Short answer

When designing packaging for a circular economy, move beyond just recyclability and consider the entire value chain, including material sourcing, production efficiency, distribution logistics, and the regulatory environment.

Field: Sustainability
Source: Proceedings of the 6th Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference (PLATE2025) (2025)
Method: Indicator assessment and classification
Evidence: Strong effect

Current circularity indicators for packaging are insufficient due to an overemphasis on end-of-life and a lack of consideration for upstream systems, stakeholder value, and regional infrastructure. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Proceedings of the 6th Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference (PLATE2025). Using Indicator assessment and classification, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing packaging for a circular economy, move beyond just recyclability and consider the entire value chain, including material sourcing, production efficiency, distribution logistics, and the regulatory environment.

Study

SustainabilityNew This WeekStrong effect

Holistic Circularity Indicators Needed for Packaging Design

Current circularity indicators for packaging are insufficient due to an overemphasis on end-of-life and a lack of consideration for upstream systems, stakeholder value, and regional infrastructure.

Proceedings of the 6th Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference (PLATE2025) · 2025

Key Findings

01Existing circularity indicators for packaging overemphasize end-of-life considerations.
02There is limited inclusion of value for stakeholders and alignment with upstream systems in current indicators.
03Regional infrastructure and regulatory aspects are inadequately considered by most indicators.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When evaluating or developing packaging designs for circularity, ensure your assessment framework includes metrics for material sourcing, manufacturing processes, distribution impacts, and end-of-life scenarios, as well as considering economic and social value.

Project actions

01When researching sustainable design, look for studies that evaluate the entire lifecycle of a product.
02Consider how different stakeholders (consumers, manufacturers, recyclers) are affected by design choices.

Method & Evidence

AimTo identify and critically assess existing circularity indicators for their suitability and systemic inclusion within the packaging industry to guide the development of more effective CE strategies.

MethodIndicator assessment and classification

Procedure21 circularity indicators relevant to packaging were identified and evaluated based on their suitability for the packaging industry and their inclusion of systemic considerations across sourcing, design, production, distribution, use, and end-of-life stages. Indicators were classified using a three-point scale (extensive, partial, none) for their consideration of systems like packaging characteristics, infrastructure, value, and regulation.

ContextPackaging industry, Circular Economy

Variables

IVSuitability of indicators for packaging industry, Inclusion of systemic considerations (sourcing, design, production, distribution, use, end-of-life, packaging characteristics, infrastructure, value, regulation).

DVClassification of indicators (extensive, partial, none).

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Addresses a critical gap in current sustainability assessment tools for packaging.
+Provides a structured framework for evaluating circularity indicators.

Limitations

The study focused on indicators and did not directly implement them in a design process, so the practical challenges of using these indicators in design are not fully explored.

Reliability & validity

The reliability of the indicator assessment depends on the clarity of the classification criteria. Validity is supported by the critical review of existing literature and the focus on systemic considerations.

Think critically

How might the lack of comprehensive circularity indicators hinder innovation in sustainable packaging design?

Design Principles

"A holistic approach to circularity assessment is essential for effective design and implementation of sustainable packaging solutions."

Effective circular economy strategies in packaging require robust evaluation tools. Without comprehensive indicators that consider the entire lifecycle and systemic factors, designers and manufacturers may struggle to accurately assess progress and implement truly sustainable solutions.

What This Means for Your Design

To make packaging truly circular, we need better ways to measure progress that look at the whole journey of the packaging, not just what happens when it's thrown away.

How to use in your project

1.Use this research to justify the need for a comprehensive set of criteria when evaluating your own design solutions for sustainability.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights that current circularity indicators for packaging often lack a holistic perspective, with an overemphasis on end-of-life and insufficient consideration for upstream systems, stakeholder value, and regional infrastructure. This suggests that when evaluating or developing sustainable packaging designs, it is crucial to adopt a comprehensive approach that assesses the entire lifecycle and systemic factors to ensure effective implementation of circular economy strategies.

Source

Proceedings of the 6th Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference (PLATE2025)

Circularity Indicators for Packaging

journal · 2025

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about holistic circularity indicators needed for packaging design?: When designing packaging for a circular economy, move beyond just recyclability and consider the entire value chain, including material sourcing, production efficiency, distribution logistics, and the regulatory environment. Evidence: Proceedings of the 6th Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference (PLATE2025) (2025).
Why does "Holistic Circularity Indicators Needed for Packaging Design" matter for design?: Effective circular economy strategies in packaging require robust evaluation tools. Without comprehensive indicators that consider the entire lifecycle and systemic factors, designers and manufacturers may struggle to accurately assess progress and implement truly sustainable solutions.
How can designers apply this research?: When designing packaging for a circular economy, move beyond just recyclability and consider the entire value chain, including material sourcing, production efficiency, distribution logistics, and the regulatory environment.
What were the main findings?: Existing circularity indicators for packaging overemphasize end-of-life considerations.. There is limited inclusion of value for stakeholders and alignment with upstream systems in current indicators.. Regional infrastructure and regulatory aspects are inadequately considered by most indicators.
What research method was used?: Indicator assessment and classification.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Proceedings of the 6th Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference (PLATE2025).
What should I do differently in my next project?: When evaluating or developing packaging designs for circularity, ensure your assessment framework includes metrics for material sourcing, manufacturing processes, distribution impacts, and end-of-life scenarios, as well as considering economic and social value.
What are the limitations?: The assessment was based on a defined set of 21 indicators, and the classification scale is subjective.