Our customers often come to us at ESC Packaging with an aspiration for environmentally friendly packaging. This is a request we are keen to facilitate, but first we need to ascertain exactly what that means.
Packaging is our passion, and as such we fully understand that there is more to a bag or box than meets the eye. A good way to think about packaging and its environmental credentials is like a journey through the life of a bag or box. Follow us on that train of thought as we take you from the beginning to the end and consider every stop along the way.
At the start of a journey the train needs fuel – the raw materials of the packaging. Will you use paper or card, plastic or metal? What are the impacts of those? Will you choose vegetable, water or solvent based ink, would you like extra touches to the packaging such as foil or a sparkly finish.
What is the purpose of your packaging? To protect your product, to show it off, to assist in transporting it, to provide information, instructions, ingredients listings?
We help you consider the provenance and origin of the component parts of the raw materials, the process of creating your packaging and the sustainability, the moral and ethical credentials of sourcing those raw materials and the processes of creating your finished packaging.
The next step of the journey for our packaging train is the length of its journey. We help you to consider its purpose, durability and how long it may be used for. Will it be single use, or last and last? Will it have a life beyond its original purpose? How long will your packaging be trundling along the tracks? Consider packaging such as supermarket Bags for Life; they are designed to get your shopping home safely over and over again.
Is your packaging part of your product or a disposable element to be discarded once it has been opened? Would the eco credentials of your packaging be enhanced if it were more or less robust or made of different materials?
How many stops will your packaging have on its journey? Can it be reused, recycled or upcycled? If packaging is suitable for another life beyond your product then its environmental impact is reduced. Could it be used again and again as packaging? As storage? Can a bottle be refilled, a box reused, a bag regifted? We have all seen biscuit tins used to store buttons and baby milk tins used to keep nails and screws, shoe boxes filled with photos and perfume packaging used on dressing tables for jewellery. Jars and bottles can be reused and often these repurposes for packaging can both enhance your eco credentials and continue to advertise your brand.
The final part of the journey is the end destination. What happens when the train has reached the last station? Where will the packaging end up? Will it degrade or compost and if so how long might that take? This is the part of the packaging journey that many of our customers focus on most. How long will it exist beyond its useful lifespan and what are the potential implications for its eventual disposal?
Our years of experience mean ESC Packaging can help you navigate your packaging journey with advice on the costs – to you and the planet, the benefits and impacts at every stage of choosing raw materials, durability and disposal of your packaging options. We can help you decide what are the most important factors and find solutions to meet your needs, aspirations and budget.
At ESC Packaging we have decades of experience in building brands so whatever stage your business is at we can jump on board and help you.
Whether you are a brand new start up or an established trader looking to rebrand or add a new range we can help with the process.
You have the product but no idea how to package it – no problem, that’s our bag – or box! We can help you think about where your product might be sold, whether it will sit on shelves, hang from hooks, need protective packaging or simple tag or sticker.
We will chat through packaging options with you including your budget, your storage capacity, how quickly you need packaging delivered, what your brand priorities are in terms of luxury, eco credentials and competitor products.
We can assist with looking at what else is on the market similar to your product, help with focus groups and market research to get customer feedback on what is winning and what needs work with your brand.
It’s time to spin the colour wheel and look at logos, branding, images and more. Let’s give your brand a voice, a name, an image and a look. We can create custom artwork for you to approve along with CAD designs to start bringing your packaging to life.
The design is nailed down, it’s time to look at pricing, production and product costs. A long lead time for a large order means cheaper prices per unit but you may want smaller numbers, a more local production or a faster turnaround. We can lay out all of your options so you can look at costs, stock holding and more for your business projections.
From holding the first prototype of your packaging in your hands to seeing a full delivery of packaging arriving, with regular delivery updates and clear communication all the way.
ESC is here for every stage of your packaging journey – talk to us about your needs and see how we can help.
© ESC PACKAGING LTD 2025
