Damian DrozDowicz in association Quantum clothing group ltD.
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
how to rEDucE thE impact on thE EnVironmEnt BY rE-DEsigning thE marKs & spEncEr’s Formal shirt pacKagE.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS MAIN CONTENT
INTRODUCTION IMPORTANT FACTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PROJECT PARTNERS DESIGN PROBLEM DESIGN CONCEPT FOLDING STRUCTURE TRANSPORT AESTHETIC
EFFICIENCY TEST
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APPENDICES
VISUALISATION
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INTRODUCTION Packaging today is a potent visual symbol of our “thrown-away” culture - a culture which likes its fresh fruit shrink wrapped and presented in a shiny new package. Towering landfill sites, decimated forests and the ever present hole in the ozone layer, all attest to the destructive effects of the modern world’s insatiable consumerist appetites. Our attitudes to packaging need to change, and to aid this process, it must be the responsibility of the designer to recognise, through a systemic approach, environmental issues at the very inception of the 04
environmental issues at the very inception of the design idea. Throughout the world so in Great Britain, the number of plastic waste including packaging largely consumed is rapidly increasing. Because of its durability they constitute both economic problem and a threat to the environment. All European Union countries have committed themselves to fight the problems of environmental protection caused by the huge amount of waste and garbage – comes mostly from the products’ packaging, which constitute the major proportion. We currently produce 20 times more packaging than we did 50 90% of all
the products becomes waste within less than week after purchase. over 80% of plastic waste ( coming from packages ) are sent to the garbage, 8% is incinerated and only 7% of the reprocessed. according to annual estimates made in united Kingdom, there are about 530 thousand tonnes of used packaging paper, 466 thousand. tons of glass containers, 276 thousand tonnes of plastic packaging and laminates, and 130 thousand tonnes of metal packaging. the amount of packaging waste that pollute the environment each year in great Britain per capita is is around 90 kg and is much higher than in Eastern Europe around 90 kg and is much higher than in Eastern Europe ( the world is about 150 kg). and is much higher
this problem, is more and more noticeable, mainly due to the lack of an efficient system for collection and disposal of used packaging and complexity of the material used in the package. there is long way to go. there is still far too much packaging around us. there is still far too many wasteful secondary packaging schemes, and far too many shortsighted delivery systems. there is still insidious foot dragging in the industry. new methods and new methodologies are necessary, but not nearly as necessary as new ways of thinking.
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IMPORTANT FACTS
packaging industry and the environment WATER POLLUTION
FOREST DELEPTION
Fresh water supplies are being depleted due to increased worldwide demand, and they are more prone to encroachment from sources of pollution. According to UNICEF report, more than one billion people use unsafe sources of drinking water...
The Rainforests Alliance estimates that 40 hectares of tropical rainforests are lost every minute. That’s about 33 trees every second. Destroying old-growth forests decimates biodiversity, spews tremendous amounts of pollution into air, and exacerbates other problems, such as availability to clean water. Forests have been called the “lungs of the world”, yet we are polluting them even as we cut them down ...
AIR POLLUTION Pollution generated by packaging is not the limited to materials that comprise the package and it manufacturing by-products. Each step of material development requires massive amount of energy, and the energy burned creates significant amounts of air pollution. World Health Organization estimated that in 2002, three million deaths resulted from all sources of air pollution. As a point of comparison, car deaths in the same year were responsible for one-third of that number...
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DELEPTION OF RAW MATERIALS Product or package represents approximately eight per cent of the actual material used to create it. Present manufacturing and production processes could hardly be less efficient. Inefficiency is crime enough, but when the monumental environmental problems that result from these methods become apparent, it is clear this gross inefficiency is not just costly in a financial sense - it is environmentally unsustainable, and morally suspect ...
SOCIAL DISTRESS The particular area of concern is too-often overlooked, but the process of extracting raw materials and the operation of lowwage manufacturing plants have always had serious negative repercussions on the citizens of the third-world countries where these processes are undertaken. Large corporations deal with dictators oppress their populace in order to keep the revenues for themselves. The social injustice that results is as brutal as it is predictable.
ENERGY CONSUMPTION As much physical evidence as there is in the form of material waste on the one hand, and depletion of resources on the other, the primary environmental problem with packaging is in the energy consumption within its life cycle. The most damaging aspects of package design are the ones that relate to things that we as consumers do not even ask for and never actually use. The paper industry for instance is the fourthlargest consumer of energy. The energy required to extract petroleum and manufacture plastics from it, not to mention the energy in shipping these materials from one processor to the next.
we have lived by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. we have been wrong. we must change our lives, so that it will be possible to live by the contrary of assumption that what is good for the world will be good for us. Wendell Berry 07
EXECUTIvE SUMMARy OF ThE DESIGN STRUCTURE
FOLDING
• it is environmentally respectful and made of eco-friendly, biodegradable material. • the packaging maximies the use of renewable and recycled materials. • it is compact design optimises transportation and decreases the amount o free internal space. • this simple two-part packaging makes it easy to disassemble and recycle. this simplification makes it more efficient to produce.
