Innovation

An idea sparked when a French Native moved to LA in 2014. Celine Granjeon’s French culture played a large part in this innovation. In France she was constantly surrounded by high end bakeries and restaurants. The influence of her culture led her to create Pack2Pack Design, which focused on bakery packaging in the US. While they originally started with bakery packaging, they have now expanded into countless industries. Pack2Pack creates packaging for jewelry, wine, chocolates and so much more. This product can be ordered to be 100% recyclable. This unique, high-quality, and completely custom solution overcomes many issues that this industry deals with.

In the packaging industry orders are usually placed in extremely high quantities. These orders usually have a high minimum requirement around 10,000 items. Due to the large number in order sizes, packaging is sometimes never used and simply tossed away. Many times, these packages are also made with some unrecyclable material. This leads to an excess waste of unrecyclable materials in our environment. Pack2Pack Design offers a solution. They provide sustainable packaging for companies that can be 100% recyclable. Furthermore, one of the things Pack2Pack Design does differently is allow for smaller order sizes. Order sizes have a minimum of 1,000.

Since the company has started, Pack2Pack Design has been able to create more sustainable packaging. These packages provide a sustainable route in this industry. Pack2Pack Design plans to continue to search and develop new manufacturing practices that are above and beyond recycled and compostable materials.

Inspiration

Celine Granjeon expressed the creative drive she has always felt in her life. The natural talent and enjoyment she has for creating custom packaging is what inspired her to start Pack2Pack Design.

Granjeon’s culture played an important role in creating Pack2Pack. Originally from Lyon France, her bond to the French culture was strong. She knew she wanted to keep her culture alive and part of her business. This led her to the idea of creating high quality packaging for bakeries and restaurants. It was a way to incorporate her French culture into her work. Initially the design was done using whatever materials were easiest and most effective to create her product. Some of these materials used were not recyclable, but the boxes could be reused. As her business began to grow, she noticed a shift in her customers desires, sustainable packing. This call to action led Granjeon to create a product that was 100% recyclable.

Granjeon went on to explain that "My customers started to ask for 100% recyclable packaging.” In response to her customers desires, she delivered. Pack2Pack Design now offers 100% recyclable packaging. This packaging still delivers the high-end quality that consumers want, but with the bonus of being 100% recyclable. Not all the packaging that Pack2Pack Design sells is 100% recyclable. The products that are not 100% recyclable can still be broken down into recyclable parts, or the packaging can be chosen to be reused.

The initial response from customers was positive. These consumers who purchased the 100% recyclable products were still satisfied with the quality of the work. The one major concern that Granjeon had was that the 100% recyclable packaging would not meet the quality standards of her customer. However, this concern was quickly extinguished. The customers that desired the product to be 100% recyclable were satisfied with the quality and sustainability of the product.

Overall impact

Pack2Pack Design is a smaller company in the packaging industry, but still brings forth an impact. This innovation and unique approach to packaging helps eliminate unnecessary waste. Allowing for customers to order in smaller amounts than the industry average help reduce unused boxes. Customers can order a quantity that they know they will use, instead of ordering large amounts and leaving extras sitting around. Furthermore, customers can order 100% recyclable packaging. This aspect of Pack2Pack design is used by many of their customers. Businesses are looking to make the change to more sustainable packaging, and Pack2Pack Design is the answer.

In the long run, Pack2Pack Design hopes to enlighten the packaging industry to a new and more sustainable method. As previously mentioned, businesses were forced to buy packaging in large quantities. However, Pack2Pack Design realized this flaw and offers a smaller minimum order number. Pack2Pack Design also realized that it was possible to make custom packaging 100% recyclable and still meet the high quality that these businesses wanted. Businesses have become more conscious about their role to save the planet for future generations. They want to support and partner with companies like Pack2Pack Design that can help them achieve more sustainable practices.

Ultimately, Pack2Pack Design wants to continue to expand and offer packaging to more industries. They hope that their unique selling points will stand out and be a call for businesses to work with them.

Business benefit

When asked about her business's performance, Granjeon stated, "Business is going well." She expressed pleasure in announcing the financial health of her company. Granjeon noted her enjoyment of her work at Pack2Pack Design, emphasizing that it is particularly gratifying when the business thrives while pursuing a passion.

The success of the business, she pointed out, is reflected in customer satisfaction with the products created by Pack2Pack Design. The company attracts both new and returning customers, with the latter group expressing high satisfaction and loyalty. Thanks to its success, Pack2Pack Design has successfully diversified into various markets, such as jewelry and wine. This positive business trajectory enables continued investment in research and development, particularly in enhancing the sustainability of their packaging.

Despite its financial achievements, Pack2Pack Design remains a relatively small enterprise. As such, strategic decisions are essential for cost management. A key strategy employed by the company is overseeing all aspects of their operations, including design, manufacturing, and shipping. This approach contrasts with many industry peers that often rely on subcontractors for various parts of their operations.

Social and environmental benefit

Pack2Pack is committed to designing and producing sustainable packaging even though the design process is more complex, and the packaging is more costly to produce. There are a few specific elements that Pack2Pack employs to make their products sustainable. They use paper for a large portion of the packaging and avoid using components like ribbons, magnets, foam, velvet, and plastic lamination, which all negatively impact the environment. The typical ink you see on packages is petroleum-based ink, which is non-renewable and is difficult to separate from paper for recycling purposes. Plastic lamination is also standard on packages, but it is not recyclable. When Pack2Pack makes its packages sustainable, it uses bio-ink as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based ink and matte varnish as a sustainable alternative to plastic lamination. In our interview with Celine, she showed us an example of a high-end jewelry box she designed and produced for a client that was 100% recyclable. The example was decorated with bio-ink for the lettering, paper inserts on the inside to hold the jewelry, and matte varnishing to coat the outside. Sustainable products like the ones Pack2Pack develops reduce the waste non-sustainable packaging creates by offering a healthy alternative for the planet.

There are three sustainable development goals that Pack2Pack helps satisfy. First is SDG#9 : Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. Sustainable industrialization and innovation are not synonymous with packaging. Still, they are synonymous with packaging at Pack2Pack because they are one of the few packaging companies that combine green practices to develop new sustainable products consistently. Second is SDG#12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Pack2Pack is helping phase out fossil fuels by leading by example, using bio-ink as a replacement for petroleum-based ink, and using matte varnish as a replacement for plastic lamination to produce their packages. Third is SDG#13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Through the lifecycle of plastic, they emit greenhouse gasses, so limiting their use will diminish their danger to the environment. As mentioned earlier, Pack2Pack uses matte varnish as a substitute for plastic lamination to reduce the negative impacts of plastic. Pack2Pack is at the forefront of the movement towards making recyclable packaging and having companies like them pave the way towards phasing out unsustainable packaging, we will get closer and closer to repairing the damage done by unsustainable practices.

Interview

Celine Granjeon, Founder/CEO