Why We Design for Minimal Packaging

The most sustainable packaging decision is to use less packaging. Every gram of material that is not produced does not need to be manufactured, transported, or disposed of. This principle guides our packaging design process.

The hierarchy of packaging sustainability

The standard hierarchy for packaging sustainability is: reduce, reuse, recycle. Reducing the quantity of packaging material used is the most impactful intervention. Designing for reuse extends the life of the packaging. Recyclability is the last resort, not the primary goal.

Our packaging decisions

We use amber glass bottles because the product requires it, not because glass is inherently more sustainable than all alternatives. We use the minimum wall thickness that provides adequate protection. We do not use secondary packaging (boxes around the bottles) for our standard products. Our shipping cartons are sized to minimise void space.

The trade-off with fragility

Glass is fragile, which means that some additional protective packaging is required for shipping. We use paper-based void fill rather than foam or bubble wrap. Our cartons are designed to protect the bottles without excess material. We track breakage rates and adjust our packaging design when breakage occurs.

What we are working toward

We are evaluating refill options for our most popular products, which would allow customers to reuse their bottles. We are also looking at lighter glass formulations that would reduce the weight of our packaging without compromising the UV protection that amber glass provides. These are longer-term projects, but they are on our roadmap.