The pionneers of reuse

Reuse

Sustainability

Environmental

Written by

Denis Mourrain.

November 2023

min

The pionneers of reuse

Reuse is a subject at the heart of society. Given the various challenges we face, it is essential to consider reuse as the primary solution. To achieve this, it is important to think about new concepts in a way that is reusable and to recognize everyone's efforts in this change.

‍Material scarcity and reuse

The increasing scarcity of materials is leading us to consider reuse. This reflex goes well beyond a simple rule of life; it has become an essential approach.

The practice of reuse today

Even though many circuits are already in place, this practice is still insufficient to meet the challenges. Each one of us should have a target: what is the per capita rate of re-use to be achieved? A simple figure: 20%, 30%, 50%? This would be useful when we make a purchase to see if another source is possible.

The Reuse Players

We must salute the pioneering spirit of the players involved in reuse. We're talking about reuse here, because we need to distinguish reuse from recycling. Recycling, while essential, requires considerable resources-collection resources, separation processes and transformation processes-before it can be reused and delivered again. It's easy to see how efficient a single reuse cycle can be in comparison.

‍Designing reusable products

It's worth asking : can all products be designed to be reusable? Yes, most of them can, and this is a fundamental area of progress in the design cycle for preserving our future. To achieve this, we need to consider repairability, transfer of ownership and maintaining the intrinsic value of the product over time.

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‍Availability of reusable products

One of the challenges of reuse is how to make the product available. The successes of the platforms are spectacular and eminently useful. All these efforts rely on logistical resources. It is therefore interesting to see whether these resources can further encourage the act of reuse for everyone: individuals, businesses, etc.

‍Reusable Packaging Solutions

Packaging is no exception to this transformation towards reuse, and reusable packaging solutions are multiplying more or less rapidly depending on cultures and political orientations.

Although reusable bins have been in use on production lines for many decades, they are not found in everyday use. In fact, most everyday packaging is single-use. Is this really the objective? Is collection and recycling the only way forward? It's worth noting that, faced with the inexorable increase in delivery volumes, which is also supporting the reuse trade, several countries have already imposed targets for reusable packaging in all sectors. In Asia, in particular, various new solutions are emerging every day.

‍‍‍The benefits of reusable packaging

A commitment of this kind immediately has a number of effects: firstly, it encourages all stakeholders - individuals, businesses and the public sector - to take an interest in reuse on a daily basis. The second is to consider the almost twofold potential of logistics.

If packaging becomes reusable, then logistics players can instantly address needs in both directions and encourage even more reuse. Today we are talking about the as-yet-untapped potential of reverse logistics.

Reusable packaging is a marker of this environmental commitment. Used on a daily basis, it is convincing for users. Used by companies, it enables the development of new responsible services and allows 100% of after-sales returns to be recovered for expertise, reuse or recycling. It is also a decisive marker in the evolution of logistics towards more sustainable solutions.

We may take offense at the emptiness of our packaging. It's probably better to look at the reusability of our packaging, and at the same time admit that reducing the amount of empty space is closely linked to an increase in the rate of breakage on delivery, which only adds to the cost since we have to go back to manufacturing the product to be replaced, shipping it again and returning the first one. Today, there are well-known standard shapes for packaging that can all be palletized, as well as packaging solutions. These standard shapes encourage reuse.

The Pioneers of Transformation

Several groups have taken the step of offering their customers reusable packaging solutions. They are the real pioneers of this transformation. Their commitment is total, since it involves considering all distribution logistics in a totally circular way.

Packaging and reverse logistics are important in achieving zero waste. This kind of commitment is highly protective: better protection for the products delivered, encouraging employees to adopt this approach; systematically recovering spare parts so that they can be recycled; not to mention the immense image benefits that such a commitment brings.

In short, reuse is a fundamental element in the transformation of our society and our economy. Recognition of reuse efforts by all the players involved is essential, as is reflection on consumption patterns, the design of reusable products, and reusable packaging. Progress is tangible, but there is still a long way to go to realize the full potential of reuse.

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Denis Mourrain, CEO France LivingPackets

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