9 February 2026
What Does Sustainable Packaging Mean in Practice? An Honest Guide for Brands
Sustainable packaging is a term that is often used, but can be difficult to translate into concrete choices. For many brands, the challenge is not about willingness, but about finding solutions that work in practice and make sense for the business.
In this blog post, you’ll learn what sustainable packaging really means and which considerations brands should take into account.
There Is not only one Sustainable solution
A common misconception is that sustainable packaging is a single, fixed solution. In practice, sustainability depends on the product’s contents, use, target audience, and distribution.
What is sustainable for one product is not necessarily sustainable for another. That is why sustainability in packaging is largely about making well-considered choices — not about finding the perfect answer.
Material Choice Is About the Bigger Picture
Materials such as plastic and glass can both be sustainable choices, depending on how they are used. What matters is not just the material itself, but whether the packaging:
Can be recycled in practice
Is made up of few components
Has a long lifespan
In many cases, a simple and functional packaging solution can be more sustainable than one that may initially appear greener.
Transparency Over Perfection
Consumers increasingly expect honesty rather than perfect solutions. Brands that are transparent about their packaging choices and can explain the considerations behind them build greater credibility than those who promise more than they can deliver.
Sustainability is not about being finished. It’s about being conscious.
An Ongoing Process
Sustainable packaging is rarely a final destination. It is a process where solutions can continuously be adjusted and improved as new opportunities and requirements emerge.
For many brands, it’s about taking the right steps in the right order.
Ready to Work More Strategically with Sustainable Packaging?
Sustainable packaging in practice is about the bigger picture, functionality, and well-considered choices. When packaging is viewed as an integrated part of a brand’s strategy, it becomes easier to make decisions that make sense — both now and in the long term.
At Packwise, we advise brands on packaging solutions that balance functionality, responsibility, and brand needs — with a strong focus on solutions that work in practice.
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The difference between primary and secondary wrapping
What is the difference between primary and secondary wrapping? Primary packaging is in direct contact with the product, which secondary packaging is not. Secondary packaging is therefore the outer packaging, which can be of many different materials, shapes and sizes. It can serve different purposes. For example, it can protect the primary packaging and thus the product. In addition, it can bring together several products in one box. These boxes help to give the consumer a feeling of exclusivity, as it is an added luxury to have the products neatly packed in a box. This way, the products are protected while being collected in a nice box. At Packwise we have developed several high quality boxes in good materials. It’s a way to spoil your customers a little extra.
If your secondary packaging is a box, the consumer may end up using it for decoration, storage or something else entirely. If you want your box to end up on the consumer’s shelf rather than in the bin, try to create a design that they will want to keep on display. It is therefore important to think about how you can get the consumer to keep your secondary packaging once the product has been used. Your box should be aesthetic and functional, thus persuading the consumer to keep it. So if you hope your customers will use your secondary packaging for storage or other purposes, you should consider this when designing it. A good example is Apple’s gift box, which, with its stylish design, has won a place on many consumers’ shelves rather than in the bin. See examples of jewellery box designs in our blog.
Gosh
Several brands in the cosmetics and personal care industry are running Christmas calendars in the run-up to December. Examples include Clinique, Makeup Revolution and Clarins. Other brands produce a limited number of products in specially designed Christmas-themed packaging. Such Christmas collections can be found, for example, at the cosmetics brand M.A.C. Cosmetics, which has various collections throughout the year. The collections consist of their standard containers, which are always to be found in their range, as well as some new containers. The collection has an overall theme that influences the design of each product. So there is an overall interaction that makes the products belong together. As there are limited numbers and the products come in an exclusive design, the products often sell out before December is over.
It can be difficult to describe the colour you want your packaging to be. Army green, dark blue and pink look different depending on who you ask. That’s why at Packwise we use the Pantone Matching System. Using this system, you can designate exactly the colour you want for your packaging. The Pantone colours are systematised with identification in the form of numbers, which makes it easy to exchange information about the colours. The system ensures that you get the specific colour you want.
Origins, the skincare and cosmetics brand, focuses on colour in its designs. They make use of powerful colours, creating cohesion in the product lines and catching the consumer’s eye on the shelves. Each product is adorned with a colour, which is used to create associations with the product’s benefits and ingredients. For example, the ‘GinZing’ product line can be found in the Origins range, where the packaging has a fiery orange colour. Orange is often associated with healthy, juicy fruits, vitamin C, warmth and energy, which is consistent with the purpose of the GinZing products: to give skin a fresh, healthy and radiant glow.