To achieve its environmental goal of moving toward zero-load, Sony is working to gradually reduce or stop using plastic packaging on small products by 2025. Its constantly improving headphone packaging solutions won the Japan Packaging Design Association Award and the Electronics Packaging Award at the Japan Packaging Design Competition this year. Let's take a look at what Sony is trying to do for this!
Reduce plastic usage by 90% in one fell swoop
As part of its many ongoing efforts, Sony is changing the outer packaging of existing headphone models from plastic to paper products. In particular, the outer packaging of the MDR- EX15AP has been redesigned to reduce the total amount of plastic from approximately 96% to less than 5%.
Plastic usage rate comparison
[1] Before improvement [2] After improvement
The overall appearance of the MDR-EX15AP package
[1] Before improvement [2] After improvement
Less plastic, easier to recycle
The individual carton design used to be laminated with PP (plastic), which could not be recycled. This has been replaced with a wear-resistant varnish that allows the carton to be recycled.
[1] PP lamination process on paper surface
[2] UV varnish application by printing technology
Product design with sustainability in mind
Sustainability is a design theme for the WF-1000XM4 product, and for the first time, plastic packaging has been significantly reduced in the headphone range. The plastic bags and blister trays for the headphones and cables have been replaced with paper, the first time paper trays have been used in the headphone range. The former plastic scratch-resistant EVA and insulation sheets were also replaced with paper.
Sony's original "Original Hybrid Material"
Sony's innovative hybrid paper packaging has been specially designed to be truly sustainable, from production to recycling. Except for the label, WF-1000XM4 packaging is made entirely of "virgin blend". The "virgin blend" is a unique combination of bamboo, sugar cane fiber and recycled paper, a recyclable, durable and strong paper material that does not use any plastic components. Sony used this material in the packaging of its true wireless noise-cancelling headphones WF-1000XM4, with a colorless finish that fully reveals the various shades of the material. Sony plans to use the material to package more products.
