can easily be stacked in Patagonia did not stop at that inno- batches, like a honeycomb. That reduces the vation. The company then partnered the unoccupied space in the lorries. Similarly, agency Capsule to help it go further. the display of various products in store The agency took Patagonia’s initial creates an identity unique to the brand. conclusions to propose sushi-roll packaging. The project made it possible to reduce The garment is simply rolled and placed drastically the environmental impact and in hexagonal cardboard packaging. use of plastic packaging in the delivery of Patagonia products. The packaging is delivered flat to the factory, where it is assembled without adhesive. That minimizes the cost of transporting the products. The packaging’s format has also served as a marketing tool for the brand. At its launch, Patagonia saw a 70% increase in retail sales of products packaged in the sushi roll.32

Therefore, this eco-design initiative not only enabled the company to reduce its environmental impact, but also to maximize its profits.

Sushi-roll packaging proposed by the agency Capsule for Patagonia

32 http://capsule.us/work/patagonia/

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 32 This natural material is also completely sustainable and biodegradable and could even improve the water retention properties of soils when decomposing in the environment. The Swedish studio Tomorrow Machine has developed smoothie packaging made only from agar-agar algae gel and water. This packaging will degrade over time, and is hence designed drinks with a short lifespan and requiring refrigeration, such as fresh fruit juices and smoothies.

Rayon of products Patagonia

2. New production methods Smoothie packaging in agar-agar, Tomorrow Machine

# New materials Some manufacturers have been inspired by the resistance of plant materials, such Following awareness of plastic’s environ- as fibres, to develop new packaging. They mental impact, several more ecofriendly include EcoXpac through their Green substitutes have been explored. Fibre Bottle project for more sustai- Agar-agar, which is found in the cell walls nable fizzy drink packaging. They use of certain algae, is a material widely used as fibre-base structures from responsibly a setting or thickening agent in food prepa- managed forests and a unique 3D format. rations. It has recently been discovered The bottles are in the trial phase in 2018. that a variety of shapes and textures can be created from agar-agar, which can be used to replace plastic film or foam packaging.

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 33 EcoXpac bottle in plant fibres Example of overpackaged electronic products

This rule applies to both elec- # Reducing overpackaging tronic products and toys. Fun toys often have excessive and extra- Electronic product packaging has vagant packaging. In contrast, educa- three purposes. The most widely shared tional toys have more sober packaging is functionality. The packaging makes emphasizing the practicality. the products easier to transport and so contributes to reducing logistical costs. It However, consumer mentalities are also protects the product that it contains changing. The development of online from damage, soiling and theft. shopping is making this marketing strategy obsolete. What is the point of Packaging can also serve as a marketing creating extravagant packaging for tool when it is in store, particularly a product sold online? What’s more, when it is oversized. That is most noti- this packaging can be very difficult to ceable for electronic products and toys. remove and extracting a product from its The strategy is: the more impressive the container can cause real frustration packaging, the more desirable it is. This packaging also makes the product To address that problem, Amazon inaccessible: it is impossible to handle it in has created frustration-free packaging. store. To overcome that issue, the packaging Unlike standard packaging, which has often showcases the entire product with been designed for e-commerce and home large transparent plastic windows. delivery, frustration-free packaging The result is extravagant protects the product without drowning packaging, designed to create desi- it in a myriad of plastic layers. rability for the consumer. 33

33 Why shrink-wrap a cucumber? Laurel Miller & Stephen Aldrige, p.107

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 34 The size of the delivery box is reduced, of a woman slowly open a series of surprise which also reduces the transport eggs whilst describing the process. This and storage costs for Amazon. video alone has over 110 million views.35 Launched in 2008, frustration-free packaging is now used for over 750,000 The pleasure generated by successively products. In December 2017, Amazon esti- opening various layers of paper and plastic mated that the innovation has prevented can lead to overpackaging. Several brands 215,000 tonnes of packaging materials and have understood the craze and sought to no fewer than 360 million delivery boxes.34 maximize the experience by increasing the packaging materials. They include Ferrero Rocher, for example, where every chocolate has three layers of packaging. As well as a thick transparent plastic box, a selection of thirty chocolates contains over 90 individual items of packaging.

