Regenerative Packaging: How nature-inspired solutions are reshaping the industry

Key Takeaways:

1. Businesses, particularly in the packaging sector, should move away from extractive models to using nature-inspired materials and methods that regenerate natural resources.
2. Unlike fossil fuel-based materials, regenerative packaging uses renewable and biodegradable resources like wool, agricultural waste, and seaweed. This creates a restorative cycle that not only minimises waste but also improves ecological health.
3. Planet Protector’s Woolpack, Notpla’s Ooho, and Ecovative’s Mushroom Packaging are paving the way by demonstrating how regenerative practices benefits the environment, society, and profitability.

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The packaging industry has been on the hot seat of climate change for too long—far too long, I say. It’s time to shift to more responsible packaging not only for the sake of the environment but also for the sake of the consumers, who are becoming increasingly sustainability-minded. The fact that more than 60% of them are willing to pay more for a product with eco-responsible packaging tells us that we need to ditch the status quo.

Regenerative or nature-inspired packaging offers a way to do good to the people, the planet, and profit. It goes beyond sustainable packaging’s goal of doing ‘less harm’ and aims to actually benefit the planet. Our very own Woolpack is an example of regenerative packaging made from sheep wool waste that would have otherwise ended up in landfills. In other words, we use one industry’s waste to create a new, higher-value product that can return to nature without leaving a trace. 

In this article, I share more about regenerative packaging and how it can open up a world of opportunities for your business.

What is regenerative packaging?

Sustainability has conventionally leaned towards doing less harm. But what about doing good? Regeneration is a more holistic concept based on restoring something to a better state instead of just preserving it. Companies with regenerative business models not only mitigate their impact but actively work towards improving the world.

We don’t have to look very far to find inspiration for regenerative solutions. When a leaf falls from a tree, it becomes food for microorganisms and insects, and then returns to the soil as organic matter, improving its health. This beautiful, regenerative, symbiotic relationship can also be applied to packaging.

Principals of regenerative packaging

Regenerative packaging is not a compromise. Instead, it aims to forge a stable and thriving future for everyone. Here’s what it takes for a packaging to be truly sustainable:

Minimising waste

Look at how brilliantly nature designs out waste. In the same vein, regenerative packaging reimagines existing materials and recaptures waste to create reusable, repairable, and recyclable packaging through resource-optimised processes. 

As a closed-looped system, regenerative packaging creates far less waste than traditional one. Ecovative’s Mushroom Packaging comes to mind. The company combines bio-based mycelium with agriculture waste (corn husks and hemp herds) to produce robust and fully compostable packaging. By doing this, it transforms agricultural waste into a resource and also keeps toxic plastics out of landfills and waterways. 

Enhancing ecosystem health

The world has a huge plastic packaging problem. About 141 million tonnes are produced annually! With a measly 14% global recycling rate, most of these plastics get leaked into the environment, polluting oceans, destroying habitats, and threatening biodiversity. Prioritising biobased packaging can help us halt the loss of biodiversity.

This is what Evoware is trying to achieve in Indonesia. The Southeast Asian country’s plastic packaging problem comes from its excessive consumption of sachets and pouches. The innovative startup is offering an alternative in the form of edible and compostable seaweed-based sachets and wraps. Why seaweed? Because it’s renewable and can do wonders in regenerating coastal ecosystems and capturing atmospheric carbon.

Utilising renewable resources

Traditional packaging materials, like polystyrene, are made from fossil fuels and toxic chemicals, which are a nightmare for the environment and everyone’s health—birds, marine species, and humans. If not disposed of properly, polystyrene foam can leach toxic chemicals linked with damaging kidney function and the central nervous system. It’s the same story with other types of plastics. 

What the world needs is packaging made from renewable and biodegradable materials, like mycelium, wool, or seaweed. Not only will these materials reduce dependency on finite resources, but they also go back to nature as gently as they came. 

Supporting circular economies

Regenerating nature is a core principle of circularity. Unlike fossil-fuel-based plastics, regenerative packaging solutions decouple economic growth from virgin material extraction and do not threaten biodiversity, even if they leak into the environment. This gives natural ecosystems room to thrive. Notpla’s Ooho is a relevant example. This seaweed-based blob is edible and compostable, and even if it accidentally leaks into nature, it biodegrades in a matter of weeks. 

Planet Protector’s Woolpack: A case study

At Planet Protector, we are united in fighting the polystyrene crisis. We launched Woolpack - an insulated packaging made from 100% sheep wool to eliminate polystyrene from supply chains and possibly from the face of the earth. 

Our Woolpack technology uses carefully selected fibres to absorb moisture from the air and lower humidity to create a thermally stable environment. Our clients can choose from either a recyclable or home compostable film that hugs the wool fibres, allowing them to breathe and stay cool. Our packaging does for the boxes’ content what wool does for the sheep: keep warm when cold and cool when warm. Wool is the best natural insulator on the planet!

To our clients, like the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA), choosing Woolpack translated into a reduced need for an additional cooling system, cargo space optimisation, and a staggering 66% drop in carbon footprint and freight costs. 

For its ability to outperform traditional packaging in just about every parameter, Woolpack has been in the spotlight at multiple award ceremonies, including the coveted Australian National Sustainability Awards. 

Benefits of regenerative practices

Reduced environmental footprint: Regenerative techniques are gaining traction in agriculture. It’s the only way we can decarbonise our food systems and make them resilient enough to feed a growing population while also restoring natural ecosystems. If 40% of the world’s croplands were farmed with regenerative practices, like no-tilling and crop rotation, we could save the world from 600 million tons of emissions. Here are some other benefits:

Improved Biodiversity: When we use regenerative practices, such as keeping products and materials in circulation, we need less land for raw materials. This gives natural ecosystems and wildlife habitats room to heal, renew, and revitalise. 

Strengthened Local Economies: Businesses adopting regenerative models focus on localising or regionalising their supply chains. With manufacturing happening locally and materials and components travelling shorter distances, the environmental impact is reduced. 

It also helps businesses lower transportation costs and improve efficiency. Local communities see more jobs, more investments, and new revenue streams. It’s a win-win for the business and the local economy. 

Enhanced Brand Reputation: With consumers seeking more sustainable ways of living, there’s never been a better time to adopt regenerative business practices. A brand that’s committed to a greener future aligns perfectly with the values of sustainability-minded consumers. Such businesses stand out in a market still crowded by brands that still follow traditional extractive models. 

The time is now

Finite resources are depleting, and consumption shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. On top of it all, a climate change crisis is looming over us all. When and how did we end up in this terrible gridlock? 

I blame the old-school way of doing business. It’s too extractive and polluting, taking away from the planet without giving back. Adopting regenerative practices, whether in farming, manufacturing, or packaging, is the only way out of this human-made mess. 

As the owner of a regenerative packaging brand, I know for a fact that helping the planet doesn’t hurt the company’s bottom line. It only makes it better. 

If this article resonates with you, I highly recommend reading case studies on regenerative brands for more inspiration. You can access a wealth of literature on the topic at the Ellen McArthur Foundation and Regeneration International, nonprofits that promote circular and regenerative ways of life.

It’s about time we get out of survival mode and partner up with nature to heal, grow, and thrive!