Week 12

Over the weekend I had read three articles on sustainable packaging and learned neat facts from each of them. After reading each article, we were tasked to answer questions from each article. These questions are:
1. What did you learn that you did not already know?
2. How did the article help you think about your next project?
3. Highlight three things from the article you think are important.

The first I read was: "3 ways businesses can reduce plastic packaging".

1. I didn't realize that 3D printing could print packaging in so many different materials. Learning that you can print in 3D using plastics that are made of food or plant waste is incredibly interesting, although I imagine it would be more time consuming than other methods.
2. When going into this assignment I wasn't sure what kind of packaging I should go with. After reading about paperboard packaging, it seems very realistic and definitely an option I should consider going forth.
3. Bio-materials are very useful when it comes to sustainable packaging options. While cornstarch and tapioca root are common, there's other items such as mushrooms and seaweed that are usable as well. (2) It is important to take shelf life into consideration when using food-based materials for packaging. (3) PLA "polylactic acid" is made from sugarcane (renewable resource). It is not cheap but definitely viable.

The second article I had read was: "New plastic for food packaging is infinitely recyclable".

1. I had learned of a new material "PDK" (polydiketoenamine) which is a possible game-changer when it comes to packaging. It's useful properties and sustainability can really change the way companies and ourselves package products.
2. While this isn't a material i'd see myself using, I think it's interesting researching and finding new materials that could be used for packaging. PDK had convinced me that there's other sustainable materials that i'm not aware of that I could use for my project.
3. "PDK" is an "infinitely recyclable plastic. (2) The physical properties of PDK are similar to nylon. (3) PDK can be disassembled into its constituent parts and reassembled into a completely different shape, texture and color without losing performance or quality.

The third article I had read was: "The importance of accurate end of life labeling"

1. While it's not directly related to sustainable packaging, I didn't realize companies could be in legal troubles if their labeling relating to recyclable packaging is misleading or inaccurate. It is a violation of the FTC's guidelines. It makes sense, but I just wasn't aware of it.
2. This made me cautious when adding labels regarding the re-usability of my packages. Since we rely on labels such as nutrition facts, safety instructions and other things to tell us about a package and product, I understand that information regarding re-usability is also important to include. 
3. Companies can be at legal risk if inaccurate or misleading information regarding recyclable claims are put onto their product. (2) If only part of the packaging is recyclable, it should be communicated somewhere on the package so the consumer does not "contaminate" the recycling stream. (3) There is a difference between compostable and biodegradable. Compostable products require a specific setting to break down while biodegradable products break down naturally.

In addition to this, I had also completed the creative brief for my next project "The Procrastination Kit"

• User and target audience groups
• This product is targeted towards College level students.
• Brand attributes, promise and mission
• This product will include useful information and items that will guide students through their college careers in a humorous yet informative manner. Some of these products will not help a student become more productive.
•  Competitive Landscape
• While there are many books and guides discussing how to overcome procrastination, there aren't any products that embrace it. 
• Creative Strategies
• This product will include items such as guides, items for sleeping, subscriptions to podcasts (and more) that will help a college student procrastinate. 
• Comparisons
• The goal of this product compared to other procrastination related ones is that it embraces procrastination rather than solves it. This product will (most likely) be a monthly kit that includes many new items for a student to receive that keeps them as occupied as possible.