Since the 2000s, businesses have been moving towards designing packaging Left: frustration-free packaging that reflects the values of the products Right: standard packaging it contains. That is true of Apple, for example. The packaging is minimalistic, We have seen two purposes of packaging: which ties in completely with the products to protect and attract. The third purpose is it contains. The brand has gone so far as a combination of these two factors. It is the to create a “packaging lab“ to innovate in Out of Box Experience, a way to showcase that area. It has enabled Apple to create a product, even if it is delivered or invi- packaging with a high level of finish. sible until purchased. Here the packaging creates a rich user experience: users The pieces slot together easily, the gradually discover their product, moving colours are subdued and the mate- from one material to the other and opening rials pleasant to touch. The result offers their purchase like a Christmas present. a unique unboxing experience, but also Unboxing is a genuine craze. Simply watch causes an overproduction of materials the millions of unboxing videos on YouTube. and additional cost for the consumer. One of the most famous is snappily called “Angry Birds Toys Surprise Jake Neverland Pirates and SpongeBob Eggs“. We see the hands

34 https://www.aboutamazon.com/sustainability/packaging/frustration-free-packaging 35 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoc8d0gcf08

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 35 #Living packaging

Creating new, more eco-friendly materials may imply a significant paradigm shift in industrial production. Several initiatives are exploring biomanufacturing to produce new objects and packaging.

High-finish packaging of the MacBook Pro The company Ecovative, for example, However, it is entirely possible to create provides compostable alternatives to an ecofriendly unboxing experience. plastic foams. It grows fungi whose mycelium (the vegetative part) will be The headphone brand Sennheiser has an alternative material to plastic. done so by designing attractive packaging The mycelium is cultivated from agri- in recycled cardboard, which is assembled cultural by-products. It creates a network without adhesive. The project succeeds of compact filaments, like a natural in questioning our idea of a quality adhesive, taking the required shape. material. Here recycled cardboard, which By controlling the organism’s nutrients, is usually used as low-value packaging, environment and DNA, Ecovative can create becomes a showcase that protects and large objects with a specific microstructure enhances the product it contains. in a few days. Therefore, the company can create objects with the necessary hardness: The packaging is honest, simple and from very flexible foams to rigid panels. on-trend. It is the essence of experience and functionality in an ecofriendly material.

Sennheiser CX-300 packaging Mycelium manufacturing process

This new material production method is likely to replace some expanded plastics manufactured from oil, such as polystyrene.

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 36 The raw material used is of agricul- Although it is an interesting material tural origin. The design is based on the to replace plastic packaging, mycelium use of plants or parts of plants unfit for encourages us to rethink radically our consumption and so with very low economic way of designing objects and packaging. value. The raw material is used as a substrate Today, producing packaging takes a couple to the mycelium, which digests it, forming of seconds. Its decomposition, however, a network of filament in the required shape demands several centuries. In contrast, in five to seven days, without the addition mycelium packaging takes a few days to make of water or light. Following the process, and its decomposition a few weeks. How then the resulting material is dehydrated and should we approach biomanufacturing? heated to stop the growth and ensure that there are no allergens or bacteria.36 In addition, mycelium production does The process needs very little processing, not require water or sunlight and only very which reduces its final cost. At the end limited human involvement. Ecovative also of its life, it can easily be composted provides Grow it Yourself, products, such with no equipment required. as vases. Every user can grow mycelium in a mould. Once mature, the object is In 2010, Ecovative launched a packaging simply heated and ready to use.39 range called EcoCradle®. The company supplies this packaging to customers such as Dell and Steelcase, a company specializing in office furniture and workspace design.37 More recently, IKEA has also expressed its wish to work with Ecovative to replace its plastic packaging.38

Kit Grow it Yourself by Ecovative

Mycelium production could then move into cities, even its users’ cellars and hangars. Biofactories would be deve-

Example of EcoCradle packaging loped in networks close to users.

