Avery Dennison opens Design and Innovation Center

15 Mar '11

5 min read

Enabling more sustainable packaging

As sustainability becomes a core brand attribute across the retail apparel industry, Avery Dennison is also providing new sustainable packaging solutions for apparel, footwear and accessories. To complement its portfolio of more sustainable packaging materials, the company announced the launch of Avery Dennison Greenprint, a blueprint for retail apparel customers to better understand the environmental consequences of their branding and packaging materials decision-making.

The diagnostic tool, which is based on Life Cycle Analysis methodology, translates complex data into a user-friendly snapshot of six impact categories, including greenhouse gases, energy usage and solid waste, and quantifies the benefits of switching to more sustainable materials.

"We are working with our partners to develop new packaging solutions that maximize consumer appeal and minimize impact on the earth,'' Neville said. "Through use of this new tool, in combination with our creative services and our strong offering of more sustainable materials, we are providing customers with more creative, cost-neutral options.''

For example, an Avery Dennison Greenprint assessment of socks and hosiery packaging revealed that converting from traditional polybags to a sustainable belly band solution uses materials that created 99 percent less solid waste and used 56 percent less energy and 23 percent less water. Avery Dennison has created a complete portfolio of sustainable packaging solutions, including Elastic Staple fasteners that can replace clamshell packaging and care labels woven with yarn from recycled water bottles.

Extending RFID-enabled solutions

Within its simulated global supply chain at the new center, Avery Dennison is also showcasing its RFID-enabled inventory productivity and loss-prevention solutions from manufacturing through to consumer purchase at retail. The use of RFID in the retail supply chain is a fast-growing solution due to the significant improvements in inventory productivity and operating efficiency that it makes possible.

"The use of RFID for inventory accuracy and loss prevention creates a new paradigm for retailers,'' Stander said. "We already know that with RFID, inventory accuracy improves from the 65-85 percent range to more than 95 percent and in some cases as high as 99 percent. Just as compelling is the fact that RFID speeds the cycle time of a store-level inventory by over 20 times. These two benefits are driving improved inventory productivity by an average of more than five percent, improving store labor productivity and the overall customer experience.''

Stander also noted the added benefit of RFID in reducing the impact of lost and stolen items. "It's a problem to have an item stolen, but it is even worse to lose a sale the next day to a disappointed consumer looking for the same item when you could have replenished it with the help of RFID,'' he said.

In opening the Customer Design and Innovation Center in Sprockhövel, Neville said Avery Dennison's customers now have two locations where they can experience in real time many of the company's enhanced capabilities. It plans to open two to three additional Customer Design and Innovation Centers around the world in the next 18 months.

Avery Dennison Corporation

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