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Modern consumers don’t just want a product that is affordable and good quality. Many also want to be sure that their purchase has a positive impact on the environment. By designing a product that reduces waste and carbon emissions, you can appeal to these customers. Oh, and you can feel good knowing that your product is helping to save the planet.
Just what are some product features that can reduce environmental damage? This post lists a few examples.
Make it recyclable or reusable
Too many products are single-use and cannot be recycled. Such products end up simply cluttering up landfill sites once they have served their purpose. Consider building your product out of recyclable materials like metal or wood, or choose recyclable plastics. Alternatively, design your product to be reused. Reusable cups and reusable bags are good examples of products that are fast-replacing single-use cups and bags.
Make it biodegradable
If your product is certain to end up in a landfill site, then an alternative way to keep it green is to make it biodegradable. Certain types of plastic take hundreds of years to decompose. By reducing use of these plastics and focusing on organic materials, you can create a product that will not simply become clutter. This is particularly important with single use products.
Use local suppliers
Where you order your supplies from is important. If you import materials or ingredients from half-way across the world, this will greatly increase your product’s carbon footprint. Using local suppliers reduces your company’s carbon footprint while also supporting businesses in your area. Obviously, there are some supplies that you cannot buy locally. However, you should take the time to consider what is available in your area.
Keep the packaging green
On top of the product itself, it’s important to consider the packaging. Does your product need to come in a plastic box? Or would a cardboard carton be just as effective? Take the time to explore folding carton manufacturers near you. When shipping products, you should also consider looking into eco-friendly filler materials opposed to bubble wrap and polystyrene. Reduce as much unnecessary plastic as you can.
Prioritize energy-efficiency
Designing an electronic product? Today’s consumers care a lot about how much energy a product consumes – not just because of its impact on the environment but because of the impact it has on that consumer’s energy bills. Therefore, it’s important that products use as little power as is necessary. It is worth working with electrical product engineers in order to achieve this.
Conclusion
To create a green product, you need to start by considering what your product is made out of. Using the right materials/ingredients and sourcing these materials/ingredients from the right places is key. You should then think about other features like electrical components. There will be different factors to consider with different types of products. By researching other similar green products on the market, you can borrow ideas to use within your own product.
