One of the most effective ways brands can position themselves as luxurious is through their packaging. The unboxing experience is the first interaction consumers have with your product; therefore, luxury brands must ensure the design, feel, and overall aesthetics convey a sense of quality and class. Over recent years, we have witnessed a significant increase in online consumerism, with 2021 reports stating that e-commerce sales made up 21% of total global retail sales, reinforcing the importance of unique and personalised unboxing experiences.
A combination of both the Covid-19 pandemic and a heightened awareness of environmental issues has increased consumer attention, resulting in more consumers opting to purchase from brands with greater eco-friendly values. According to Trivium Packaging’s Global Buying Green Report, 67% of consumers believe in the importance of purchasing products with recyclable packaging. With greater demands on businesses, brands are having to re-think their product and packaging strategies to keep up with consumer demand for sustainable alternatives.
However, does a move towards sustainability present luxury brands with more issues than most?
The expectations of consumers who desire luxury packaging often differ from the rest of the market, with product packaging of a luxury product considered to be a vital aspect of the product itself. The appearance and feel of the materials used to produce the packaging are both important when it comes to delivering a sense of ‘luxury’ to the consumer. As a result, luxury brands often use materials in their packaging that help perceive luxury, but on the flip side, may have damaging effects on the environment. The biggest problem facing luxury brands is balancing the commitment to becoming more eco-friendly without damaging the brand identity or the quality of the product.
Consumer demand for eco-friendly packaging solutions is higher than ever, and many believe that luxury brands are best positioned to cater to the sustainable change in consumerism. Longevity and re-usability are some of the most desired attributes of luxurious products, which also correlate with environmental goals, supporting the aim for longer product lifecycles. There is a strong misconception that luxury brands and their consumers do not concern themselves with how environmentally friendly a product is, which is not the case. A study from Nielsen stated that 73% of millennials who purchased from luxury brands were willing to spend more on a product produced by a sustainably focused brand. As demand for sustainable products spiked over previous years, many luxury brands stayed ahead of the curve and moved towards more eco-friendly practices.
Gucci
World-renowned luxury fashion brand Gucci was one of the pioneers of re-thinking its packaging strategy to drive its move to become more sustainable. The Italian fashion icons introduced new packaging that was 100% recyclable, plastic free and used water-based inks. This was only the beginning of Gucci’s eco-friendly re-brand, as they went on to develop a brand-new CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Strategy.
The White Company
Specialising in luxury fashion, home and gifts for over 26 years, The White Company is another great example of a luxury brand revamping its packaging strategy. In a bid to move away from single-use plastic bags to eco-friendly LDPE bags. The White Company now has a global supply of GRS-certified packaging, advancing its sustainability targets while maintaining consistent and attractive branding.
Calvin Klein
Luxury clothing brand Calvin Klein announced its commitment to sustainability, committing to using packaging made from 100% eco-friendly materials by 2025. Calvin Klein has made incredible progress in its sustainable promises, with 74% of all packaging already recyclable.
It is more important than ever for brands to focus on incorporating sustainable practices into not only their packaging and product strategies but their overall business strategy. There is no doubt that more luxury brands are now realising the importance of moving towards green packaging, straying away from the belief that a push towards becoming more sustainable could tarnish the luxurious image of the brand.
Through our global network of mill partners, PG Paper can offer a wide variety of coated and uncoated high-quality paper and board to suit your luxury packaging needs. Our broad catalogue of FSC accredited premium board and paper grades can cater to your specific requirements, while keeping sustainability in mind. For more information on our products, visit our website or contact us at [email protected] to find out more about the various premium products we can supply.
For more information on luxury packaging and the sustainable solutions available, check our our previous blog.