248 ecodesign projects awarded, presented by 118 companies that take the podium in the eleventh edition of Eco Pack, the CONAI call for ecodesign. And, as every year, five circular design innovations receive the five super-awards for circular innovation, along with a special mention.
This is the snapshot of a record year for the Call, which, for the first time, surpasses 400 cases submitted (414), marking an 11% increase compared to 2023. “This participation confirms the growing attention of Italian companies towards a more sustainable production model,” comments Simona Fontana, General Director of CONAI. “We are talking about 118 companies that have risen to the challenge of rethinking their packaging to reduce its environmental impact: a crucial step not only for individual production realities, but for the entire supply chain and the country, which is increasingly sensitive and aligned with the European circular economy goals. The 248 awarded cases are concrete examples of how efficiency in processes and sustainability can be integrated: they will certainly inspire many other businesses to move in the same direction. As CONAI, we have the task and duty to support this journey.”
For the cases awarded in this eleventh edition, the average environmental benefits of life cycle analysis indicators show that the ecodesign interventions promoted have led to a 27% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, a 20% cut in energy consumption, and an 18% decrease in water usage compared to what the packaging would have been before the environmental impact reduction interventions.
The Maddalena Project
In collaboration with Rosa Micro Srl, Maddalena Spa transformed the outer packaging for the mechanical clockwork components of water meters, replacing disposable corrugated cardboard with collapsible and reusable corrugated plastic packaging. This intervention not only reduces the consumption of disposable materials, but also enables a virtuous cycle through the use of the same carriers already used for transportation between the Company and the supplier. The inner packaging, consisting of thermoformed PS trays, remains reusable, ensuring further sustainability. This innovation, already implemented for 11 product codes, is set to expand, involving other local suppliers.
In 2024, the growing attention of the Italian business fabric to the efficient use of resources continues to be confirmed. Among the most used ecodesign strategies are the choice of using recycled materials, raw material savings (i.e., reducing the packaging weight), and – a new strategy introduced this year – the reduction of virgin raw material to emphasize the importance of increasingly minimizing the use of primary materials.
As every year, the applications were analyzed using the CONAI Eco Tool (www.ecotoolconai.org), a simplified Life Cycle Assessment tool capable of calculating the effects of prevention actions in terms of energy savings, water savings, and reduction of CO₂ emissions, as well as (for packaging cases that facilitate recycling activities) the amount of secondary raw material generated.
