Our Solution: Replace Problem Plastics at the Design Phase

Replacing unrecyclable, problem plastics in packaging with completely renewable fiber-based materials is the sustainable alternative consumers are both demanding and actively seeking.

Our designers have already created over 1,000 designs for millions of products geared towards reducing the use of problem plastics.

Even small changes, like replacing plastic sealing tape with self-locking flaps or removing plastic labels and printing directly onto cardboard, can make a massive environmental difference and contribute to your ESG goals.

What does replacing problem plastics mean?

It means developing innovative packaging solutions that can replace problem plastics with more sustainable alternatives such as:

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and we work tirelessly to find alternatives for  ‘single use’ and ‘hard to recycle’ packaging.

• Our 700 designers across the globe use our Circular Design Principles to design out waste and pollution, keeping materials in use so the packaging is recycled or reused.
• We aim to remove 1 billion pieces of problem plastics from supermarket shelves by 2025 (and we removed 170 million pieces in 2020/21 alone!)
• We constantly expand our portfolio of packaging solutions that can replace problem plastics.
• We never compromising the performance and quality of our packaging solutions.

Measuring improvement

Our proprietary Circular Design Metrics make it easy to compare the sustainability performance of different packaging designs. You immediately see the impact of different design decisions and can design for circularity.

Example: changing from plastic to fiber-based packaging for cherry tomatoes:

Replacing problem plastics with fiber-based packaging has a positive effect on important environmental indicators, including

• Renewable sources
• Recyclability
• Recycled content
• Planet safe

• Your consumers will thank you for it, as 25% of consumers are actively seeking anti-plastic solutions today.
• Helps you meet your sustainability ambitions.
• Reduces the negative human impact on the planet.

How can you start the cycle?

Start the cycle by working with our designers to create packaging made from 100% recyclable paperboard that eliminates problem plastics and meets your sustainability ambitions.

Let DS Smith be your gateway to the Circular Economy. 

Find out how we can replace problem plastic in your packaging.