Packaging for the planet
Original Blended Material
Paper material developed by Sony
For the Environment and for the Future
Sony is involved in a variety of environmental conservation activities, one of them being using paper-based product packaging instead of relying only on plastic packaging for some products.
What is Original Blended Material?
Original Blended Material is a paper material, developed by Sony with environment in mind. It doesn’t rely on petroleum-derived plastics and can be formed to meet a wide variety of packaging needs.
The birth of Original Blended Material
Growing with the environment in mind
While most paper products come from mature perennial trees, plants with a long growth cycle need to be managed by humans for generations. Our Original Blended Materials use plants like bamboo and sugar cane that grow quickly. We also consider the impact from producers and growers, ensuring that the environment is considered during growth and harvesting.
1. Perennial plant 2. Plant with a short growth cycle 3. Sapling 4. Growing tree 5. Lopping 6. Sorting and harvesting 7. CO2 absorption period
Procurement of Original Blended Materials
Developing versatile packaging
Sony manufactures a variety of products with different packaging shapes. Our commitment to sustainability has driven us to varied Original Blended Material formulas, creating freely mouldable packaging to suit a wide range of products and purposes.
Creating awareness through our packaging
By using tactile, high-quality materials—created with the environment in mind—we aim to raise an awareness of the environment for anyone who picks up the package.
With the whole package in mind
Original Blended Materials is a versatile material that can be moulded and used for a variety of purposes including outer boxes, inner boxes, cushions, sleeves, product protection sheets, instruction manuals and more.
Reduced ink use
Words and text can be reproduced through embossing, without the use of ink.
No unnecessary colouring
The final product is uncoloured for an appealing organic look.
Created with recycling in mind
Packages made of Blended Materials can be collected alongside other paper materials without the need for additional sorting, making recycling into new paper easy.
1. Recycled into new paper 2. Manufactured 3. Purchased 4. Collected as material 5. Processed as waste
The Present and Future of Packaging
Kenichi Hirose
Designer
Creative Centre
Sony Group Corporation
The purpose of using this material is to "communicate" to customers to make them more aware of the environment. We thought of telling them the "where", the "what", the "how" and the "why". In essence, for Sony, environmental awareness is not something that can be achieved simply by providing products. Environmental cycles occur depending on the actions of those who understand that concept. Based on this idea, we visited various environments, carefully selected raw materials and combined them by making the most of their characteristics to create materials that are functionally optimised and converted them into "materials for communication". We hope this packaging will help to communicate the message to people.
SEE MORE SONY PRODUCTS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES