A Plastic Planet launches new online tool for packaging designers to go “Plastic Free”

16 Jan 2023 --- A Plastic Planet (APP) has spearheaded a new online design tool to ease companies into becoming plastic-free. The PlasticFree platform is a materials and systems solution platform aiming to reduce the use of plastics in the packaging industry.

The tool was developed by over 40 designers, materials experts, scientists and business leaders. PlasticFree hopes to empower 160 million global creators and designers to utilize plastic-free alternatives and rethink packaging, textiles and products.

APP says it understands that designers have one of the most critical roles in remaking the packaging industry into one that’s environmentally sustainable due to the rising demand from consumers. However, it acknowledges that to transform how creatives approach a design project, they need the tools and resources to implement a paradigm shift.

Tools provided
The online platform contains in-depth reports on over 100 plastic-free alternatives and insights into system changes such as solid formulations and permanent reusable packaging. The materials they cover include bamboo, algae, seaweed and aluminum. It also features 125 case studies from five continents, giving examples of alternative materials used to better-existing products and systems.

Plastic Free highlights examples where materials purporting to be plastic-free have been brought to market but don’t meet the EU’s strict “plastic-free” definition – of a polymer that has been chemically altered.

New Plastic Free website to simplify packaging designers’ battle in creating environmentally sustainable solutions. The editorial content on the platform will come from world experts, including daily updates of new content that gives designers knowledge to design waste out at the very beginning of the creative process.

Creatives within the packaging industry can subscribe to the site for £250 (US$304) annually. Subscribers can also get access to exclusive events and networking opportunities.

Plastic Free will also feature workspaces for team collaboration on projects, editorial content from leading experts in the land of all things anti-plastic and daily updates to help put an end to companies implementing synthetic and human-made polymers.

The people behind the project
The Advisory Council includes highly-accredited designers such as Thomas Heatherwick, Sir David Chipperfield, Tom Dixon, Shaway Yeh and Skylar Tibbits of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The platform’s founding council includes business leaders such as Eden Project co-founder Sir Tim Smit, WeTransfer co-founder Damian Bradfield and Natural Fiber Welding Founder Dr. Luke Haverhals.

APP is joined by medical expert Professor Hugh Montgomery OBE of University College London and green chemistry pioneer Professor Terry Collins of Carnegie Mellon University.

Designers for plastic elimination
London and New York creative agency Made Thought led the design for the new platform. The website features a sleek design combining black and white simplicity with modern text and pops of color to entice more creatives who design packaging.

The collective previously helped APP create the world’s first plastic-free grocery aisle in 2018. The plastic-free supermarket products debuted in Ekoplaza’s Amsterdam location. The aisle had more than 700 plastic-free products available for purchase.

Edited by Sabine Waldeck

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