Brands Revolutionize Packaging with Recyclable, Reusable, and Compostable Solutions

Picture this: You go to a store, buy your favourite set of new clothes, stand in the queue and pay for the purchase and you get a biodegradable bag to carry your clothes in. How fancy you think! Brands are going over and beyond to adopt recyclable, reusable, and compostable packaging.

Eco-friendly alternatives have become a priority for brands and a way to show their commitment to reducing waste and minimizing their environmental impact. Recyclable packaging ensures that materials can be repurposed and diverted from landfills, while reusable options promote a circular economy and reduce the need for single-use items.

Compostable packaging offers a solution for organic waste, providing a sustainable end-of-life option. Brands embracing these practices are not only meeting consumer demands for sustainable choices but also contributing to a greener and more sustainable future.

Sameer Satpathy, Chief Executive, Personal Care Products Business Division, ITC Limited, says, “ITC, as a global exemplar of sustainability has continued to bring innovative solutions to address consumer needs. In line with this vision, we have taken a conscious and progressive step to introduce packaging made from recycled material for Vivel VedVidya, Fiama Shower Gels and Savlon. Savlon Glycerin Soap’s packaging with 70% recycled plastic is a category first and truly adopts the principle of reduce and recycle. These efforts serve as a testament towards our commitment to society, and empower consumers by providing them with choices that enable positive environmental impact.”

For hospitality brands like Conrad Bengaluru, sustainable and environment-friendly choices have become the cornerstone of operations. From day-to-day requirements to overall property management, they incorporate environment- friendly measures to ensure seamless operations. Shilpi Khanna, Director of Operations, Conrad Bengaluru, says, “As a zero-discharge property, we undertake sustainable efforts towards efficient use of natural resources. For instance, the water used for landscaping, cooling tower and towards parking area cleaning are recycled, recovered and reused. The property uses 80-85% of energy from solar power and has installed an in-house bottling plant to reduce plastic consumption. We are a proud zero-discharge property and we ensure that all bathroom amenities are packed in water-soluble, biodegradable pouches to ensure optimum waste management, the bottles are also made from post-consumer recycled plastic to address waste management goals.”

Conrad Bengaluru aims to minimize the use of water-managed operations and reduce landfilled waste in their managed operations by 50% by 2030, aligning with the UN’s SDG 2030 goals. For confectionery brands like Perfetti Van Melle India, sustainability and community services are closely integrated with their business philosophy. They consistently strive to maximize the utilization of natural resources and minimize the environmental impact through continuous improvement efforts. Rajesh Ramakrishnan, Managing Director, Perfetti Van Melle India, says “At Perfetti Van Melle India, we have been successful in replenishing water bodies, restoring ponds and reviving wells as part of our commitment. In our factories, we have increased the usage of green energy, both electricity and Steam. With regards to our approach on “reduce, reuse, recycle” of packaging material, the company is diligently meeting its EPR compliances, under the PWM Rules, and were amongst the few to pro-actively initiated a drive to explore alternate packaging material for our products. Further, our rigorous efforts in value engineering and design have already helped us in reducing our packaging footprint. In fact, we were amongst the first few to the pioneer use of ‘rPet’ in secondary packaging material. These initiative stands as a testament to our steadfast commitment to the integration of sustainability in our operations.”