Designers can play a big role in making sustainable packaging from the farm to shelf, but convincing the consumer could be a problem, said Nandita Abraham, Dean, BITS Design School.
“We make everything so that the consumer will buy it. Then, we tell the consumer you must be sustainable, and, therefore, this is the way. So it’s a very interesting design problem, and probably it’s something that designers can play a very big role in,” Abraham told businessline in an online interaction.
The design school, part of the 60-year-old BITS, was set up a year and a half ago, offering an honours degree in design. Its students are working with biomaterials, sustainability systems and projects of supply chain, including agriculture. The students will be going out into the communities this month to understand their thoughts on sustainability, packaging of water and other such systems, she said.
Craft focused
“What makes it (design school) special is that it’s not craft-focused. So it’s not focused on just drawing or working with materials, but it’s around design thinking, collaboration, and we’re trying to develop disciplinary designers,” the dean said.
Designers can play a role in understanding the consumer and communicating it back to the consumer. Designers also play a role in systems thinking. “So not just looking at the package, but looking at it overall. How does a product get from the farm to the store? What are the different points along the way? What temperatures are needed to go through? What kind of sorting does it need to go through? Who are the people who will touch it, or what are the different processes along the way?
“So, creating a system which can also have less waste and can also be more sustainable. So I think in systems, designers can also look at packaging in a way to see what is easier to handle, what is easier to open, what is less likely maybe to be thrown away, what can be used after using it for something else,” she said.
Milk packet example
Pointing to milk packets, Abraham said the single plastic layer is used for many things at home. “So, designers play an innovative role in seeing what society adopts and how they can make behaviour change to use this packaging,” she said.
Designers can work with farmers too, with the focus now on natural farming. Farmers, together with designers, could co-create something sustainable that communicates what they want, the design school dean said.
On eco-friendly packaging, she said a lot of research is going on, including the material. “For example, single-layer plastic, like in salt sold by some companies, is fully recyclable. But nobody wants to buy that. People are looking at other ways that can be used,” Abraham said.
People are exploring bio-based materials. Seaweed, crustacean shells, and things such as milk casein are all being experimented with. “Also, seaweed casein layered with plastic is being experimented with,” she said.
Keep products fresh
Primarily, consumers want the packaging to keep the product fresh. “I don’t know if we have found a particular product that solves all these problems. But there is a lot of work that’s going on in this area also in recycled paper or board, with a layer of plastic like the cups that we use to drink water,” said Abraham.
Research is being done in nanotechnology and natural fibres too. Though jute, an agriculture produce, is sustainable, the availability is not ample, she said.
One way to extend the shelf life of agricultural products, Abraham said packaging is important to increase the shelf life and keep the product fresh. “Design plays an important role in material development. So it is designers who have made these sandwiched packaging, 3 layers, 7 layer packaging that protect the produce, but also causes harm to the environment. So material development is really important,” she said.
Abraham said that packing has become important as plastics are being dumped, and they, in turn, are consumed by fish. “We eat fish and so it always continues to be about us and how we want to want to live,” she said.
Understand climate change
Plastics in is are not a bad product. A single layer of single plastic can be melted and reused. It’s only when polyethylene, polyester, aluminium or multiple layers are used that it is difficult to recycle. It then turns into waste.
“Almost all consumers today understand that climate change is important. Most consumers want what they consume to be safe, and people are looking at organic and natural products. But do we have enough information about sustainable packaging? Probably no,” said Abraham.
People are happy to use sustainable packaging, but it has to protect products against moisture, air and ultraviolet rays. There is a need always to have that magic plastic inside the packaging, but consumers struggle with that,” the dean said.
Published on May 3, 2025
