More sustainable packaging despite single-use plastic?
No matter the product, it's always there: packaging. And from a sustainability perspective, this poses a significant challenge. How do we ensure that packaging fulfills its function while minimizing environmental impact as much as possible? This question presents a major challenge for us at VAUDE. Here, we want to show you how we're working to tackle it.
What are the challenges when it comes to packaging?
Packaging presents a major challenge for us because it needs to meet various requirements and serve different functions. At the same time, we're committed to keeping sustainability in mind while addressing these demands and making our packaging as environmentally friendly as possible.
The continued use of single-use plastic in polybags remains a significant sustainability concern, given that 95% of plastic packaging worldwide isn't recycled or reused.
Unfortunately, we haven't found a plastic-free alternative that ticks all the necessary boxes yet. So, we're still dependent on plastic bags. Even bioplastic bags aren't a perfect solution. While they're theoretically biodegradable, they typically break down only in industrial composting facilities, not in natural environments. You can learn more about the complexities surrounding bioplastics here.
Nevertheless, we do have some strategies to lessen the impact of our polybags, which we'll discuss further below.
Why is packaging necessary? What is the purpose of packaging?
Packaging serves a multitude of functions and comes in various forms. Broadly, it's categorized into sales packaging and transport packaging.
Sales packaging includes all packaging components that are directly on the product and are disposed of by you. These serve specific functions; here's a brief overview of what they're good for.
The hangtags on our products enable us to share important product details with our customers. They also feature barcodes essential for logistics and sales processes. So, hangtags play a dual role: serving as a communication and marketing tool while facilitating logistics operations.
Polybags, the plastic bags in which the product is wrapped when you order online and have it delivered to your home, unfortunately remain necessary. To maintain product quality during long transportation routes—from the production site to the logistics warehouse, then to the store or customer—it's crucial to shield them from moisture, mold, and dirt, which these bags accomplish. However, their use isn't solely for protection; they also aid freight companies and warehouse logistics by providing a convenient surface for adhesive barcode labels, preventing damage to products in storage. Additionally, many retailers require individual packaging to safeguard products in their own processes and for easier handling.
The purpose of shipping packaging, like the cardboard box used to ship a product ordered online from us, is clear: it ensures the product arrives at your doorstep intact.
Transport packaging, on the other hand, encompasses all other packaging components: shipping cartons, strapping bands, pallets, reusable transport boxes, and more. The purpose of transport packaging is quite clear: it's essential for moving products from point A to point B (from the production site to the warehouse, and then to the retailer), while safeguarding them from moisture, dirt, and potential theft.
What is our current status quo, and how do we aim to improve?
Packaging at VAUDE: Requirements and Quantities
Yearly Comparison of Sales Packaging
We need your consent!
We use the third-party provider Infogram to check your input. This may collect personal data about activities. Please agree to the use of this service in order to use the charts.
We use the third-party provider Infogram to check your input. This may collect personal data about activities. Please agree to the use of this service in order to use the charts.
In the past year, we've seen a decrease in the amount of packaging made from paper/cardboard, but a slight uptick in plastic packaging. This is partly due to selling fewer products, but also because we're continually refining our data collection methods to better track our packaging quantities.
On a positive note, there's been a significant increase this year in the use of packaging made from GRS/RCS certified recycled plastic. This uptick is thanks to improved data accuracy and our ongoing switch to designated polybags crafted from recycled plastic. Not only does this approach conserve resources, but it also helps us reduce emissions from packaging. However, this transition hasn't been without its challenges: higher costs, minimum order quantities that sometimes necessitate the use of slightly larger bags, and other obstacles along the way.
Our Packaging Directive
This is how we ensure that our packaging guidelines are followed.
Since 2014, VAUDE has had a packaging directive for suppliers, outlining clear guidelines regarding maximum packaging size, permitted materials, and mandatory labeling for all packaging to facilitate sorting and recycling.
This directive is a part of our purchasing contracts, making it obligatory for all VAUDE products. We conduct random checks on compliance at goods receipt.
Currently, we are in the process of revising this directive. Our aim is to significantly increase our leverage to work together with our suppliers to make non-avoidable packaging as environmentally friendly as possible.
You can download the VAUDE Packaging Directive here (PDF).
Compliance: Legal Considerations
Packaging is governed by diverse regulations in both Germany and other European countries. At the EU level, there's currently no uniform set of rules regarding the labeling, reporting, and other aspects of packaging.
In 2021, VAUDE exceeded the de minimis threshold as defined by the Packaging Act for the first time. Consequently, we prepared a completeness declaration for all packaging distributed in the German market. This process was repeated for packaging distributed in Germany in 2023, with the declaration undergoing review and approval by a certified auditor. For further insights into the German Packaging Act, you can visit our resource page here.
However, our efforts to comply with packaging regulations extend beyond Germany, as regulations vary across different countries.
Currently, there's no uniform regulation on packaging among EU countries. Yet, this landscape might shift: as part of the European Green Deal, aiming for a resource-efficient, climate-neutral, and competitive economy, the EU is exploring solutions to boost recycling rates. In April 2024, new EU-wide regulations for packaging and recycling were introduced, targeting waste reduction and the promotion of circular economy principles. Additionally, EU member states will be obliged to reduce plastic packaging waste. These regulations require packaging to meet stringent recycling standards and undergo better collection and separation practices to facilitate more effective recycling. Starting from January 1, 2030, specific single-use plastic packaging will be prohibited, encouraging consumers to embrace reuse and refill practices. You can delve deeper into this issue here.
How can we continue to improve?
One way we aim to reduce the footprint of our packaging is by further transitioning to polybags made from recycled materials. These are already being used for our backpacks, and this year, the planned transition will extend to our other products (clothing, tents, etc.).
Our new plastic packaging (polybags) made from recycled material are derived from used plastic packaging — what's known as 'post-consumer' recycled material. This allows us to partially close the loop on the raw material cycle, conserving resources and reducing the CO2 footprint of our packaging. To ensure this, the new polybags are certified by RCS or GRS.
As part of the Single Use Plastics Project led by the European Outdoor Group, VAUDE has contributed to the development of the Polybag Standard, which provides best practice guidelines for plastic bag use. Our goal is for all polybags we use to fall into the "green" category. You can visit the project website directly here.
In addition, we are pursuing other approaches to reduce our emissions from packaging, focusing on packaging reduction. For example, we are exploring new folding techniques to pack products into smaller bags and save materials. So far, the tests have been promising, but one issue is that the products often have wrinkles. We are continuing to work on solving this problem.
