Design for Recycling Guidelines of Paper-Based Packaging - A Review for Packaging Designers

Circular Economy requires products and material resources to be efficiently managed and used. For packaging, recycling is crucial to close the loop. Hence, packaging designers must balance pack performance, morphology, and communication to ensure its recyclability. This is particularly true for fibre-based packaging, which is the prevalent market packaging material, forecasted to increase its usage volumes. To help designers in their activities, several bodies provided Design for Recycling Guidelines (DGs). In this work, national and European DGs are discussed, providing shared design rules ranging from the substrate and its surface treatment to the packaging components. Such design rules can enable designers’ creative process and enhance the exploration of new, efficient packaging solutions. Consequently, packaging designers may achieve a broader view and play an active role in extending fibre life time; hence, reducing landfilling or energy-recovery of valuable fibres.