Sustainable Packaging is Growing Fast

In the industrialized world, packaging for all types of products is inescapable and is increasing the burden on the environment. According to a new study from Pike Research, sustainable packaging is a fast-growing segment of the global packaging industry and will grow to 32% of the total market by 2014, up from just 21% in 2009.

The move toward sustainable packaging represents a broad-based effort by manufacturers, retailers, industry groups, and governments to promote the design of minimal packaging that can be easily reclaimed. The clean-tech market intelligence firm anticipates that plastic-based packaging, which represents 35% of all materials used, will be the fastest-growing category of the sustainable packaging market over the next five years. Metal-based packaging, one of the easiest materials to recycle, will continue to be the sector with the highest percentage of sustainability.  By 2014, more than 63% of metal-based packaging will be eco-friendly.

Pike Research’s study, “Sustainable Packaging”, assesses the current market conditions for packaging and outlines future opportunities to create more eco-responsible, sustainable, and eco-friendly packaging processes.

To get an idea of what an eco/sustainable package is, take a good look at the Definition Project by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. This definition is a great framework for what good packaging entails.