Bachelor Assignment

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING DESIGN

for Plaza, an E-Commerce Fashion Start-Up

This thesis explores how small e-commerce businesses can adopt sustainable packaging despite limited resources, focusing on the client company Plaza, a fashion design start-up.

The analysis highlights that designing sustainable packaging requires balancing environmental implications with competing interests, in Plaza's case, functional requirements and aesthetic preferences. Research into legal obligations, sustainable packaging practices, and packaging materials & formats enabled informed design decisions.

In accordance with the research findings, potential solutions were evaluated in terms of sustainability, functionality, and aesthetics. A polypropylene was bag selected as product packaging for Plaza's summer shirts, and a recycled paper mailer was chosen as transport packaging. The transport packaging received a double-sided graphic design, intended to be printed via digital or screen printing, as well as a rubber stamp.