PUMA nears plastic-free milestone with 99.5% paper packaging adoption

ITALY — Global sportswear brand PUMA has revealed in its 2024 Sustainability Report that 99.5% of its packaging is now paper-based.

Of this, 99% comes from recycled or FSC-certified sources. The company also confirmed it no longer sells plastic shopping bags in its stores and has eliminated single-use plastics across all global offices.

As a founding member of The Fashion Pact and a partner in Canopy’s Pack4Good initiative, PUMA is working to achieve 100% recycled and/or FSC-certified packaging by 2030.

The brand also aims to replace avoidable plastics where feasible and ensure the rest are made from 100% recycled content.

In a notable step, PUMA phased out single-use plastic bags from all owned and operated retail outlets by January 2023, a move estimated to reduce several hundred tons of plastic waste annually.

These have been replaced with reusable bags or FSC-certified paper alternatives.

The sustainability push extends to in-store clothing hangers, now made entirely from recycled polymers or FSC-certified wood.

Offices have also gone plastic-free, replacing items like cups, lids, stirrers, straws, and cutlery with sustainable options.

However, the company acknowledges challenges with some plastic alternatives. Trials for paper-based transit bags in the U.S. faced setbacks due to durability issues and higher costs, delaying a complete rollout.

Still, paper remains a potential alternative for shipping apparel and accessories, with ongoing improvements in performance and pricing.

While paper now dominates PUMA’s packaging, the company reports that plastic still plays a role in certain business-to-business transit packaging.

Most polyethylene used in these applications contains 100% recycled content and is produced in thinner gauges to reduce material usage.

From an environmental impact standpoint, PUMA estimates that plastic packaging accounts for just 0.16% of its greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 2% from paper.

Water and energy use, as well as land occupation, are also significantly higher for paper packaging.

For instance, PUMA’s paper packaging is linked to 58,003 m³ of water use and 5,800 hectares of land, compared to 3,384 m³ and 338 hectares for plastic.

Looking ahead, PUMA plans to collaborate with industry stakeholders on sorting and recycling systems, with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes in focus.

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