Brands and consumers alike are more aware than ever about the implications of the packaging choices for their products. But, with so many products claiming to be sustainable, what truly sustainable packaging is available? Innovative UK-based packaging supplier, Neville and More, offers an informative insight and explores the 'green' choices currently offered by the market.

• Recyclable plastic packaging

Neville and More provides an extensive selection of packaging products that can be used across a range of markets and can be recycled at the end of their lifecycle. While most plastic —in particular mono-material products— can be recycled after use, different materials lend themselves better to package certain products and plastic such as PET is far more commonly recycled than others. Choosing a product that conforms with easy recycling, increases the chance of the material being re-used.

The range of PET bottles and jars offered by Neville and More has been increasing exponentially during the past few years to meet the unprecedented demand for this easily recyclable material. Choices include tall Boston Rounds, and even novelty-shaped bottles in addition to PET jars and other easily recyclable packaging choices.

Mono-material and all plastic are 2 other terminologies used to define packaging that can easily be recycled. They are often used when describing complex packaging structures such as dispensers that can have hidden interior components that in the past were produced with different materials which could not be easily separated for recycling.

• Recyclable packaging in other materials

Glass packaging has been widely recycled around the globe for some time and within Europe more than 3/4 of all glass is recycled, making it an excellent sustainable packaging choice. Furthermore, glass is compatible with almost any product or formulation whether food or cosmetic.

Neville and More stocks a variety of glass packaging in both clear, amber and other colour choices, however the Simplicity range of jars and bottles is the line in most demand by packaging buyers for its classic style to the extent that new choices and product volumes have been incorporated into the company's offering every year for the past 10 years.

The Simplicity line is not limited to glass. Aluminium Simplicity bottles can also be easily recycled after use. In fact, with metal being infinitely recyclable, the material in these bottles can be used again without any wastage and the material does not degrade.

Neville and More can also provide recyclable aluminium jars, screw caps and closures for jars as part of its extensive recyclable packaging offering.

• PCR (recycled) plastic

The last few years have seen a significant increase in the use of PCR packaging, however, Neville and More has been offering a significant selection of PCR PET bottles and jars since 2011. These products incorporate plastic material that has been recycled and processed for re-use. The amount of recycled plastic content in a product can vary between 30% up to 100% and the company welcomes requests from customers to choose according to the different options available from their stock. As interest in this material has increased, so too has the company's offering of PCR packaging.

• Other sustainable choices

Packaging that can be reused or repurposed after its initial use is another way to ensure that the pack has an extended useful lifetime. Beauty and homecare markets are 2 areas where packaging is taking advantage of refillable packaging choices so that the primary packaging can be reused over again and Neville and More's knowledgeable team can offer advice regarding appropriate solutions.

• Carbon free black 

The recycling of black plastic products was a challenge for the industry until relatively recently, whereby this dark material was almost always sent to landfill. With the introduction of carbon free black plastic packaging, brands and consumers can now take advantage of this rich, dark colour without concern for the environment as sorting machinery at material recovery facilities is now able to detect carbon free material and sort it accordingly.

"Nowadays sustainability is a key consideration when choosing packaging so that brands can demonstrate their own 'green' values through their products. At Neville and More, our environmental policy is at the heart of our operations. By listening to the needs of our customers we phased out our supply of products that have an unhealthy environmental impact, and continue to grow our sustainable packaging choices. Highlighting the importance of the environment within our organization, our operations are centred from a solar-powered energy-neutral building, and our comprehensive supplier approval process also incorporates environmental consideration to ensure that when our customers request sustainable packaging, that is exactly what they get." — Mark Sharpe, CEO

Browse the product catalogue and discover the best sustainable choices Neville and More can supply for your brand, or simply contact the experienced team to discover the best way to ensure your product is sustainable — helping your brand to help your customers, and together helping our planet.