Coming back to the office after vacationing in europe during the hottest summer on record, it’s hard to shake the feeling that this planet is not doing great. It’s not just setting new records in climate change — we’re also being presented with lots of new research on the environmental consequences of packaging. A recent example is a study showing that almost every species group in the ocean has encountered plastic pollution, with scientists observing negative effects in almost 90% of assessed species. The news that both single use plastic production and marine waste is set to double in 2050 doesn’t make us feel any better.

Too much reality taxes the imagination

No wonder Norway’s young citizens are losing their passion for environmental causes, and that europe’s green movement might be losing momentum. Does that mean that civil society’s belief that a more just and greener world is possible is waning? Possibly. For us at least, it seems like many brand owners and designers think it’s easier to imagine the end of the world, than the end of our reliance on single use plastic. Add the daily demands for profitability, a lack of internal resources and gatekeepers all along the value chain, and we end up in deciveingly risk-free cycles of incrementalism.

It seems like many brand owners and designers think it’s easier to imagine the end of the world, than the end of our reliance on single use plastic.

The incrementalism trap

We think that by focusing on reality and relying on incrementalism, companies are putting themselves at risk. Not just on loosing out on “the next big thing”. They risk being perceived by talent, consumers and civil society as not doing enough to adress environmental and climate issues. They also risk being caught off-guard when the next wave of EU regulations hit, or their employees forgetting why they come to work every morning.

Examples of imagination in use

Then how do we muster up the passion it takes to create circular systemic innovation, a starting outlook that is all to real? As a tiny first step we’ve brought some inspiring work from startups around the world that combine imagination with business sense and a passion for the planet.

Shellworks for Haeckels: Vivomar

Roughly 70% of the beauty sectors carbon emissions come from their packaging. That’s one of the reasons biotech startup Shellworks teamed up with Haeckels to produce refill skincare containers made from microbes. Shellworks landed a 6,2m seed round in 2022, and are currently scaling their production.

Garcon Wines: Falt, shippable wine bottles

Garcon wine is a wine subscription startup, giving you great wine shipped to your home. When scaling their business, they did something simple: Made their bottles flat. This to the delight of their customers, as the bottles would fit right into your mail slot. The compact size also increased their margins and helped cut shipping-related emissions. The redesign included making their wine bottles flat and moulded with 100% recycled PET. This makes them cheaper to ship, and saves 87% of life cycle emissions compared to standard glass bottles.

Dizzie

With Dizzie, shoppers can access a wide selection of durable, hygienic, and aesthetically pleasing containers for their groceries, from fresh produce to pantry staples. The service not only reduces the environmental footprint associated with disposable packaging but also promotes a circular economy by encouraging customers to return and exchange their containers for a seamless and environmentally responsible shopping experience.