Experts encourage holistic approach to sustainable design

Jane Bickerstaffe, director of the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (Incpen) joined with Helen Hughes, client director at design agency Design Bridge, to discuss sustainable packaging design.

“Packaging’s main contribution to sustainability is what it does to the product to get it through the supply chain,” Bickerstaffe told the mix of designers and academics.

She warned against taking a single-issue approach to packaging design because it could discourage use of recycled materials and potentially lead to heavier packs.

Hughes encouraged designers to broaden their knowledge base and consider voluntary sector agreements such as the Courtauld Commitment, new materials and technology and the supply chain when designing a pack.

She reminded the audience that it is important to remember that “optimising the pack is important, but if it doesn’t connect with consumers then people aren’t going to buy it.”

Hughes is responsible for instilling an ethos of sustainable packaging design in the Design Bridge team and often uses case studies to illustrate what can be done.

“It’s about knowing what is doing the right thing,” she said.

The event was part of the London Design Festival, which runs until 23 September.

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