On Shifts to Sustainable Packaging
The Swiss running brand releases recycled packaging to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions.
ZURICH, Switzerland, June 21, 2021— Dedicated to innovating a more sustainable future for sportswear, Swiss running brand On transitions its packaging to 100% recycled materials, saving a projected 40 tones of ink, paper, and plastic, equivalent to around 160 tones of CO2 per year.
On’s sustainability team assessed vast amounts of data to discover that materials are responsible for up to 80% of the company’s environmental footprint. Reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions to limit climate change is a top priority in On's sustainability strategy; recycled packaging is a significant step towards achieving On's ambitious goals.
“It was overdue to adapt the packaging to our overall sustainability strategy”, explains Viviane Gut, Head of Sustainability at On. “We looked at everything right down to the smallest detail, which all adds up when you’re shipping millions of shoes. Replacing virgin with recycled materials while maintaining our quality standards took time, but we are really happy with the result.”
Runners worldwide will now receive On shoes in boxes and socks and laces in packaging crafted from 100% recycled materials. Apparel will arrive in 99.9% recycled packages repurposed from industrial waste. The remaining ink is a water-based alternative to previous PVC inks, and instead of paper return slips, On has opted for scannable QR codes inside the delivery.
The recyclable material is another step towards On’s impact goals. Earlier this year, the brand announced that it joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and has launched the world-first, subscription-based service called Cyclon to bring fully recyclable sportswear to customers worldwide.
