A new course – Sustainable Packaging Essentials – has been launched by sustainable design and innovation expert Dr Chris Sherwin, following a spike in requests for information about sustainability in packaging from designers in agencies across the UK.

Aimed at helping agencies working on packaging design and innovation, the course will enable them to operate more sustainably in the current market. Amid rising concerns that design agencies’ voices are currently going unheard in the sustainable packaging debate, the course will also help give them extra credibility.

The design phase is critical to sustainability, with 80% of packaging’s environmental impact being determined during early stage design. Despite this, however, designers are often overlooked when it comes to making vital sustainability decisions.

The Sustainable Packaging training currently comprises two modules: What Clients and Leading Brands do on Sustainable Packaging; and Understanding the Important Sustainable Packaging Issues and Topics. The training can either be delivered in-house or at a convenient location.

Dr Sherwin said: “There is a basic level of understanding that any packaging designer must have on sustainability, so they are not designing-in damage to the planet or creating future risks to clients. In addition, there are amazing commercial and creative opportunities from sustainable packaging – which designers can unlock really well.”

At TrakRap, we’re delighted to see that more steps are being taken to ensure the future of the packaging industry is a sustainable one. From the design stage to the retailer, sustainability should be the first consideration at the forefront of everybody’s minds.