A conversation with New York based packaging and graphic designer, Navya Jhunjhunwala about sustainability and design. She graduated from FIT with a BFA in Packaging Design, and now she is working as the lead graphic designer for a soon to launch cosmetics brand, EcoFabulous, under the Amyris umbrella. She also dabbles in various freelance projects with clients across New York City, and always keeps sustainability in mind when coming up with innovative packaging design solutions.
Tell us about your life as a packaging designer and what makes sustainability so important.
Being a designer is a lot more that making something look “pretty”. It’s a lot of responsibility since it influences the way in which the consumer views not only the product but the entire brand, and sustainability plays a key role in this. Sustainability needs to be spoken about at a larger scheme – of course when each household chooses to make more sustainable decisions and makes an effort to recycle, reduce water waste etc. that makes a big difference, but we also need big companies to avoid greenwashing and take tangible steps towards reducing their plastic consumption. By reducing plastic use in the packaging of products, we can make a significant difference.
As a designer myself, I may not always have the ability to change the structure of the product to be more sustainable, in which case I would try to include on pack information on how to recycle and try to educate the consumer.
What is EcoFabulous?
EcoFabulous is focused on bringing sustainable products to the younger consumer who can’t necessarily afford expensive beauty products. They want to be sustainable but don’t want to spend a lot. Being eco friendly shouldn’t be a luxury, it should be a lifestyle that’s accessible to all.
We are working on developing a new type of packaging for cosmetic products that uses a completely biodegradable material. I can’t say much about it since it’s still under testing but I do think innovations like this from big companies is what’s needed to make a difference.
There are constantly new innovations in packaging, so how do you stay current?
A lot of the pages I follow on social media and blogs I read happen to be design related, so I am constantly learning about new innovations in the design world without making a conscious effort to do so. Some websites that I like are The Dieline and Dezeen – I often look at their new articles and that also helps me stay inspired.
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