Contrary to Popular Opinion, Green Packaging Doesn’t Have to Cost More
Last Sunday I had the opportunity to make a presentation and attend the International Housewares Show. It is a great event held annually at Chicago’s lake front McCormick Place and one I don’t miss because of the new products that are usually launched at this industry showcase.
This was my third consecutive year at this show and in terms of packaging sustainability I would have to admit that the Housewares industry has been a little slow to jump on the green bandwagon. I even wrote an article about it for Sustainable Is Good in 2008 that commented on the very mixed reaction the Housewares industry had to sustainability.
I am very pleased to report that two years later they “get it”. I was thrilled to see countless booths showing eco friendly and green products and for the most part, much of the packaging was “eco-consistent” with the products they are making and marketing. I was truly pleased to see how much progress was made in a short two year period.
Back to the greatest myth
However, there is one area where many of the people still lag behind and that is in the realization that green packaging does not necessarily have to cost more.
In numerous conversations I had with people who appeared to have a sincere interest in making their packaging more eco friendly, they commented on the “high cost of green packaging”. In fact many of the inaccurate perceptions and outdated perceptions I have dealt with in the past are alive and kicking in this segment of the market. They include –
- You can’t find green packaging products
- The minimums are too high
- The quality isn’t there yet
- And of course, the greatest myth of all – green packaging costs too much
Forward to the sustainable packaging truth
We have spent the last three years of our lives exposing and destroying these myths by making eco friendly packaging products available and affordable. The minimums are truly minimal and we guarantee our quality to be second to none.
The best moment of the show for me was meeting a lady from Ohio who was eager to speak with me after my brief (non-commercial) presentation on what else – sustainable packaging. She told me she had spent countless hours searching for a supplier like us and getting to know us “made the trip to the show and Chicago worthwhile”. She also promised to check out our website and contact us soon after the show.
She placed her first order with us today, just three days after we met at the Housewares Show. She definitely “gets it” and is as committed to green as anyone I have ever met.
I guess a lot can change in a couple of years, huh?
