Packaging is one of those design problems that humans haven’t quite solved yet, and that’s because designing good packaging is hard. Not only does a packaging design have to fulfil certain criteria such as cost, aesthetics, and environmental impact to name a few, but it is also important to note that each product is different, and what works for one type of product does not work for another.
How we rated
We have come up with five criteria for what makes a packaging design good, namely durability, aesthetics, reusability, environmental impact and cost. We have also identified eight types of packaging and rated them according to these criteria.
8. Plastic Bags
It comes as no surprise that the plastic bag ranks the lowest on this list, given how much damage single-use plastic has done to the environment. Ironically, plastic bags were originally designed to save the planet. In 1965, a Swedish engineer realised that paper bags were contributing to deforestation and came up with a design that was not only more durable (meaning it could be reused), but could carry hundreds of times its own weight. The plastic shopping bag was patented and soon replaced paper bags. Unfortunately, due to the fact that they are so cheap, people found it easier to throw away their plastic bags than reusing them. Fast forward 60 years and plastic shopping bags are now banned in many parts of the world due to the massive amounts of pollution they have caused in our oceans.
7. Plastic Bottles
Ever since high density polyethylene (HDPE) was invented in the 1950s, plastic bottles started replacing glass ones. HDPE was found to not only be heat, mold and scratch resistant but was much cheaper to produce, resulting in plastic containers and bottles becoming as prevalent as they are today. We ranked them number 7 on our list, since the jury is still out on whether plastic water bottles are safe for reuse. And while HDPE is 100% recyclable, many bottles still end up in landfills and can take up to 500 years to decompose, according to an estimate by the UN.
6. Paper Bags
While paper is 100% biodegradable and easily recyclable (even at home), paper bags are still a big contributor to deforestation for their reliance on wood pulp, since recycled paper is simply not as strong as new paper due to the shorter fibres. They may not create nearly as much waste as plastic, but the impact that their production has had on the environment, as well as their limited durability, make them a less than ideal packaging solution in our book.
5. Tins & Cans
There is a reason why metals such as steel and aluminium persist in the world of packaging. Metal is nonporous and opaque, making it the ideal choice for preservation and to store anything that can break down because of exposure to light. Aluminium is also relatively cheap and even the thinnest aluminium is quite strong. The downside of metal packaging is that it is not biodegradable and not always reusable. Having said that, aluminium cans can be recycled over and over again without compromising its quality, unlike paper and most plastics.
4. Cardboard Boxes
Cardboard is quite affordable, making them an obvious choice for packaging, but their real advantage lies in the fact that they are lightweight, making them easy to handle and ideal for shipping. Corrugated boxes are designed to be strong enough to carry heavy products and even provide some cushioning, yet they remain easily biodegradable. They are also reusable to an extent, and the fact that they can be branded gives them some points for aesthetics.
3. Banana Leaves
The biggest advantage of banana leaf packaging is its environmental impact. While banana leaves score low for reusability, they are arguably the perfect packaging for fresh food: They are cheap, durable enough to hold water, naturally free from chemicals and harmful substances, and they can be thrown away or composted without polluting the environment. Being a natural product, they are also aesthetically appealing.
2. Glass Bottles
Despite being natural, glass takes longer to decompose than plastic. It is, however, infinitely recyclable but we believe that its biggest advantage lies in its reusability. The same qualities that make it a good choice for packaging—its impermeability and stability—make it fantastic for repurposing as food storage (and many other uses) in the home. Its aesthetic appeal also counts in its favour, since glass will never go out of style. While it is not suitable for every type of product, glass is still one of the best types of packaging out there, as long as you don’t throw it away.
1. Cotton Flour Sacks
During the Great Depression, wheat companies in Kansas, USA noticed that women were using the cotton from their feed and flour sacks to make clothing for themselves and their families, so they started printing the sacks with colourful patterns to give these women a variety of beautiful fabrics to choose from. Some companies even made the labels washable and provided instructions on how to wash them. This was not only a brilliant marketing tactic for selling more sacks of flour, but it also helped poor communities in a time when nice clothing was a luxury that could not be afforded. Many women even sold their flour sack creations and were able to provide an extra income for their households this way. When the dresses became worn out or were no longer used, they would often be cut up and turned into quilts. Unfortunately, the cotton flour sack was phased out when paper started becoming cheaper than cotton and companies started using that for their packaging instead. But we cannot help but admire the ingenuity of the humble flour sack and the women who repurposed it, which is why we rated it at number 1 on our list.