36 https://ecovativedesign.com 37 https://shop.ecovativedesign.com/collections/packaging 38 https://minipakr.com/2017/02/22/ikea-unveils-its-plans-for-mushroom-based-packaging/ 39 https://shop.ecovativedesign.com/collections/grow-it-yourself

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 37 The cooperation with living things interesting in terms of reducing plastic is not limited to fungi. In 2018, Puma packaging: the manufacturer BIC is working partnered the MIT Design Lab to with Pili to create the first “biopen“, create “adaptive packaging“.40 which is entirely plastic-free and sustai- This is a packaging designed to contain nable as it only needs to be fed to work.41 shoes. It is formed by bacteria enclosed in a biodegradable polymer. Once the shoes are placed in the packaging, it starts to swell until it surrounds the shoes, protecting them.

When it is no longer needed, bacteria digest the packaging, which will dissolve.

Adaptative packaging by Puma and the MIT Design Lab

This material can of course be adapted to all sorts of objects. The use of living organisms here makes it possible to create a programmable material, whose function changes with time.

The French startup Pili has developed a similar process to create colour pigments from bacteria. With fermentation, microor- ganisms secrete colorants. The applications are numerous, but one is particularly

40 https://design.mit.edu/projects/puma-biodesign 41 https://rebelbio.co/pili-bio-based-dyes-for-a-cleaner-more-colourful-planet/

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 38 # Making imperfection desirable Every month, this process generates up to ten tonnes of rejects, whose chemistry Working with living organisms rather than is flawless but the colour uncertain. with oil-based materials requires a signi- To manage these rejects and make use ficant shift in attitudes from businesses. of this material, A.Schulman has deve- However, several signs show that these new loped a range of furniture. The line features production methods benefit manufacturers. unique models resulting from the unex- pected combination of coloured plastic Changing society’s view of our production powders produced before the injection.42 methods is also an effective way to support changing industries. Although plastic injection moulding ensures the exact conformity of every product, that is not necessarily true of other production methods where imperfections can appear. Changing production method implies rethinking our relationship to standar- dization and quality. How can we then make these imperfections desirable?

The company A.Schulman, the leader in plastics manufacturing, has clearly understood that and succeeded in making its imperfections appealing by partnering with the design agency Maximum. The Saint- Gravêne chair by the agency Maximum for A.Schulman Germain-Laval site specializes in colouring polyethylene, which it then reduces and Before each round of injections, the packages in powder. During the grinding, company also has to check the conformity however, the chain’s conduits retain traces of the plastic produced. To do this, it of the previous plastic, which can alter conducts a series of tests to observe the the purity of the following colour. As the plastic’s reaction during the moulding. company does not tolerate any imprecision, Before, the objects created during these the factory systematically rejects the first tests served no purpose other than the 100 kilos of each production, in order to visual check and were thrown away. remove potential residues from the conduits.

42 https://www.maximum.paris/products/gravene

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 39 To avoid this waste material, A.Schulman decided to incorporate these test pieces in a functional object: a stool.

Therefore, after giving the engineers the necessary information, the new mould will find a lasting role in day-to-day life.43

With this approach, A.Schulman has been able to reduce its material losses whilst introducing a new idea of desirability, where uniqueness and inconsistency take prece- dence over uniformity and similarity.

Rotoman stool by Maximum for A.Schulman

43 https://www.maximum.paris/products/rotoman

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 40 Want to find the right solution for your industry? contact [email protected]

A French Bureau report created in partnership with Surfrider Foundation Europe https://www.surfrider.eu www.frenchbureau.com/fr

in collaboration with

French Bureau in collaboration wit Surfrider Foundation Europe, May 2018 41