Protopian thinking: How can it solve the industry’s packaging fears?

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Sustainability spans every stage of a product’s life cycle, from farming raw materials to considered design, production, distribution, consumption and waste management. With a mere 19 per cent of Europe’s packaging waste estimated as plastic-based, according to the European Parliament, this stage of the life cycle is becoming an imperative focus for brands seeking to become more sustainable.

Futurists such as Kevin Kelly, founding executive editor of Wired, champion the merits of “protopian” thinking, where progress towards a better future is made through evolving ideas and technology. The pressing need for progress has intensified off the back of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which have just six years remaining on the original timeline. Of these, goal 12, ‘responsible consumption and production’, has particular relevance to the fashion industry, with targets beneath it aiming to substantially reduce waste generation and achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.

Protopia / prəʊˈtəʊpɪə /

noun

Coined by futurist Kevin Kelly and the opposite of a “dystopia”. A protopian civilisation is one free from restriction, increasing its chances of societal improvement.

So how can protopian thinking resolve existing problems in the supply chain? One area that is primed for sustainable innovation is packaging. A collaborative solution to reducing packaging waste could not only answer a perennial problem for fashion brands but also revolutionise the way consumers experience deliveries.

A market in transit

Global shipping volumes are expected to reach 256 billion parcels in 2027, up 59 per cent from 2022, according to the Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index, illustrating the role of e-commerce in driving sustainable progress. The scale of the fashion industry’s packaging problem is palpable, and, with the average person in Europe generating around 188 kg of packaging waste per year, governments are taking serious measures to counter it — for example, the UK’s government has committed to eliminating avoidable plastic waste by 2042.

Supply chain transparency is becoming increasingly important, giving way to the emergence of new roles such as traceability officer. Beyond government regulation, the onus for a more transparent supply chain is currently reliant on self-reporting. Global non-profit CPD opened its plastics reporting from an initial data set of 7,000 companies in April 2023; meanwhile, retailers such as Selfridges are already three years into their push for better disclosure. In 2021, the luxury department store group collected information from nearly 20 per cent of its partners, with a goal of 100 per cent by 2030.