Being innovative is something that every company strives for, but what makes a company truly innovative? Maybe the answer lies within how companies design products and what they focus on. Traditionally Product Design has focused on desirability, functionality and manufacturability. Designers already have a very demanding job already, but what happens when we introduce sustainability and … Read more
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Companies such as CHEP manage many wood pallet configurations as a pooled resource with relatively long lifespan. These pallets are used and repaired many times to maximize the investment in material, cost, and design. Pallets also come in expendable variety that are typically used only once or a few times and then discarded. These pallets (also … Read more
Some companies try to implement sustainability by directing an in-house champion to oversee the process. This is usually a recipe for failure. Fortunately, expert help is available. It’s never been easier For sustainability to truly take hold and deliver real results it must be integrated into mainstream product development processes and more importantly into the … Read more
With an eye on the global economy, anxious businesses will likely be tempted to pull back the reins on sustainability. Here is reason number 4 why sustainability initiatives should continue uninterrupted. Legislation Anyone with facilities outside of the United States can tell you that global regulatory requirements are very real and growing. In Europe, where … Read more
During uncertain times, businesses are tempted to shift their attention to budget cuts and other cost-saving steps with sustainability programs likely being among the casualties. Here is reason number 3 why that’s not such a good idea… Customer Loyalty Today manufacturers who practice sustainability are being recognized and rewarded in greater numbers by savvy, socially … Read more
During uncertain times, businesses will be tempted to shift their attention to budget cuts and other cost-saving steps with sustainability programs likely being among the casualties. Those who embrace sustainability as a part of mainstream product development, however, realize that it provides a path to a competitive advantage. Here is reason #2 to aggressively pursue … Read more
During uncertain times, businesses will be tempted to shift their attention to budget cuts and other cost-saving steps with sustainability programs likely being among the casualties. On the other hand, forward-thinking companies who embrace sustainability as a part of mainstream product development realize that sustainability is, among other things, a path to a competitive advantage. Here are five reasons … Read more
We are all familiar with packaging because it passes through our lives in various forms. Yet, not everyone is aware of the types of packaging that work in the background to bring the huge assortment of products including fresh and packaged food, cosmetics, detergent, medicine, car parts, clothing, shoes, sporting goods, lawn mowers and more. … Read more
Designers shape everything around us. The chair you sit on, the car you drive, and the building where you live were all designed with specific functionalities in mind. With natural resources dwindling, pressure on municipal waste streams and fears of human and ecological health issues, it is time that we recognize sustainability as a critical … Read more
Designing package for anything but the marketing and branding needs is not a straightforward and intuitive process. This is because designing for recovery (DfR) at the end of the useful life of a package, or design for environmental performance (DfE) requires additional information from designing for branding or marketing. This type of information is not … Read more