The most important topic we’re discussing at this year’s Dieline Conference is Sustainability and how we can end our reliance on single-use plastics.

If you’re interested in finding solutions to plastic waste and making your package design sustainable, then look no further than Dieline Founder Andrew Gibbs’s presentation, “Dumping Plastic: How Creativity Will End Our Toxic Relationship With Single-Use Plastic.” Andrew will talk about the brands who are getting it right and what lessons we can learn from them as they move towards a sustainable future.

The easy thing to do is to believe that you can design packaging using primarily plastic because every brand continues to do it. Because why should you even bother when 91% of plastic never makes it into a recycling bin—a lot of which will eventually find its way to an ocean near you.

We could be cynical and throw in the towel, but the future doesn’t have to be that bleak. While the problem itself feels insurmountable, it’s not just on consumers to do a better job when it comes to recycling. There are multiple stakeholders that come into play when you chart the life cycle of any piece of packaging, whether it’s a plastic bottle or a polyethylene-lined coffee cup. Package designers, brands, and manufacturers not only have the power to design the packaging of tomorrow but they an obligation to do so.

And it’s not just for the benefit of their consumers. Sustainable brands have flourished as younger generations demand that they package their products responsibly which can result in a better bottom line and innovative brand experiences.

Designers and brands have a critical responsibility when it comes to curbing our plastic dependency, and there is a whole host of alternatives to explore. The future doesn’t have to be single-use plastic.

Attend Dieline Conference 2019 in Chicago where we will explore sustainability in the world of packaging design and how we can make a real impact on eliminating single-use plastic.

By: Andrew Gibbs, Dieline