Why Less Is Truly More
Eliminating Packaging
Compostable plastics rot where no infrastructure exists. “Recyclable” laminates? Landfills.
True sustainable packaging isn’t about finding better ways to dispose of packaging; it’s about using less of it.
Sustainable packaging is fast becoming a myth we tell ourselves. Navigating tariffs, EPR, and new regulations makes it difficult to align packaging materials with waste streams around the world.
Compostable plastics sound great, right?
Without composting infrastructure, they just rot—or worse, add to landfill waste.
What about recyclable laminates?
When combined with plastics, they often become unrecyclable altogether, creating more problems than they solve.
Is there a better way?
True sustainable packaging isn’t about disposal—it’s about using less packaging from the start.
Design For Absence
The Future Of Sustainable Packaging
Our DFA Process
The four step process of Designing For Absence & eliminating packaging begins not with you, but with the customer. Where are they encountering each piece of packaging and is it necessary to protect your product and tell your story?
Elimination does not mean “no packaging”, but essential packaging by eliminating excess materials and packaging.
Start with the Customer
Every piece of packaging tells a story—but does it need to? Begin where your customers do, exploring their unboxing journey from delivery to disposal. Each interaction should serve a purpose: protecting your product, enhancing your brand, or delivering sustainable impact. Anything else? It’s excess.
Redefine “Essential”
Elimination doesn’t mean going without; it means focusing on what matters. By analyzing customer touchpoints, we identify unnecessary elements and refine the essentials, creating packaging that protects your product, tells your story, and reinforces your commitment to sustainability.
Innovate Through Simplicity
The most elegant solutions come from removing the unnecessary. By stripping away excess layers, we elevate the product’s perceived value. From modular systems to dual-purpose designs, innovation ensures what remains is essential, purposeful and impactful.
Test Without Compromise
Prototypes aren’t the final step—they’re the start of perfection. Every concept undergoes rigorous testing to ensure durability, sustainability, and logistical efficiency. We validate every detail until your packaging seamlessly blends protection, storytelling, and sustainability.
Packaging’s Future Is Absence
Recyclability is the last resort that feels like a solution, but it often masks the real problem: the overwhelming volume of packaging created, shipped, and discarded. At IDP Direct, we believe the boldest way to make a difference is not to recycle more—it’s to rethink packaging altogether.
The Answer? Eliminate It.
Our Design for Absence program isn’t about adding greener options to an already overloaded system. It’s about removing the need for excess packaging entirely. This isn’t just theory—it’s action.
For instance, when a leading fashion brand partnered with us, they traditionally used two bag sizes for most purchases. By introducing a single, thoughtfully designed smaller bag, we eliminated over 100,000 medium bags annually. The impact? Less material, fewer emissions, reduced costs—without compromising the brand’s luxury ethos.
Simplify To Amplify
Less Pack With More Impact
The retail industry is facing big changes, and the time to act is now. New tariffs on imported packaging and growing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules are making it costly for brands to waste materials. Rising paper prices and recycling systems that can’t keep up are adding even more pressure. With retail sales slowing, brands have tighter budgets and need smarter solutions. The old way of thinking about packaging—making it recyclable but still excessive—is no longer enough. This is the moment to focus not on what packaging can be, but on what it needs to be.
Fashion and cosmetics brands are especially ready to lead this shift. These industries are built on creativity and consumer experience, but outdated packaging designs still waste materials and money. By simplifying packaging to only what’s necessary, brands can cut costs, meet new rules, and prove they care about the planet. Today’s consumers expect real sustainability, not just flashy claims. Less packaging doesn’t mean less impact—it means smarter design, better storytelling, and a stronger connection with customers. The future of packaging isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing better with less.
A Deeper Dive
Design For Absence
DFA transforms packaging by eliminating the unnecessary, cutting costs, and driving sustainability. Here’s a more in depth look at how it happens:
Optimize and Evolve
Once the new strategy is in place, performance is monitored and sustainability goals are pushed further. Trends, regulations, and consumer demands are continuously evaluated to keep packaging future-ready.
DFA Delivers Results
- Cut Costs: Spend less on materials, fines, and fees while improving supply chain efficiency.
- Reduce Waste: Lower your carbon footprint by eliminating unnecessary packaging.
- Elevate Your Brand: Deliver an unboxing experience that speaks to modern luxury without excess.
Map The Packaging Journey
Your supply chain is mapped from production to disposal, pinpointing inefficiencies and opportunities to reduce waste. This collaborative process ensures your expertise guides the solutions.
Why it matters: Your brand’s vision drives decisions, aligning with your sustainability goals.
Audit & Analyze
Packaging data—materials, volumes, costs, and impact—is benchmarked to spot quick wins. AI tools streamline data, with optional LCAs offering deeper insights.
Why it matters: Highlights waste to save materials, reduce costs, and lower emissions.
Eliminate The Unnecessary
Excess packaging is eliminated without sacrificing brand experience. Oversized boxes, extra poly bags, and unnecessary materials are streamlined.
- Examples: Reducing packaging sizes, cutting secondary materials, and optimizing supply chain packaging.
- Why it matters: Less material means lower costs, smarter supply chains, and reduced waste.
Factory-direct Advantage
Redesigned packaging is managed efficiently, with integrated solutions including just-in-time inventory, regulatory compliance, and ongoing data-driven improvements.
- Avoid fines by meeting EPR regulations.
- Cut costs with smarter production and supply chain solutions.
- Optimize performance through real-world tracking and adjustments.