• the complexity of the standard design components had a negative impact on the ease of repackaging - now its simplified. • the m&s policy says - once a shirt is unpacked and its previous shape cannot be achieved it has to be sold at a reduced price. a redesigned folding system helps to save valuable time and money. the improved way of folding the shirt means that staff can be easily trained how to do it.
TRANSPORT
AESTHETIC
• the new design solution imroves transportation efficiency by up to 57% ( see page 24 )using current shipping boxes and containers. • lowering the price for shipping per one unit decreases the amount of containers that had to be hired to ship the same amounts of the products in the past - it is particularly meaningful for the company’s costs.
• in addition to economical and environmental value - the new shape of the design brings unquestionable marketing value. • physical features of the box bring new display possibilities and can influence customers’ perception of the product. • graphic design, additional information and evoked emotions related to the item and its package can redefine and enchance to the buying experience. • the new design incorporates several cut-outs in cardboard box to present the key aspects of the shirt such as the collar, cuffs and the brand information.
• improved transport policy has significant meaning for the environment ( water, air pollution ).
Design-for-recycling | Design-for-Disassembly | Design-for-Environment 08
SIMPLICITy IS ThE ULTIMATE SOPhISTICATION LEONARDO DA vINCI 09
PROJECT PARTNERS QUANTUM CLOTHING GROUP LTD.
MARKS AND SPENCER GROUP PLC.
the one of the uK’s leading textile businesses with retail (Jaeger), thread (coats) and manufacturing (cV clothing) businesses. the business has evolved and grown into a £110m turnover operation. they produce in sri lanka, india and cambodia with sound joint ventures in china and sourcing in Vietnam, indonesia and Bangladesh.
the one of the uK’s leading retailers, with over 21 million people visiting our stores each week. we offer stylish, high quality, great value clothing and home products, as well as outstanding quality foods, responsibly sourced from around 2,000 suppliers globally. we employ over 75,000 people in the uK and abroad, and have over 600 uK stores, plus an expanding international business.
address: north street, huthwaite, nottinghamshire, ng17 2pE, united Kingdom. telephone: +44 (0) 1623 447200 Fax: +44 (0) 1623 447201
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address: waterside house, 35 north wharf road, london, w2 1nw, united Kingdom.
ESQUEL ACCESSORIES AND PACKAGING Eap is a subsidiary under Esquel group, with over 47,000 global employees generating us$780 million in business in 2008. international presence covers us, uK, germany, Japan, china and hong Kong. on research & development, every season Eap has representatives attending global fashion shows and exhibitions, ranging from premiere Vision, intertextile, interstoff, etc. to product specific seminars and advanced technology forums. address : 12/F, harbour centre,25 harbour road, wanchai, hong Kong telephone: + 44 (0) 020 7935 4422
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DESIGN PROBLEM This project focuses on improving current design in order to to integrate it with M&S PLAN A strategy - a list of sustainability commitments that need to be introduced into company’s system before 2015. To handle the task, all phases of the supply chain were taken under consideration to analyse which link is the weakest. It appears that it is all joined together from production through transport to finally selling the product. To make any significant improvement whole “produce-sell” process needs to be broken apart and re-structured to become more efficient. In order to achieve it, designer must to track down all of mental, physical and cultural factors that may affect the object of interest. By taking a closer look on M&S formal shirt and it’s package we can observe there are not many ground breaking improvements were done in this quite traditional business. The photography taken at M&S Truro on the left hand side illustrates how the product looks like when it is awaiting to be bought. Although the display is quite clear and informative, there is a very tiny percentage of its whole which can be accounted as sustainable ...
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PRESENT DESIGN INEFFICIENCY An in depth research on the traditional shirt packaging efficiency has shown following defects:
• Sustainable materials such as polypropylene bag and plastic clips are being disposed immediately after purchase and become harmful to the environ• Incapability to stack more items inside ment. The current design does not the shipping box increases the pollubring any value to the buyer. What is tion caused by the inefficient supply more, plastic used to make the package chain. The form of the package requires is going to last next 1 billion years. a specific type of shelving system and • The amount of free space shipped limits option of stacking products in is an additional unnecessary cost to different way. the company.
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• Item needs to be repacked by exter• In addition there are more polypropylnal partner after the package is open ene bags inside shipping boxes to wrap and when the shirt cannot be folded in around the content. the proper nice and neat way - which is extremely hard to do due to complicated folding process. This causes additional costs to the company and makes a requirement for a new piece of packaging. • The current design consists of nine separate parts to maintain it’s shape through the ship - display - sell process.
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DESIGN CONCEPT FOLDING
The internal content consist of one component only to make sure the shirt is tightly aligned and the collar is stiff. This element is essential however not crucial as further test proved - it means It could be removed or replaced by even more efficient construction. The support is made of recyclable cardboard and It is modelled to match the collar’s length. Its main feature is stiffening property to prevent any uncontrollable collar creases. Unique folding method puts emphasize on sustainability issue. New shape eliminates free space in between the textile layers.
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Minimizing the amount of air inside the box has significant value to the company because it allows to ship higher number of products at the same price.
