How packaging can be both luxurious and sustainable
Nowadays, sustainability and ethics are major selling points, which places many luxury brands at a crossroads. The bright, vibrant colours and ornate designs that we tend to associate with premium brand packaging come at an environmental cost, as they often imply the use of plastics and other less eco-friendly materials.
Can premium brands maintain a premium look, while meeting the sustainability commitments today’s consumers have come to expect? Let’s find out.
Reaching out to a new generation of luxury buyers
The luxury sector is not the only one under pressure to improve their practices with regards to sustainability. A recent study shows that 73% of millenials are prepared to pay more to buy from environmentally sustainable companies. When it comes to Gen Z, over 50% are prepared to spend an additional 10% on eco-friendly products.
Brands across the spectrum need to commit to sustainable practices in order to align with the values of an up-and-coming generation of buyers. Even more so when it comes to premium goods: a recent study predicted that millennials are set to make up half of the luxury market by 2025.
Ethics vs. aesthetics: do you have to choose?
Are luxury and sustainability intrinsically opposed? It can seem so at first glance. When we think of luxury, what comes to mind is opulence, extravagance and indulgence: in some ways the opposite of sustainability. However, when you look a bit closer sustainability and luxury actually have quite a few features in common, such as quality, durability, consistency and a creative, innovative approach.
Generally speaking, sustainable packaging is based on the use of fewer, high quality materials created using innovative low-impact technologies. Some major brands are turning towards biodegradable and compostable packaging, while fashion house Gucci has been using 100% recyclable materials and FSC-certified paper for several years now. What’s more, thanks to technologies such as metallized vacuum vaporisation, which gives packaging a durable glossy surface through a microscopically thin layer of aluminium, it’s now entirely possible to create beautiful, plastic-free packaging that’s both eye-catching and eco-friendly.
In short, premium brands no longer have to choose between a luxury brand image and their sustainability commitments. To find out more about how AR Metallizing can help you create eco-friendly packaging that reflects the quality of its contents, get in touch with our team.