With many shoes still shipped with the actual shoebox and the outer shipping container, there's a need for more sustainable footwear packaging. Shoe brand Ales Grey partnered with material innovators Sway to create a more sustainable option with compostable, bio-based components.
The seaweed-based packaging innovation gets rid of the traditional shoebox design entirely and instead favors a design that reduces overall materials and weight. A 100% biobased, rapidly compostable film protects the shoes during the shipping process, eliminating the overall packaging needed by a staggering 50%. As Julia Marsh, Sway co-founder and CEO, told Dieline, "the packaging shouldn't be heavier than the already lightweight footwear."
Products like the Ales Grey Malibu Recovery Slides can be found in this sustainable footwear packaging, which is not just industrial-compostable but also home-compostable.
Seaweed-Based Shoe Packaging
Ales Grey & Sway Partnered on Sustainable Footwear Packaging
Trend Themes
1. Sustainable Footwear Packaging - The trend of creating footwear packaging that is more eco-friendly and reduces overall materials and weight.
2. Compostable Packaging - The trend of using compostable materials for packaging, such as seaweed-based film, to reduce waste and environmental impact.
3. Home-compostable Packaging - The trend of designing packaging that is not only industrially compostable but can also be composted at home, providing convenience and reducing reliance on waste management systems.
Industry Implications
1. Footwear - The footwear industry can explore using sustainable packaging materials and designs to appeal to eco-conscious consumers and reduce environmental impact.
2. Packaging - The packaging industry has an opportunity to develop and manufacture more compostable and home-compostable materials to meet the growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions.
3. Sustainable Materials - The sustainable materials industry can supply innovative solutions like seaweed-based film to various sectors, including footwear packaging, contributing to a circular economy.