New shape eliminates unnecessary, raw materials consuming gadgets and it is easy to be recreated without any specific skill set. Time of the folding process is similar to the previous method, however tremendously simplified. The knowledge of where to put a clip is no longer required because there is none. After a short training, working staff will be able to repeat the process effectively and the necessity to send item to be re-packed is a no longer needed as far as package is undamaged.
Placket, cuffs, collar and brand name are the most presentational bits of the shirt. It is essential to the buyer to see them so opening the package could be avoided in some cases. This design puts all of listed items into the first line of exposure and helps to get a unique, refreshed look to the formal shirt.
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DESIGN CONCEPT STRUCTURE
Package is made of one hundred per cent sustainable materials such as recyclable cardboard and organic biodegradable plastic to minimize an impact on the environment. The term biodegradable means that a substance is able to be broken down into simpler substances by the activities of living organisms, and therefore is unlikely to persist in the environment.
forever, however, is proving to be a major environmental problem. Another problem is that traditional plastics are manufactured from nonrenewable resources – oil, coal and natural gas.
This affordable solution helps to reduce materials the package was made of previously. It is especially meaningful when it comes to separate materials in order to rePlastic packaging provides excellent pro- cycle or reuse them. Recycling cardboard tection for the product, it is cheap to man- is perhaps the most easily attained and ufacture and seems to last forever. Lasting longest of the recycling package systems.
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tha cardboard box’s size is able to reduce space up to 57% during production, transport and delivery. less space means less packaging, less material used, less waste produced, less shelf-space needed and easier recycled materials. the simple rectangular shape helps to fit more products inside the box without space loss. another benefit is the box do not require any specific shelving system and it can be displayed anywhere in any configuration and still being noticed.
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DESIGN CONCEPT TRANSPORT
When speaking about transport as inevitable stage of the any sale - whole supply chain must be considered. Even small changes in the system can affect increased costs or polluted environment. Existing water transport system can easily be called “prehistoric “ not by it’s long tradition but no progress. There was almost nothing changed in this branch for decades not only to improve it’s efficiency but also to reduce it’s environmentally harmful existence. 20
To match the current pattern, package is designed to fit two kind of transport boxes. This solution seems to be wiser than introducing new dimensions of the boxes just because the shirt’s packaging was transformed. Rectangular shape fits boxes perfectly in vertical and horizontal combination and also leaves clear space for other products in case there was not enough shirt boxes to fulfil the container. This space saving solution is crucial in order to achieve higher
packaging efficiency which connects inevitably with money saving. Reducing space inside the box allows us to stack more of the products in the one container. This equals cheaper shipping fee per one product. When we speak about 4 - 6 mln of shirts being shipped every year from Asia, any tiny detail counts.
Quantum Clothing desires to reduce their footprint on the carbon emission, shipping and reduce environmental impact. Quantum supplyes M&S only and they make 45-55% of all their shirts. Its 6,5 mln a year. Products are comming form Cambogia mainly; fabrics from China, India, Thailand, Vietnam. Cardbord usually comes from local sources. It takes 4-5 weeks for the container to take back to the UK.
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DESIGN CONCEPT AESTHETIC
When we start looking at the world around us, we realize how many problems could be solved with simple tweaks in design. There are two things that cause the most problems. One is information ( or lack of thereof ) and the other is miscommunication. Usually both of these things can be solved with good design. The new package form creates easy to work with surface ,therefore it is perfect communication media. There is no longer need for the package to be hidden in the slot. Now whole myriad of possibilities is waiting to break out. By the design we can convey different emotion to the buyer which was not possible previously. The package itself is recreating the process of buying a shirt. By appropriate graphic design and experimenting with transparency the product gets different meaning. Products gets new marketing value. Appealing, eye-catching package increases it s visibility and arouses curiosity. This is significant both from a company view and clients. The package now it is not only a way to protect the product and place to put a barcode on but also emotional item such as gift box ... By natural physical aspect of the box the whole shopfloor gains new fresh look. New stacking possibilities allows to create different visual configurations depends on emotions we would like to evoke.
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EFFICIENCY TEST There were dozens and dozens tests made to find out an optimal design solutions in order to achieve highest possible transport efficiency. In order to take all of the meassurements precisely we assume that shirts are placed inside of the standard shipping box ( 52 x 34,5 x 28 [cm] ). 40ft shipping container’s capacity allows to stack approximately 1056 boxes. X - amount of shirts inside the box Y - amount of boxes insite the container Z - amount of shirts shipped during the year C - cost per one 40ft container (( Z / X ) / Y ) x C = Overall shipping cost Previous package transporting efficiency: X - 16 Y - 1056 Z - 6,5 mln C - 3500 USD (( 6500000 / 16 ) / 1056 ) x 3500 = 1347500 $ New package transporting efficiency: X - 28 Y - 1056 Z - 6,5 mln C - 3500 USD (( 6500000 / 28 ) / 1056 ) x 3500 = 771750 $ 1347500
100%
771750
X
= 57%
The new system is 57% more efficient than previous solution.v 25
VISUALISATION