As environmental awareness increases, more and more multinational brands are choosing eco-friendlier packaging methods. For instance, HP's new computer packaging cuts plastic and extra space, reducing expanded polyethylene (EPE) usage in its All-in-One PC packaging by up to 98%.
In 2023, the company introduced a comprehensive overhaul of its computer product line packaging, prioritizing the use of sustainable materials that consumers demand, while also resizing the packaging to minimize waste and boost transport efficiency.
"It's no longer just fashionable to be sustainable," said Darrick Christensen, HP's packaging design and procurement manager. "Everyone wants to contribute to using sustainable materials and minimizing our negative impact on the world."
One of the most noticeable changes in HP's redesigned All-in-One PC packaging is the elimination of plastics like expanded polyethylene (EPE), which predominantly made up the legacy packaging.
"Fiber-based materials are among the most recycled materials on the planet. There are good recycling streams, and we want to see our packaging recycled and reused in that manner," Christensen explained. He added that HP wanted the packaging to be "easily dropped into a recycling bin, so it will have the highest probability of being recycled."
To achieve this goal, HP utilized a combination of recycled corrugated cardboard, paperboard, and molded pulp, with a small amount of 90% to 100% recycled EPE foam where necessary.
the data of a new package with part of molded pulp components, the new packaging uses around five grams of EPE. That's about 98% less EPE than the previous 24-inch model's packaging and about 91% less than the previous 27-inch model.
Another integral aspect of the new packaging's sustainability credentials is its optimized sizing to reduce waste and boost logistics efficiency.
"For us, shipping air in our packaging is a big problem," Christensen said. "We want everything to be as efficient as possible, while of course using sustainable materials."
The HP team adjusted the product's design to capture this efficiency. By redesigning the stand to detach from the head unit, HP was able to lay it flat in the packaging. This allowed for a roughly 45% reduction in packaging size for the 24-inch model and a reduction of about 67% for the 27-inch model. Compared to the legacy packaging, the product's pallet density increased by 66% for the 24-inch model and 133% for the 27-inch model.
